Results 1 to 10 of 178

Thread: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Senior Hostboard Member bowtie427ss's Avatar
    Join Date
    July 24th, 2006
    Location
    Rural NY
    Posts
    3,895
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    25 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by Altec Best View Post
    Hope your OK Alan ! By all means Take it Easy !
    A big 2nd to that.

    Lose everything "white" out of your diet.
    Not all vegetables make good leaders.

  2. #2
    Senior Hostboard Member RonSSS's Avatar
    Join Date
    December 6th, 2002
    Posts
    1,217
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    13 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Tell me more about the PSVane toobs. Anyone know if the low cost line parts are tough? I lost 2 more Svets and am down to mono at this point.

    I need to put a soft start on the B+, when I turn my amps on, the filament being long and poorly supported moves twords the plate as it warms and poof, fil to grid short and lot's of sparks.

    On the lipids, I took part in a med study, had my total number below 100. When the study ended, tried Lipitor, and it elevated creatine leves, not good. So diet for me, and I'm at the high end of the acceptable range, and it aint going lower. My doc does not recomment meds. so whatever, statins help a lot of folks, they also kill a few as well.

    Ron
    Enjoying Altec Speakers since 1972

  3. #3
    Senior Hostboard Member
    OT: Show us your DIY tube amps


    alancohen's Avatar
    Join Date
    October 26th, 2012
    Location
    Hunterdon Cty, NJ
    Posts
    684
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    3 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by RonSSS View Post
    Tell me more about the PSVane toobs. Anyone know if the low cost line parts are tough? I lost 2 more Svets and am down to mono at this point.
    I bought the low cost line for my 300B monoblocks. I need 8 total so $300 ea was not in the cards for me for the primos. The HiFi ones look pretty good construction-wise:

    49

    To quote the designer of my amps: Fully 99% of the sonic characteristics reside in the design. Circuit topology controls everything. The designer manipulates inter-stage impedances, time constants, signal headroom, feedback and many other parameters to achieve a desired result.

    I tend to agree with this. I'm not a believer in designer caps, argon treated wire or any other audio hocus-pocus. I believe in a well designed circuit that will perform properly with a reasonable range of component tolerances.

    I got matched quads for my new project, but he says that's not even necessary.
    Last edited by alancohen; May 30th, 2013 at 05:52 AM.

  4. #4
    Senior Hostboard Member zelgall's Avatar
    Join Date
    December 25th, 2002
    Posts
    302
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    0 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    With a properly designed output stage, I believe the input and driver tubes make more of a difference. I've been called a liar a cheat and a scoundrel, so save your breath. To me, the input tube sets the stage for what happens in the whole amp. Change output tubes and go "wow, I never heard that before". Change input tubes and say " Wow, my amp sounds completely different". Subtle but significantly different.
    Output tubes are pretty much locked in by the O/P tranny and available voltage/current. The sound doesn't change that much, just the power available.

  5. #5
    Senior Hostboard Member RonSSS's Avatar
    Join Date
    December 6th, 2002
    Posts
    1,217
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    13 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by alancohen View Post
    I bought the low cost line for my 300B monoblocks. I need 8 total so $300 ea was not in the cards for me for the primos. The HiFi ones look pretty good construction-wise:

    To quote the designer of my amps: Fully 99% of the sonic characteristics reside in the design. Circuit topology controls everything. The designer manipulates inter-stage impedances, time constants, signal headroom, feedback and many other parameters to achieve a desired result.

    I tend to agree with this. I'm not a believer in designer caps, argon treated wire or any other audio hocus-pocus. I believe in a well designed circuit that will perform properly with a reasonable range of component tolerances.

    I got matched quads for my new project, but he says that's not even necessary.
    But you haven't tried them out yet correct?

    FWIW, I'm the designer of my amps. I'd post the schematic, but I wouldn't be able to bear the ridecule....... :-)

    Ron
    Enjoying Altec Speakers since 1972

  6. #6
    Senior Hostboard Member
    OT: Show us your DIY tube amps


    alancohen's Avatar
    Join Date
    October 26th, 2012
    Location
    Hunterdon Cty, NJ
    Posts
    684
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    3 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by RonSSS View Post
    But you haven't tried them out yet correct?

