DIY audio

Alternatively, a DIYer may take an existing manufactured item of vintage era and update or modify it.

Books and magazines were published which explained new concepts regarding the design and operation of vacuum tube and (later) transistor circuits.

Today, a network of companies, parts vendors, and on-line communities exist to foster this interest.

Both enable the builder to pick and choose between various available parts, on matters of price as well as quality, allow for extensive experimentation, and offer the chance to use exotic or highly labor-intensive solutions, which would be expensive for a manufacturer to implement, but only require personal labor by the DIYer, which is a source of satisfaction to them.

Since the 1960s, integrated circuits make construction of DIY audio systems easier, but the proliferation of surface mount components (which are small and sometimes difficult to solder with a soldering iron) and fine pitch printed circuit boards (PCBs) can make the physical act of construction more difficult.

Specifications of parts and components are readily accessible through the Internet including data sheets and equipment designs.

On the other hand, a wide variety of kits, designs and premanufactured PCBs are available for almost any type of audio component.

Drilling, metalworking and physical measurements are critical to constructing almost any DIY audio project, especially speakers.

Examples are the use of silver wire, expensive capacitors, non-standard solders of various alloys, and use of parts that have been cryogenically cooled.

Note that vacuum tube projects almost always use dangerously high voltages and should be undertaken with due care.

It is thought that mass market audio components are compromised by the use of cheap or inferior internal parts that can be easily replaced with high quality substitutes.

Another common practice in the DIY audio community is to attempt to clone or copy a pre-existing design or component from a commercial manufacturer.

As an example, a well known clone includes amplifiers using high power integrated circuits, such as the National Semiconductor LM3875 and LM3886.