with the completion of my mosfet headphone amplifier, i became slightly disappointed that ground loops between my amp+psu and my computer psu limited by playback to an iriver. (actually, i can stream my ogg vorbis library over wifi to my laptop too, but it's a bit of a pain.) i really would enjoy building a complete DAC. not just modding an existing unit or buying a kit, but building a complete unit from base principles and my own custom design. i have a feeling this could be next on the list, haha...

i'm thinking an opamp-buffered passive riaa preamplifier that's powered by a jung super regulator for superior noise and clarity performance than is achievable from the more basic riaa preamps. i've drawn up a schematic for a single amplifier channel based on walt jung's passive riaa topology that utilizes the opa2134 with a few changes, and i'm close to ready to breadboard my jung-didden super-regulator design.

while many build gainclones on p2p, veroboard and the like, my design for a gainclone includes digitally selected rca inputs and volume controls which are compatible with any given microcontroller for a truly easy opamp audio amplifier experience. to match its electronic complexity, which exists mainly in the form of the pga2310 source selector circuit, i've begun work on an aluminum-and-hardwood case to contain the beast.

the class-d amplifier topology has always fascinated me in the past, and my electronics knowledge is slowly but surely increasing to where i can actually comprehend the signals involved in such a design. my goal here is simply to first breadboard and then design a fully-specified high fidelity class-d power amplifier, probably up to 100W per channel.

crt clocks which wrap current-generation analog and digital electronics around old electrostatic deflection tubes are truly a challenge to make properly, considering the voltages involved. so obviously when i came across an old 5up1 5" crt from an old eico oscilloscope, i decided i wanted to build my own from scratch. the biggest challenge here is in obtaining the 2kV anode voltage, which i'd like to do with a flyback converter. this means i'd have to design my own magnetics for the application, something i've never done before... this may take a while before it gets anywhere... :P