My ZPA 0.8's-- #1 of 2 is almost done

Post by **ttocs** » Sun May 31, 2009 2:45 pm

are you going to light the plexi up some way? I was thinkin if you did that it would look cool to have the plexi on top one color(blue for ex), and then you could hide a few more leds under the circuit boards to light up the metal strip between the boards a different color(red for ex).

Post by **stipud** » Sun May 31, 2009 3:31 pm

What about raising the speaker terminals to clear the cap?

dBincognito · Post by **dBincognito** » Sun May 31, 2009 3:38 pm

Makes me want to stick 2 MS-2125's in a custom ZX amp case and call it my MSX500

Post by **Jacampb2** » Sun May 31, 2009 5:13 pm

Buss bars and signal cabling are going to have to run down the center. There is no use trying to plan something for that space, because nothing will be able to fit in the end.

I will probably light it up, but I am undecided. Same thing for color and finish, I have no idea yet...

If I redid the speaker EP, I don't think it would look right. I would much rather loose a pair of input caps on each amps then redesign the EP's this late in the game.

Randy, you would be in for a much bigger challenge. I had a head start because the 800's are "mini sink" amps. The MS amps were never designed with this type of cooling in mind. W/ a symmetrical board layout and the intent of components being sinked on both side of the board means that you would likely need to redesign the whole board layout before you could do a ZX style case.

Later,
Jason

dBincognito · Post by **dBincognito** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:09 pm

Jacampb2

Randy, you would be in for a much bigger challenge. I had a head start because the 800's are "mini sink" amps. The MS amps were never designed with this type of cooling in mind. W/ a symmetrical board layout and the intent of components being sinked on both side of the board means that you would likely need to redesign the whole board layout before you could do a ZX style case.

I know, it would be sweet though......I actually measured already, and there is room to install cooling fans on the MS heatsinks

Post by **Jacampb2** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:52 pm

Buss bars are in. I debated a lot about material to use for them. Copper is very pricey, and does not machine well, brass is pricey, and machines beautifully, but aluminum is comparatively cheap, and has almost the same conductivity as brass.

The material I decided on is .125" 3003 aluminum. I believe I did the math right for the current carrying capability, but if anyone believes it to be not enough area for the current, please let me know, the last thing I want is to burn these boards up. The buss bars are .875x.125 through the main trunk. The numbers I ran suggested that the 15 inch run will be about 20% lower resistance than 4Awg copper, which is what each amp is supposed to be fed with. If I am not mistaken, the aluminum has ~109000 square mills, where 4g copper is ~41000 circular mills. 109000 square mills converted to circular mills is ~139000 circular mills, even with the lower conductivity of aluminum, I think I am well over sized. But again, if I made a mistake, please let me know.

Here is a pic of the amp with the buss bars mounted. I still need to come up with some nylon standoffs to insulate and mount the bars to the bottom of the case.

Thanks,
Jason

knightrider358 · Post by **knightrider358** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:08 pm

i must say that thing is jus a one-off marvel, I have so much respect in u bein able to do that with those two amp and jus doin that case as maticulously as you I hope the original engineers that did the m,ms,mps,zx,zxti, and the zpa's most will see this and think highly of you being able to do something like that man.

Misfire · Post by **Misfire** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:26 pm

Jason's got mad skills... If you make more, I will sell a kidney to get one! Well, maybe the wife's anyway

Pedi · Post by **Pedi** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:34 pm

dBincognito wrote:Makes me want to stick 2 MS-2125's in a custom ZX amp case and call it my MSX500

Ahhh.... You are just jelaous on my MS500 Firefighter !!!

Post by **smgreen20** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:02 pm

Now I have to go clean out the white stuff in my pants.

Damn!!!!!!!!!!!! That's sweet as ever!

*infinity*

Post by **smgreen20** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:04 pm

Oh, and you know the measurements and conversions so rest assured you're OK. Being that I use to weld alum. I can say that I know a lot of the currents of alum and I'm positive you're good.

Post by **Jacampb2** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:29 am

Thanks guys. I am only making one more of these. I only have 5 800.1's, so that leaves me at a maximum run of 2 amps.

