DIY AUDIO PROJECTS
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A collection of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Audio Projects for audiophiles, hi-fi enthusiasts, music lovers, electronic hobbyists, woodworkers and those who just like to build, listen and enjoy. This site exists for the purpose of promoting the hobby of DIY Audio. There is nothing for sale here. All project documentation presented on this site is free for personal use only. If you have a DIY Audio Project that you would like to share with others through this site, or if you have any comments, please contact me. Questions about a specific DIY Audio Project should be sent to the project author noted at the top of the project page.
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DIY Phono Preamplifier Kit (moving magnet) - 1 December 2008  NEW!
Mark has put together a phono preamplifier for moving magnet cartridges from an electronics kit. The kit comes complete with everything you need except for an enclosure and a power supply (AC walwart). The design uses LM833 opamps and the power supply section is regulated. The design supports multiple compensations, including RIAA and DECCA. Mark reports that the kit is dead quiet, performs well and holds it's own against a popular commercial phono preamp. |
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12AX7 / 12AU7 Tube Preamplifier Project - 24 November 2008  NEW!
Alan has put together a very simple tube preamplifier that will work with 12AX7 and 12AU7 vacuum tubes. The preamp is built around parts that Alan had on hand. To keep costs down, the preamp can be built using 12V transformers put back to back in order to get the required high voltage. Total costs for this project were about $30, most of which went towards the enclosures and RCA jacks. |
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6T9 Push-Pull Tube Amplifier Project - 8 November 2008  NEW!
Inspired by the Spare Time Gizmo 6T9 Tube Amp, Steve has put together a push-pull amplifier using 6T9 compactron vacuum tubes. Circuit ideas for the push-pull output stage came from an EICO HF-81 and a RCA Receiving Tube Manual and a 12AX7A tube is used in the preamp stage. The enclosure is made from a sheet of brass and the wood is Poplar that has been stained with Minwax Red Mahogany stain and finished with an Amber Shellac. |
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KT88 Push-Pull Mono Block Tube Amplifier Project - 29 October 2008
Bruce's second follow up to his original "OddWatt" project are the "Odd Blocks", a pair of KT88 Push-Pull Mono Block Tube Amplifiers. Like the Oddwatt 225, the mono blocks are scalable and can be used with a number of octal tubes (KT77, 6CA7, EL34, 6L6GC, KT88, 6550, KT90). Like the previous projects the driver stage is an SRPP but this time with the 12SL7 tube. The output stage is a Class A UL SIPP using KT88 tubes. LM317HV Regulators are used for the cathode CCS. |
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Jordan JX92S DIY Bass Reflex Tower Speakers - 13 October 2008
Gary has put together a fantastic looking pair of Tower Loudspeakers. The loudspeakers are based around the very well regarded Jordan JX92S Fullrange drivers. The enclosure is a simple ported bass reflex type with a volume of about 1.3 cubic feet. The speaker box is constructed out of Baltic birch plywood and finished with maple and walnut veneer and tung oil. Gary reports that the Jordan JX92S can deliver a lot of bass which is uncommon for fullrange drivers of this size. The speakers sound great, open, tight, fast and image like crazy. They can also handle all types of music without any signs of strain. |
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DIY HiVi SP10 Subwoofer Project - 25 August 2008
Adam has put together a nice looking active DIY subwoofer to match and compliment his DIY home theatre speakers. This subwoofer project uses the HiVi SP10 10" subwoofer driver in a bass reflex enclosure. A 500W plate amplifier delivers power to the subwoofer. The enclosure is constructed using MDF and the finish is a black oil based epoxy paint and red oak trim. Adam reports that the subwoofer delivers smooth, tight and accurate bass. |
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12AU7 Tube / IRF612 MOSFET Hybrid Headphone Amplifier - 5 August 2008
A simple hybrid (Vacuum Tube / Solid State) headphone amplifier. The amp uses a 12AU7/ECC82 tube for voltage gain and a IRF612 MOSFET follower stage. Both the tube and MOSFET operate at low voltage (~13V) and power is supplied via an external SMPS. The project uses common parts and costs were only about $40. Rogers is reporting very good results. |
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DIY 6T9 Tube Amplifier Project - 28 July 2008
A small single-ended tube amplifier project that uses the 6T9 compactron vacuum tube. This tube amplifier project has been constructed using a purchased PCB and for the enclosure Mark has used an inexpensive baking pan. The small amplifier only produces a few Watts of output power, but Mark reports very good results with a pair of high efficiency speakers. |
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Class A MOSFET Headphone Amplifier Project - 30 June 2008
A simple headphone amplifier that uses an external CD-ROM for the project enclosure. The circuit topology is a simple single-ended Class A amplifier stage (MOSFET follower) with an active load. The output device is an IRF610 MOSFET and a LM317 regulator is used as a constant current source (CCS). The sonic results are surprisingly good for such a simple design. |
