Very nice, can I ask how much something like that costs?

Thanks for the kind words. I’m not much of a designer like gwikse or Corpius, but it kind of suits me. Plain but hard working…;) It will be heavy for sure...but won't be flexing when I pick it up like it does with the friendly case.

I have no problem disclosing the cost as modushop's prices are posted for each service, and I won’t make you look it up. I am not at home, but recall it being ~ 235 Euro, which is $300 US including shipping. PESANTE 3U 10mm panel, 450mm x 430mm x 120mm. Add ons were both sides machined, anodize after machine, drilled inner base, 29mm shiny knob, fully vented top cover and four of their anti vibration feet. I added a cavity in rear of panel to move the LCD closer to the face of front panel. Andrea also drilled and tapped for the LCD mounting holes. No ink fill as they only use black ink, not much use on a black face plate. We shall see how I do with the paint fill of lettering/TP logo.

Initially it seemed like too much to spend for an enclosure, but considering the investment in the DAC it really isn’t.

Edited by user Wednesday, November 21, 2012 9:42:00 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks Russ! You guys earn the praise.

My enclosure arrived from Modushop! It took a week instead of weeks like I thought.




The LCD dropped right in, fit perfectly. I had a rear cavity machined in front panel so the LCD screen is close to the face. There is also a chamfer around the opening. The cavity above the LCD rectangle is for the I2C LCDextra IO board that Corpius put me on to. (Thanks Corpius for all the help!) It didn't need to be that deep but allows plenty of clearance now. The IO board is soldered to the LCD header. The LCD screw retaining holes were perfectly drilled and tapped by modushop. If only I could do that good mounting the Arduino board. More to come, lots to do!

I was thinking of eliminating one PS. Currently using the + side of an LCBPS for the Arduino and a 1/2 of an LCDPS for my Sidecar/ Teleporter module (9v transformer on LCDPS). If I use a 15v transformer on my LCDPS, I'll get the voltage I need for the Arduino/LCD. Will I still be able to adjust the other side of LCDPS down to 5 volts for the Sidecar/Teleporter and future USB module using a 15v tranny?

Edited by user Thursday, December 6, 2012 5:28:37 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Looks great Rich! Are you going to fill the engravings? If yes, which color?

Ik read your post earlier this morning on my tablet pc. For some reason the images are not shown when I use this.

I'll try to get my front plate done soon. The guy from the workshop at my work is back from his holiday, so I hope he has dome time for me soon.

.

Edited by user Thursday, December 6, 2012 10:52:44 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I am happy to say I am mostly finished with my dual mono build! I had to take an existing light picture of the front panel in an attempt to show what it looks like in real life. The flash tends to really lighten the color fill in the front panel engraving.

I am waiting for an Amanero USB/I2S module, and Digi Key mis-packaged the incorrect value resistors for the AES/EBU input. The USB input is just a hole stuffer for now. I plan to redo the rear panel labeling when I install the USB module. I am thinking up high near the Teleporter to keep the I2S wires short. An OTTO II for switching could be added. I tried to think modular in that the rear panel, front panel and toroidal farm can be removed if the need arises.

Edited by user Sunday, December 16, 2012 11:15:11 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

The Testors paint fill of the front panel went well. It is very hard to stay "in the lines" with the color fill even with a tiny artists brush. I found a new bondo spreader used as a squeegee moved most of the excess paint to an area where it could be wiped off the panel without removing paint from the engraved areas. After allowing the color to set a few minutes, I used cotton swaps moistened with thinner to get excess paint off. It leaves a film that can be easily removed once the paint dries. I followed up with an old dish towel wrapped tightly around the spreader moistened with thinner. It was a smooth tightly woven towel (not fuzzy). The plastic spreader did no harm to the front panel.

The toroidal farm mount is thick 1/4" (6.35mm) aluminum. I drilled and tapped threads in the mount to make it easy to install to the base. I couldn't locate any rubber grommets for that thickness material to insulate the wire pass through holes. A trip to the local Ace Hardware for some metric screws got me looking thought their hardware offerings and I found some snap in plastic bushings. They had an assortment of small to larger sizes. I used 3/8" (9.5mm) for the secondary wiring and 1/2" (12.7mm) for the mains power. They were 3/8" (9.5mm) long so they extend through the thick transformer bracket.

Some folks have asked me why so many toroidals. Well I had the Twisted Pear LCDPS and LCDPS linear power supplies from early testing with the single BIII build. (Sounded better to me with the shunting power supplies). I used the + side of the LCBPS to power the Arduino/LCD. One side of the LCDPS powers the Sidecar/4 channel input board and the other side powers Teleporter and future USB module. I could lose one 9v tranny and split the secondaries on the remaining one to power the two Placid HD's, but then I lose galvanic isolaton. It was so quiet even with the rats nest wiring in the friendly case that I did not want to risk possibly adding any.

This was the first time I had two inputs connected to the 4 channel input board (nothing was connected to the second input). I was getting dropouts where I never had them before (In my best Mr. Bill Oh...! Nooooo!) until I lowered the Sidecar/input board power to 4.75v.

Edited by user Sunday, December 16, 2012 11:34:43 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks gwiske.

Yes, a green something will be in my future.....but.... right now...... right now......right now, its time to kick out the jams m#########! ;) (Tell me where I heard that and I'll be surprised!)

It don't look bad enough to keep me from using it.

Yes, it is a Pesante 3U, 10mm panel, 450mm x 430mm x 120mm. And I am glad I didn't go with a smaller enclosure. Quiet, no hums, loving it. Now I have a cover and can leave it upstairs and not worry about our cat doing mods on it.

I sourced some longer flat head screws that attach the drilled base to the side panels. I added washers under the nuts as the slots in the drilled base are near as wide as the nuts. I also sourced nylon lock nuts so it doesn't loosen up with the pounding bass.

EDIT:

OK, this green on black LCD screen is ordered. Thanks for the link Corpius.

Edited by user Monday, December 17, 2012 9:16:34 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

OK, here you go, with the green on black screen.

Edited by user Saturday, December 29, 2012 10:56:04 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Nice! Very well done.

Very nice work.