Mini-amps

[Cliff Schecht]

I was going to set out to build a 386 based miniamp today, but I ended up just testing out a few I found on various websites... There's enough out there already. My question is which one should I build? I'm leaning towards the GGG Ruby just because of the availability of a board layout and I've already perfboarded it with success. Are there any other ones I should play with before making a dedicated build? I'm also going to stick an Aria Metal Master in the box and make it bypassable, but I'm still including a gain and volume knob. What would be a good source for speakers? I want to use a decent quality speaker so I can actually get some good tones out of this thing. Probably will be in a shielded wooden encloser, but whatever I can find that has the right mojo will definetly do. I'll post some pics when I'm done.

[ohm1163058]

I got a Jensen MOD 6" in a all triode amp that I built, good little speaker, and only $17 from AES. I hooked it up to the Ruby that I built and it sounded quite good as well running off that, and at about the same volume too, one just cost about $200 dollars to build and the other was about $25 I think you can figure out which is which

[dano12]

Oooh, my area of speciality

The Ruby is a great project, pretty simple to build, and it sounds great. You can get a PCB at General Guitar Gadgets for around $10, or etch your own from the layout at runoffgroove.com.

Or you could start out even simpler with a Smokey amp clone.

Next, move up to my Noisy Cricket design that adds a grit mod and tone control.

Or go all out and build Sopht Amp's Ruby Tuby which uses a 12AX7.

Lots of resources here:
http://beavisaudio.com/Projects/NoisyCricket/index.htm

[Mark Hammer]

1 watt into a 6" or 8" speaker in a decent cabinet can be surprisingly loud and hefty-sounding.  If you want to go with a 386-based amp, then try and score a 386-4 chip which can tolerate a higher supply voltage into 8 ohms without burning up.  Alternatively, build a Gem II or use a 1-2W chip like an LM380, or one of those bridgeable chips like a TEA2025 (found on countless older soundcards).

[kvb]

For 1/2w I would just buy the Smokey; it's such a nice little package.

I think you should go with 1w.  The Ruby mkII is very cool.  Loud enough to feel like you're jammin, quiet enough to talk over - or sing along with.   I'm using a 4", old, 8ohm stereo speaker and digging it.

[Cliff Schecht]

Oooh, my area of speciality

The Ruby is a great project, pretty simple to build, and it sounds great. You can get a PCB at General Guitar Gadgets for around $10, or etch your own from the layout at runoffgroove.com.

Or you could start out even simpler with a Smokey amp clone.

Next, move up to my Noisy Cricket design that adds a grit mod and tone control.

Or go all out and build Sopht Amp's Ruby Tuby which uses a 12AX7.

Lots of resources here:
http://beavisaudio.com/Projects/NoisyCricket/index.htm

I built both the Ruby and the Smokey Bear on perfboard and put a jack output so I could use the 8" speaker on my lil Epi Valve Junior. I quickly decided on the Ruby, the input buffer really helps. I'm just gonna use a decent computer speaker and try to recycle an enclosure from something.

[TheBigMan]

The Runoffgroove mini-amps are awesome.  I've built the Ruby, Little Gem and Little Gem MKII and all are superb sounding and very easy to build.  I've got vero layouts for the LGs and the Fetzer-Ruby in my gallery.  Also the Smokey and and another simple 386 amp.

Definitely go for a 386-4 as Mark says though.  I run a Strat into a Ruby running at 18V and the sound is amazing, very much like a Twin.

[Cliff Schecht]

I'm sticking with the one that bridges two 386's, whichever that was called (MKII I think). I built it and instantly loved it. It's also tiny enough to fit into whatever cool enclosure I can find. I'm thinking a cigarette box would be cool, but whatever catches my eye will do.