Is the Budgie SE appropriate as 1st time build

[fatuncle]

Is the Budgie SE appropriate as 1st time build for a guy with little to no Electronics skills?

Let me provide some background. I have been lurking on various DIY/ audio sites for over a year now and have been try to teach myself electronics (not going very well). I have been practicing my PCB soldering skills on few small kits and that seems to be going well. I am an adult who reads and follows instructions and I realize and respect the lethal voltages involved.

My desire is to have a modest Tube based system for listening in a living room setting 11x15. I have some 8” Audio Nirvana speakers that are waiting to go into some simple Bass Reflex cabinets as soon as my buddy cuts the Baltic Birch for me. I will start with My ipod but I have a decent Dual CS5000 TT that I would like to eventually get in the mix.

At one point I was thinking about building an RH84 because I have a discarded Zenith Console AMP that I can use the IRON from but I realized I just don’t have the skills or knowledge to pull it off. I really need something with a PCB and tight parts list and good instructions. I also thought about one of the S5 kits but when I saw the Budgie SE I thought it might work.

So what do you good folks think, am I kidding myself?

[battradio]

I twould be a good , project if you can solder and use hand tools . If you never soldered before , you might want to build a $10 or $15 dollar kit to learn how first , and decide if you have the neaded skill .

Also if you build it with the Zenith Iron , leave enough room on your chassis so you can use beter outputs later .

Examples of a practice kit ,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIY-Electronic- ... 4cf869f85e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-TDA2030A-a ... 4ab7738554 .

[fatuncle]

Thanks Mark, Yeah Ive assembled a few of those "learn to solder" kits and they actually worked the first time. I don't have the knowledge to use the old Zenith iron. I will need to build something with an explicit parts list. Im looking for a sort electronic version of painting by numbers. Im hoping I can learn a little by doing.

I a pretty good mechanically and have access to shop tools and even own unibits and a set of Greenlee punches so the chassis portion doesn't worry me.

[battradio]

There are several people here that would help walk you through it if you run into any trouble .

[Shannon Parks]

Fatuncle - sorry for the slow reply, but...

You bet! I really intend this to be a design that can be built fairly easily. Just six holes from a 3/8" drill, some soldering, some fast on crimps and maybe some painted bells and you are done. You certainly sound like you are plenty qualified. And IMHO, it sounds great (listening to it as I type this).

The top plates will hopefully arrive next Friday (Sept. 7th).

Shannon