Inspired by this site, I've decided to re-box my stock Sonic Impact T-Amp that runs the speakers in my garage. I've already built two portable speaker units: a Podzuma powered by a sealed lead-acid battery with audiophile quality speakers, and its ne'er-do-well brother from the poor end of town, the Cheapzuma, powered by D batteries and OEM-surplus Ford car speakers. These experiences have given me enough confidence to move the remaining T-Amp's guts from its cheapo plastic housing to something a little classier.
I'll be posting progress in this blog, with photos. Hopefully, my procedural documentation will help someone else. Unfortunately, the 5066 T-Amp has been discontinued, and while it can be found on Ebay, it seems the formerly ridiculously cheap price has pretty much doubled (before shipping). Otherwise, I'd be tempted to create a cottage industry in reboxing these.
I haven't decided just yet on the exact look, but it's down to either a walnut-wood enclosure, or a faux-leather finish MDF enclosure. Keep reading to see what I end up with!
By the way, any DIYers with a hankering to put together a Tripath-based amp on the cheap should check out 41hz.com. The site creator is an audio enthusiast, and he's created kits for amplifier designs he's created. For those nervous about dealing with surface-mount components, the AMP-6 would be the best choice, and can be had for about US$40.
Coming up next, the parts list!
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