I have a thought in my head to possibly do this with my 900.7 and 1000.2 for a monster amp capable of virtually any kind of full range setup... The 900.7 has no case, so it is either make another ZPA style case, or build a ZX style case for the 900 alone. I am leaning toward the second option, as I will not have room for 3 amps the size of these ZPA's in any install.

Later,
Jason

marko · Post by **marko** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:29 am

you could always make a 3rd and use the 5th 800.1 on one side and maybe use the other side for a power station/basecube/processor type thing..

having said that a 900.7 and 1000.2 combo would be awsome

Post by **Eric D** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 3:33 pm

Those bars look great. Are you going to plate them when all done?

Post by **ttocs** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:34 pm

I have pulled off the plastic insulation to either a ring terminal or a spade connector to use as stand offs if they are not going to be seen. Otherwise ace sells crap like that.

Looking fukin amazing man.........

Post by **Jacampb2** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:51 pm

Eric D wrote:Those bars look great. Are you going to plate them when all done?

I will do something to them, just not sure what yet. I looked into DIY plating, and it is pretty involved to plate aluminum. Matt (mhyde) has offered to get me in touch with a platter he knows, but I have nothing I can find that is anywhere near local to me.

ttocs wrote:I have pulled off the plastic insulation to either a ring terminal or a spade connector to use as stand offs if they are not going to be seen. Otherwise ace sells crap like that.

Looking fukin amazing man.........

I have done that as well, but I actually need a threaded standoff-- or longer nylon machine screws. Either will be reasonably easy to get a hold of. The bars are bolted together with 10-32 nylon machine screws and a 1/8" nylon spacer between them right now. I was hoping the nylon machine screws wold be long enough to thread into the bottom of the case, but the longest my fastner supplier had was 1" and it is not enough. I also have 1.5" nylon spacers I can cut down for the buss/case spacers once I order some longer machine screws.

Later,
Jason

faizai · Post by **faizai** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 8:28 am

really,really,really nice!!

Post by **Jacampb2** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:26 pm

Well, I am almost there. I intended to use some Xenon RCA plugs, but the spares I have did not have their jam nuts, it is some odd thread I have not been able to find new nuts. I bought some panel mount RCA jacks from radio shack, but they are to small. I have to keep searching... For now, everything is wired, and in the pics, the amp is powered up. Last items are going to be finding the RCA jacks, the vertical gain pots, and making fan baffles.

Here are the new pics.

Later,
Jason

Post by **stipud** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:36 pm

You posted this idea at the end of April, and it's already working??? You really are the Mad Scientist

It looks fantastic man. Give yourself a pat on the back from me!

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:44 pm

That's 1600W of sex right there.

Post by **stipud** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:03 pm

fuzzysnuggleduck wrote:That's 1600W of sex right there.

Class A/B dual mono sex, no less.

2x400w @ 4 ohms
2x800w @ 8 ohms
1x1600w @ 4 ohms bridged

Hell yeah.

Are the crossover pots LP only Jason?

Pedi · Post by **Pedi** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:18 pm

Jason, I have been watching this awesome build from day one. I get more and more stunned everytime you post new pics....

But....

There have always been something that I could not place my finger on - that I felt was missing... I finally figured it out now.

You should have a slightly smoked plexi instead of a clear one, so that the logo will do a better show-off... I feel that at in this very moment, there is a crash between the sight of the internals and the outer logo. With smoked plexi (not too smoked) I assume that eyes will first hit the logo, THEN the internals..

Just a thought...

Nice build anyways... How about you move to Norway, next to me? I could use a neighbour with such skills

trckydve · Post by **trckydve** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:15 am

Absolutely amazing! Very few people could do something like this.

BTW did anyone else notice he said "I ONLY have 5 of these"

Pedi · Post by **Pedi** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:31 am

marko wrote:you could always make a 3rd and use the 5th 800.1 on one side and maybe use the other side for a power station/basecube/processor type thing..

having said that a 900.7 and 1000.2 combo would be awsome

And I could not have agreed more...

Post by **stipud** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:31 am

Now that I'm seeing some closer pics of the buss bars... have you put anything between them? With your Strokers, I could see them causing your buss bars to flex a bit, and it would be a real shame if they ever touched each other.