Finally started work on making an audio switcher for my valve amplifier.

First things first, the power supply for the relay board.

A small 12V 2.5A toroidal from RS and a regulated PSU board from a Maplins kit to give me a steady 5 volts.

Pictured below, just constructed volt reg kit and set volts to 5. I added the heatsink on the voltage regulator, that wasn't in the kit, better safe than sorry.

Now I've made a start hopefully I'll have it finished soon, although there's quite a lot to do, have to mount twelve phono sockets in the case next.

Good luck with it & nice pictures to go with it............any more?

I like your project/picture threads - looking forward to seeing how this develops

The idea was to complete the back panel as well today but I didn't have:

1) Chassis mounted IEC plug to take mains in.
2) Chassis mounted 20mm fuse holder for mains in.
3) Enough small nuts bolts and washers to mount all the phono sockets.

I rummaged around but couldn't find the parts I need so over to RS or Maplins tomorrow on my travels.

You can see from the pic of most of the parts that the nuts and bolts holding some phono sockets in are a bit of a mixture.

I bought a 21mm hole cutter especially to mount those.

Pic of parts:

I love project's like this, always have love getting my soldering iron out and having a go meself!

Whats the Microphone for?


*Edited cause I did'nt want to hijack the thread

The microphone? Nothing, it's just there. It's an SM58 I resoldered the cartridge connections to, is all.

I've just been looking at the wiring/layout/working of the switching board and all is not entirely clear to me, have to confess.

I think a study over coffee in the morning in the cold light of day may be in order

And if that don't work I'll phone Dave The Bass

Them pics look like my projects after I have finished them

You is some clever dude.

They have an amzing valve amp kit on the home page have you seen it?

It's nearly £900

You mean World Designs?

Yes, Valve Amps are expensive. Well, the good ones are.

The most expensive parts are the mains and output transformers.

For mine I was given a pair of custom made output transformers from a mate who decided he wasn't going to use them (they were made for a 1960's Leak Valve amplifier) and the mains transformers were taken free from a box full in the Skillcentre where I took a course in '84. They were just there and the tutor said 'Help yourself So I did.

All the rest cost about eighty quid including the case, back in '85. Of that, the case cost £30.00 and the pcb's cost £35.00 for the pair from Elektor magazine.

To avoid confusion, I'm talking about the amplifier, not the audio switcher pictured here.

Done some more this morning.

I've just realised I haven't fitted the power switch and neon, doh, best switch the soldering iron on again...