    FWIW, I'm the designer of my amps. I'd post the schematic, but I wouldn't be able to bear the ridecule....... :-)
    Nope. I just got an email from Bruce with a tracking number. They're on the way. I have serial # 000000001.

    And I aspire to one day know enough to laugh at your designs, although i'm impressed by anyone that tries. I just got a combo scope, signal generator and DC PS. I want to start learning.

  7. #7
    Senior Hostboard Member
    OT: Show us your DIY tube amps


    Alien_Shore's Avatar
    Join Date
    April 25th, 2012
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    738
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    4 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    This is great - thanks for sharing all the advice, experience, and opinions. One of the better threads we've had in a while.

    By the way, I agree with you Alan - I do have an electronics background ( a few classes, but nothing like an EE degree or anything), but hardly know enough yet to design my own amps...I too hope to get there one day. Hell, I hope to be able to alter some of the stock kit designs without blowing stuff up or killing myself.
    - Mike

  8. #8
    Senior Hostboard Member RonSSS's Avatar
    Join Date
    December 6th, 2002
    Posts
    1,217
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    13 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by alancohen View Post
    And I aspire to one day know enough to laugh at your designs,
    Note that I've not bragged about the sound, etc, just that it's my design. Nothing revolutanary to be done with tube circuits. I kept them simple. was more thinking about Low Ohms coming back on here and commenting about too complicated of a signal path, bypassed cathode resistors and lack of detail due to the parts I chose....you know.

    I'll look into thos PSvane 300B, and the JJ as well.
    Enjoying Altec Speakers since 1972

  9. #9
    Senior Hostboard Member
    OT: Show us your DIY tube amps


    Old Guy's Avatar
    Join Date
    June 23rd, 2003
    Posts
    6,352
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    60 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    I have a very poor opinion of Low Ohms...I consider him a dead short...
    Your neighbors called. They like your music.

  10. #10
    Senior Hostboard Member gortnipper's Avatar
    Join Date
    June 30th, 2008
    Posts
    244
    Follows
    0
    Following
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    3 Post(s)

    Re: OT: Show us your DIY tube amps

    Quote Originally Posted by zelgall View Post
    With a properly designed output stage, I believe the input and driver tubes make more of a difference. I've been called a liar a cheat and a scoundrel, so save your breath. To me, the input tube sets the stage for what happens in the whole amp. Change output tubes and go "wow, I never heard that before". Change input tubes and say " Wow, my amp sounds completely different". Subtle but significantly different.
    Output tubes are pretty much locked in by the O/P tranny and available voltage/current. The sound doesn't change that much, just the power available.
    I agree with most of what you say. But, I have to disagree that output tubes doesnt change the sound that much.

    I have (and have had) both high and low spec amps - factory built, DIY, and a Sun Audio kit thats looks pro-built with hi-spec parts. I tend to run a variety of input tubes to find that "wow" factor you speak of. Yes, "significantly different".

    In all of these amps I have noticed the same "wow" and "significantly different" presentation factor when changing the output tubes.

    For example, I have Svetlana and JJ I run in a low/mid spec DIY 300B amp (parts wise - but a very interesting circuit)- there is a significant difference. More "wow" with the latter than the former.

    I have Sovtek, RCA and EML mesh-plate 2A3 I run in the Sun Audio amp. I get the worst sound (but not bad at all) out of the Sovtek. With the EML, well, words cannot really express how much better the music is through my 604s. "Significant" is nowhere near expressive enough.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by RonSSS View Post
    Tell me more about the PSVane toobs. Anyone know if the low cost line parts are tough? I lost 2 more Svets and am down to mono at this point.

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/226843-budget-300b-tubes-recommendations.html
    Last edited by gortnipper; May 29th, 2013 at 11:55 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
This forum has been viewed: 24589437 times.