Help me evaluate this photo....decent enough or shoddy

heiney9
heiney9 Posts: 25,203
in The Clubhouse
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I am looking at purchasing a DIY Pass Camp Amp. He states he's an experienced builder and there are no issues with the amp.

I look at the solder job in this photo and to me it looks a little shoddy. I don't expect perfection, but those that do a lot of parts and wire soldering, what do you think?

Maybe use an image program to enlarge the red and black wires if you can't see what I'm talking about.

I can go in and fix some solder joints, but this makes me less confident that this will be a long running piece of gear.

H9

P.s. He's supposed to be sending me more interior pics, we'll see if that happens
"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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Comments

  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,772
    I've seen better and I've seen worse, but definitely some questionable looking joints
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,649
    Is that normal? Why wouldn't the solder mask be on the back side of the board?
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,840
    He definitely didn't own a resistor bending tool.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,772
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is that normal? Why wouldn't the solder mask be on the back side of the board?

    Probably on both sides, I have seen several circuit boards where there's two tracks, one for the front and one for the back as well
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,134
    billbillw wrote: »
    resistor bending tool.

    I would resist her if she tried bending my tool.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,203
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is that normal? Why wouldn't the solder mask be on the back side of the board?

    For this DIY build I think so for the transistors and the minimal amount of wiring which are soldered to the front. The wiring is soldered after the pcb/transistors are affixed to the heat sink. The board is populated first, sans wiring. He was either lazy or fibbing a bit about his skills.

    The amp is cheap enough to probably take a chance on. I just want to see more of the insides before I buy it.

    The latest version of this DIY is sold out and the built ones FS are a bit pricey for me to take a chance on.

    There is a newer, more robust version called the ACA Minmax, but at $400 for the entire unbuilt kit, I'd like to see if it's even worth it for me.

    I had an original bought but at the last minute the guy said it started having issues and he refunded my $$$ before he shipped it. I'm glad he was honest, but I was a little disappointed.

    Just tinkering around with a low power, near field listening rig. The Schiit Gjallahorn so far hasn't really impressed me. Is it the amp or is it the pre/dac I'm using? Don't know for sure. Need another low powered amp to compare.

    Maybe I should pull out the Aleph 30 w/this pre/dac and see how it sounds?

    H9

    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,314
    @EndersShadow
    Dan, didn’t you win a drawing at LSAF for DIY Pass amp already built?
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,624
    No no no! There's no enough twists on the red and black wires!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,781
    The red/black wires definitely look like they are all cold solder joints. The solder didn't even wick up the strands, or fill the holes in the PCB.

    I rarely solder, and I can do much better than that.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,169
    I'm sure it's functional, but I would definitely touch-up those red and black wires if it were me.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,182
    Based upon what I see? I would inspect or redo every single solder joint within. I have literally seen rookies do better than what we see in the photo.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,829
    Long story short:
    That's some k-r-a-p soldering work.
    End of story. 🤔
    Sal Palooza
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,203
    He hasn't sent other photo's of the interior. I decided to pass....no pun intended. His puffery didn't seem to match what I see visually. Or he's just lazy and doesn't care.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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