You might look at Valve Amplifiers by Morgan Jones.
What is needed to build a tube amp and what non?
What it should it not contain the
tube amp? IMO, NFB that press the scene of the sound sending the part of
signal back into the previouse stage. Unique amp must be built lineary
without NFB, /in some causes linearity doesnt mean best sound/. IMO, never use tone control that change the sound. If You
need more bass, use big bass speaker, if You need more high freeq. - use
sensitivity tweeters, if You need meedle fr. - use sensitivity
fullrange not less 8 inch. IMO, Hi End is back proportional to the
number of composite parts - use simple decisions with not cheep parts- cheep parts - cheep sound!.
Every passive part change the sound. IMO, in SE iron for OT must be
10-20 time more than output power, /for 5 W never use 5 W OT, but 50-100W/. IMO, in
power supply use kenotrones, that provide soft start and soft amazing
sound. Every time use iron chock and hmmm will be far from Your ears.
IMO, do not use iron enclosure that collect noises....But your opinions?
36 responses Add your response
-IMO, NFB press the scene of the sound sending the part of
signal back into the previouse stage. Unique amp must be built lineary
without NFB, /in some causes linearity doesnt mean best sound/.
- - IMO, never use tone control that change the sound. If You need more bass, use big bass speaker, if You need more high freeq. - use sensitivity tweeters, if You need meedle fr. - use sensitivity fullrange not less 8 inch. - - IMO, Hi End is back proportional to the number of composite parts - use simple decisions with not cheep parts- cheep parts - cheep sound!. Every passive part change the sound. - IMO, in SE iron for OT must be 10-20 time more than output power, /for 5 W never use 5 W OT, but 50-100W/. - IMO, in power supply use kenotrones, that provide soft start and soft amazing sound. Every time use iron chock and hmmm will be far from Your ears. - IMO, do not use iron enclosure that collect noises....Please, Your opinion? |
Are we talking about a straight forward amp or an integrated amp? If integrated amp, then tone controls are not a bad thing at all. Whomever told you that is not correct. Also, if you aren't using an external pre-amp, then you will need to build the amp as an integrated amp with input switching capabilities and also, balance controls. Room interactions affect the sound dramatically. If you haven't compensated for that with room treatments and/or equalizer, then tone controls absolutely do help. Despite the efforts I've made to "fix" the room colorations, I've found that the bass and treble controls on my KBX balanced crossover do indeed help. I play the stereophile test disc with white noise and use the audiotools app (free) acoustical analysis tools to see where the lows and highs are that need adjustments, with some sort of room correction or tone controls or both. enjoy |
If you have not build anything like it before start with a complete kit to get you feet wet. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-VTA-M-125-125-watt-tube-monoblock-amplifier-KITS/302804291604?hash=... When building with tubes remember your dealing with lethal voltages - be careful - especially if you have no experience. Best of Luck Peter |
pbnaudio.....I have experience with tubes more 20 years and I have more than 50 DIY projects - 300B, 2A3, 6L6, EL11, EL34, EL84, 5005, GK71, GU13, 6P3SE....kits is not in my interest.... minorl....I mean tube amp with input for CD, DVD......and outputs for speakers. I mean that tone control change dramaticaly sound inside in amp and it is not suitable... and sound must be realy, naturaly. After this must increase quality of sounding of speakers and rooms, that is, IMO, Hi-End....What about if sound is changed in amp and than make gimnastic with rooms....Must increase quality of sound in series, begin from source, amp, speakers, rooms...Regulary room is not suitable for HiEnd, room for sounding make only for sounding in the end, using accustic materials. |
pbnaudio....this is my tube gallery: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOYq0r3yyYjkhz179q5evuYNSCotX8Bl0oG5exYcM-KRBbhIGjGYMWFBLMSx-YD... |
IMO, in PP when signal cross 0 between 2 output tubes, cause sharp and metal sound, that people sense like detail. And I think PP is not for HiEnd in more situation. PP is for driving with big power several speakers with different sensitivity....More suitable for HiEnd is SE with big OTs with it warm and fresh sound. Signal is amplified in one work zone. / I use SE EL11 Telefunken - 1 W in triod and I think this tube is the best for all the times/. |
