Rapid 10W Stereo Amplifier Kit Without Speakers

This is a really good little kit, quite easy to build, performs well and is good value. It's no frills - mine arrived in resealable plastic bags and the instructions were provided as a pdf download (no printed sheet), but the components were all decent quality and the PCB is well laid out and well made. You do need the instructions to find the component values because they’re not shown on the PCB. There’s no description of circuit operation but there is a circuit diagram Construction was pretty straightforward. The non-polarised capacitors were a little difficult to identify with certainty but a quick google check sorted it out (and there are only 5 of them, so it wasn’t hard to work out). A couple of capacitors aren’t shown in the parts list but they are shown, with their component values, in the circuit diagram. The biggest problem was that initially the solder didn’t flow well onto the pads on the PCB, but after a quick clean with a cotton bud soaked in white spirit it was fine. The board is quite small but has adequate room to work on, so if you’ve a steady hand it would even make a good first project. In use, the performance is surprisingly good. It’s not the highest of hifi, but has turned the stereo headphone output from a DAB receiver into a very acceptable workshop stereo radio (also plays music from my Android tablet) – it’s hooked up to a pair of 40W Visaton speakers I bought with it and produces more than enough volume for everyday use. Runs well off batteries (holder and connector provided), some hum from a cheap switch mode mains supply. Would buy again.