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KT77 Push Pull Tube Amplifier Project - 19 May 2008
Bruce has followed up his "OddWatt" project (EL84/6BQ5 Push-Pull) with the Oddwatt 225. The Oddwatt 225 is a scalable tube amplifier which will work with a number of octal tubes. In this build the driver stage is an SRPP with 6SL7 tubes and the output stage is a Class A UL SIPP with KT77 tubes. LM317 Regulators are used for the cathode CCS. |
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DIY Fostex FX120 ML-TQWT Speaker Project - 5 May 2008 
Martin from Germany has put together a great looking pair of tower loudspeakers using the Fostex FX120 fullrange driver. The enclosure is a Mass Loaded - Tapered Quarter Wavelength Tube (ML-TQWT). As you can see Martin has done a bang up job with the speaker enclosure. His design was created using the MathCAD worksheets from Martin J. King. His speaker project includes a baffle step correction circuit. Martin reports that the sound is relaxed with a detailed midrange and good highs. He also indicates that the ML-TQWT enclosure gets good low end extension from this little driver. Great work Martin! |
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Fostex FX120 Bass Reflex Bookshelf Speakers - 25 February 2008
My latest pair of DIY speakers is another fullrange design, but this time in a bookshelf sized enclosure. The enclosure is a simple bass reflex cabinet using Fostex FX120 fullrange drivers. The great looking curved enclosures are prefabricated and from Parts Express. The FX120 is a really smooth driver and I prefer it over the FE127E. On it's own, FX120 delivers decent bass extension in a small sized room and it also blends in well with a subwoofer. The FX120 has great sonics and a great midrange. This relatively small speaker is great as a near field monitor. |
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Jean Hiraga - Le Monstre 8W Class A Amplifier - 12 January 2008
Dan has put together a great looking amplifier which is based on Jean Hiraga's popular article "Le Monstre" (The Monster). Dan has used the original board layout, transistors and JFETs noted in the article. However, he did make some changes to the power supply. Instead of a battery, Dan's power supply is regulated. |
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AMP6: DIY Class-T Amplifier Kit - 3 December 2007
This is my first Class-T amplifier, an AMP6 kit from 41hz.com. It is a simple, compact and inexpensive kit that provides great performance. It uses the Tripath TA2020 chip and includes an onboard regulated power supply. |
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DIY Zigmahornets with Fostex FE103E Speaker - 7 November 2007
Barry has completed another pair of single driver loudspeakers. This time it is a nice looking pair of Zigmahornets. While the Zigmahornets were originally designed for use with the now discontinued Fostex FE103, Barry is reporting good results using the newer Fostex FE103E Fullrange Driver. In his short article, Barry shows us just how simple it is to build yourself a great sounding set of speakers even if you don't have a table saw at your disposal. Barry reports that the sound is clear and clean with very good bass response from such a small driver. |
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EL84 Push Pull Tube Amplifier Project - 22 October 2007
Bruce latest project, the "OddWatt" is a EL84/6BQ5 Push-Pull Tube Amplifier. The driver stage is an SRPP with ECC802S tubes, while ultra linear operation is used for the output stage with Sovtek EL84 tubes. LM317 Regulators are used for constant current sources (CCS) of the output stages. 12VDC is used for the tube heaters. |
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Synergy LM3875 Gainclone Chip Amplifier - 5 October 2007
Mark has been cooking and put together another Gainclone amplifier. This chip amplifier uses the LM3875 chip and point-to-point wiring. This amp follows the idea of the 47 Laboratory gaincard amplifier, "rigid and compact". The enclosure for this amplifier is an aluminum cooking pan and a wooden cutting board. |
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DIY Hi-Vi 3-Way Tower Loudspeaker Project - 10 September 2007
Adam has completed a fantastic looking 3-Way Tower Loudspeaker project using all Hi-Vi Research drivers. The Hi-Vi F8 Woofer is housed in a bass reflex enclosure which is separated from a sealed portion of the enclosure that contains a pair of Hi-Vi F5 mid-woofers and a Hi-Vi SD1.1-A tweeter. The sound is divided using a 3-way 2nd order crossover network. The enclosure is constructed from MDF and is finished using black oil based epoxy paint and red oak trim. I really like how the black and red oak compliment the yellow Kevlar cones of the Hi-Vi drivers. Adam reports that the sound is clear and clean with great bass response. |
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DIY K-502 Tube (Valve) Amplifier Kit - 9 July 2007 
Given the low cost and great sound of these tube amp kits, it is no surprise they are popping up everywhere. This is Scott's build of the inexpensive K-502 tube amp kit. It features a fantastic looking enclosure and uses a stepped attenuator for volume control. |
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DIY KT88 Single Ended (SE) Tube Amp - 11 June 2007 
Alex has pulled together a simple single ended tube amp that is based around the popular KT88 valve. As an alternative, EL34 tubes can be used in place of the KT88 tubes. The preamplifier tube is a 6N1P, but the 6DJ8 / ECC88 / E88CC family of tubes can also be used. The power supply uses a 5U4 dual rectifier. |
