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# System prepended metadata

title: Topic Proposal

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# Topic Proposal
## Option 3: Applied Project
>Use your own specialized knowledge or major and apply it to a project demonstrating a topic that you studied in-depth for class. Make sure your project integrates history, technology, and music.
>
>  `Build your own instrument (acoustic, mechanical, or electrophone) or other music-  related tool`

    
I chose this form because I am an engineer at heart. I am also currently running my own electronics company and I beleive a project like this will definetely help me in the coming future. 

## Topic: Audio Amplification

![](https://i.imgur.com/LKfk63d.jpg)

I have been an "audiophile" for roughly 6 years now. My garage and room are filled with all sorts of vintage audio gear. My headphone stack consists of Sennheiser HD 650s, A Alex Cavalli CTH Amp, and Musical Fidelity V90 Dac. For speakers amplifiers, I have stuff ranging from the late '60s to the late '80s. For these, I also design and build my own speakers. On all of these amps, I have done my own repair on them. Usually, these speakers are anywhere from 30-50 years old! All of them need at least some amount of cleaning and almost all need some components replaced or repaired.  

[Here is an example of speakers I would be interested in.](https://youtu.be/pTE7wrUXAYU)

I personally believe audio amplification has a huge place in the history of music. almost every form of music has seen some form of amplification either when we listen or in its creation. I have personal access to some history such as one of the first quad-channel amplifiers, the pioneer QX-8000a which I repaired myself. 

## Project outline

I believe I have a lot of resources available to myself to make this project turn out well. This year I started my own business creating custom mechanical keyboards. It took me a lot of learning to figure out how to make a complete product, and thankfully I am past that now.

As an example of some of the work I have done: this is the keyboard we are about to launch in april.

![](https://i.imgur.com/Cy93zif.jpg)

When creating an amplifier from scratch there are a lot of design considerations I will need to keep track of. I have already designed PCBs from scratch such as the one I designed for the above product.

![](https://i.imgur.com/ycJzmqc.png)
![](https://i.imgur.com/rQ9eO3k.png)


With the headstart I have now, I can order Circuit boards that will come assembled with most of the parts I need almost immediately. I think it will be extremely fun to design and make, assuming it will be a pretty basic amplifier. 






