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now I want to design a 500 series preamp.
Welcome here!
I believe you should start by looking at the projects, such as this one
https://groupdiy.com/threads/build-...2-stage-preamp-official-support-thread.48610/You need to get yourself familiar with the 500 format, then choose the type of preamp you want to build. There's so many options, transformerless or not, discrete or opamps, continuous gain or switched, whatever. Some of these choices are made based on previous experience, others on cost or complexity.
It's a choice we can't make for you, but once you made your choice we can help you.
 
Welcome Buddy Lee, sad to hear your story, but Im glad you have found something you like. I am sure we could all offer you a helping hand with your questions. Perhaps you could start by telling us exactly what you would like to do.
 
Welcome to Group DIY, Buddy! There's a ton of folk here who I'm sure will be able to advise on the design side once you've landed on the sort of thing you're looking at.

Abbey sets out some of the key questions in terms of topology that you'll want to consider before breaking out the CAD software - if you're still at the stage of mapping out your options, you might also want to think on:
  • Are you looking to develop a new design, or something based one of the classics?
  • Is there a particular track, album or studio sound that you're inspired by?
On the mechanical design side of things, there's some invaluable information here with the full measurements and specification of the 500 series. The one thing I'd add from personal experience would be to design your front panels slightly narrower than the spec calls for!

Andy
 
My names Buddy Lee and I am 100 % disabled Iraqi war veteran. I came home lost and broken and made a plan to commit suicide and music and electronics saved my life.
For the last 2-3 years I have been building and inventing guitar pedals and now I want to design a 500 series preamp.
Can anyone help guide me
Welcome, and I look forward to seeing your design journey.
 
Welcome Buddy Lee, sad to hear your story, but Im glad you have found something you like. I am sure we could all offer you a helping hand with your questions. Perhaps you could start by telling us exactly what you would like to do.
Welcome here!
I believe you should start by looking at the projects, such as this one
https://groupdiy.com/threads/build-...2-stage-preamp-official-support-thread.48610/You need to get yourself familiar with the 500 format, then choose the type of preamp you want to build. There's so many options, transformerless or not, discrete or opamps, continuous gain or switched, whatever. Some of these choices are made based on previous experience, others on cost or complexity.
It's a choice we can't make for you, but once you made your choice we can help you.
I have done 13 kits of 500 series EQ, pre’s and compressors. I am still learning about transformers and the other stuff. Y’all are so awesome
 
Welcome Buddy Lee, sad to hear your story, but Im glad you have found something you like. I am sure we could all offer you a helping hand with your questions. Perhaps you could start by telling us exactly what you would like to do.
In the Marines we had a thing call bird dogging. It’s where a young marine is mentored by a older or more experienced Marine. I’d love it if someone could maybe walk me through on how to design. I know a decent amount about schematics. But never designed my own preamps or studio gear. I also teach other veterans who suffer from ptsd and who have attempted suicide. Kind of a online mentorship. I purchased tons of books but it leads me even more lost. I hope me posting this didn’t upset anyone here.
 
In the Marines we had a thing call bird dogging. It’s where a young marine is mentored by a older or more experienced Marine. I’d love it if someone could maybe walk me through on how to design. I know a decent amount about schematics. But never designed my own preamps or studio gear. I also teach other veterans who suffer from ptsd and who have attempted suicide. Kind of a online mentorship. I purchased tons of books but it leads me even more lost. I hope me posting this didn’t upset anyone here.
Mentoring usually occurs within organizations where senior engineers mentor junior engineers.

For a 500 series preamp, perhaps start with a dedicated mic preamp IC, these days they are quite good. They often provide application notes with proforma circuit designs. The packaging will be defined by the 500 series format.

On this forum you can usually ask specific questions and get multiple answers, you task is to guess which answers are correct. ;)

JR
 
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Hi Buddy,
If you haven’t seen this already, Hairball audio have a nice platform for jumping off into designing your own mic pre: Silver Basic Kit

Should be back in stock next week. I don’t have any knowledge of the designing mic-pre portion of it, but their support is quick and friendly. I have built one of their Lola mic pres and have one of the 1176 comps waiting for me to build, my Lola sounds great so the quality and instruction you get is wonderful!

Alternatively, DIYRE have their Colour pres that aren’t fully designing a pre, but give you lots of flavors that may help you decide the route you’d like to take sonically.

hope this helps and all the best to you on your journey.
 
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