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Tobler-ONE: DIY Jordan JX92S MLTL Speaker Project - 9 May 2007 
Francesco has put together an elegant Mass Loaded Transmission Line (MLTL) loudspeaker enclosure for the Jordan JX92S fullrange driver. The enclosure cross-section is trapezoidal and thus it lends itself well to corner placement. The narrow baffle and corner placement result in a high WAF, while not sacrificing the low frequency response. To match the room decor, the enclosure is constructed from beech plywood. The result is an aesthetically pleasing loudspeaker with great sonic qualities. |
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DIY 5687 LED Biased Tube Preamplifier - 1 March 2007 
Vincent has pulled together a fine looking preamplifier that is based around the 5687 twin triode. Each channel uses both sections of a 5687 vacuum tube with LED biasing used on each section. To keep potential hum at a minimum, the heater filaments are supplies with DC. To further minimize the potential for unwanted noise, the power supply is external to the preamp section and consists of a RCA-83 mercury rectifier and two 50H chokes. Very nice work Vincent. |
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DIY 12AX7 Tube Preamplifier Kit - 12 February 2007
This is Mark's build of a simple and inexpensive tube preamplifier kit featured in Silicon Chip Magazine. The preamplifier kit is based around the common 12AX7 dual triode. What makes this kit relatively inexpensive is that power comes from a switch mode power supply which is fed using a 17 volt DC wall wart! Mark's modifications to the preamplifier kit include snubbers and upgraded capacitors. The end result is a simple DIY tube preamplifier that sounds great and will keep some money in your pocket for the next project. |
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LM3875 (Gainclone) Chip Amplifier Project - 18 December 2006
Another Gainclone project! This chip amp project is Mark's tiny Nanoo Amplifier. The enclosure is constructed from an aluminum box that measures only 119 X 94 X 34 mm. The amplifier is non-inverting and uses the popular LM3875 chip amp with point-to-point wiring. Power to the amplifier is supplied via a seperate external power supply. |
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DIY Class A 2SK1058 Mosfet Amplifier - 18 November 2006
Mark has put together a very simple MOSFET amplifier that he fashioned after a single-ended (SE) tube amplifier. The amplifier uses a single MOSFET and the results are a very simple Class A SE amplifier with a low parts count. |
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DIY 10" Ported Subwoofer Project - 1 November 2006
I needed a matching subwoofer to fill in the bottom end of the Fostex FE127E Sealed Bipole project and the result is the MAW-10 Ported Subwoofer. The enclosure is constructed from 3/4" MDF and active power is supplied by a small partsexpress plate amplifier. On the underside of the enclosure is a speaker terminal so I can switch between passive and active power. The enclosure was finished with the same cream color paint used on the Fostex FE127E Sealed Bipole to make a matching set. This is an easy to build project that delivers nice tight bass without breaking the bank. |
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DIY Fostex FE127E Sealed Bipole Speaker Project - 19 June 2006
As a follow up to the BD-Pipes, I decided to try out another full-range speaker project. In an attempt to get better mid-range and more bass, I decided to try a sealed tower enclosure that would be coupled with a subwoofer. This speaker project uses Fostex FE127E drivers and a simple sealed bipole enclosure constructed from MDF. The results are a great sounding speaker with higher attainable output levels and much improved mid-range in comparison to the BD-Pipes. Again, with a single driver covering most of the frequency range, you get pretty good imaging. The bipole configuration eliminates the need for a BSC and provides a wide soundstage with good depth. With the sealed enclosure, you get excellent cone control, great mid-range and you can develop moderate SPL. The bottom end is filled in with a subwoofer crossing over at about 80Hz. |
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DIY LM3886 Chip Amplifier (Gainclone) Kit - 9 May 2006
Having completed a couple of tube amps, curiosity got the better of me and it came time to hear for myself what all the Chipamp (gainclone) rave is about. Using PCBs from Chipamp.com, some passive parts I had collected, and a Hammond Chassis, I put together a Chip Amp around the LM3886 chip. The results were very surprising as this amplifier sounds far better than it should considering the simplicity and low cost required to build it. The Chip Amp has a lot of available power and is suitable for a wide variety of speaker loads. |
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S-5 Electonics K-12M Tube Amplifier Kit - 2 January 2005
At $139US for the kit, this is the cheapest Tube Amplifier kit on the block. However, don't let the inexpensive price tag fool you, as this tube amp can go head to head with amps that cost $800. With its very modest price tag, this kit is an affordable step into the wonderful world of vacuum tube audio. I have provided information about my experiences with the K-12M kit as well as several modifications and upgrades that I have tried out. |