IMO, Im not a specialist, but I think the sound from closed box with or without whole is deformed by the compretion of sound waves and not be real. I think real sound, like from opera, simphon. scene is from open box, like horn or better oppen bufle with fullrange for 50-14000 Hz /can de added twiter for Hi freeq./ and bass speaker /together/ for 30-50 Hz. /I listen in my home fullrange with bass/.....I think closed towers with more speakers are for regular public. Aftrer all this, I think, HiEnd is something High....acc. my criteria... |
Hello azazello, I agree with Peter (PBN Audio) that is quite an impressive collection of amplifiers you have built. You’ve certainly been busy the last 20 years 😊. I am an aficionado of SET amplifiers than eschew NFB and utilize very good quality output transformers and stout power supplies. I own 1 SET and 2 push pull tube amplifiers and all 3 are enjoyable but the SET stands out as the better sounding of this group. It is more pure and natural in presentation as well as more open, nuanced and engaging. However there are push pull amplifiers that undeniably produce excellent sound quality. I can understand their appeal of increased power and definitely more speaker choice flexibility. I don’t find it possible to proclaim a specific topology the best. Even though SET personally is the most satisfying in my listening experience I can’t declare it’s the best option for everyone. There are many listeners as happy with all manner of amplifier types as I happen to be with SET. This wide selection of choice is the beauty of High End Audio. Charles |
Azazello, It was not made clear in my post but I have been a SET owner for 9 years. You state that you're more "extreme" than I am. I suppose you have a point given that I just believe every topology has strengths and weaknesses. There are compromises if one chooses SET and I accept this reality. The positive attributes far outweigh these compromises in the overall scheme of things. The dominant attraction for me is the purity of tone and virtual absence of the pervasive electronic or Hifi sonic characteristic I hear with other alternatives. This sheer naturalness is a necessity for me now that I've been exposed to it. This elevates the level of realism significantly. Charles |
--atmaspfere....With OT quality of sound of amp depends to OT, construction, kind of wire, kind of iron, wiring....But propertys, peculiariy of sound of every tube penetrates cross OT and SE /I feel/ sounds more warm and I can listen more hours. But OTL is better in some situations, sounds without breaks between tubes and speakers /without cap in output - OCL/, the sound is very deep, clear, bass in my OTL starts from 5 Hz!! But must have fast fuse if both sholders are disbalansed /if some sholders is out of mode....speakers are connected to common resistor with output currents in oposite directions for resulted 0 A/. But OTL has phase invertor like PP and signal goes between sholders and sound is close to PP.But I like my SE 2A3 RCA and my OTL 6AS7GE.... Charles....I accept Your words and Im allmost agree....Different tubes in SE sound different cool, I prefer my 1 W SE EL11 Telefunken in triod, that sounds better 300B....Every time I compair 2A3 RCA and EL11 Telefunken. |
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But OTL has phase invertor like PP and signal goes between sholders and sound is close to PP.But I like my SE 2A3 RCA and my OTL 6AS7GE....Not all OTLs are built with a phase inverter. Ours aren't- the output of the voltage amplifier goes directly to the driver tube, without an intervening phase splitter. The driver tube is then direct-coupled to the power tubes, which are in turn direct coupled to the loudspeaker. A fuse for the B+ of the power tubes has been shown to provide plenty of speaker protection over the decades... |
Can I somehow look in Your schem?http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/161112-tubes-otl-tube-amp.html |
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/161112-tubes-otl-tube-amp.html The link works for me. Azazello, I wish my second language skills were anywhere near as fluent as yours. I would like to apologize for any disparaging remarks by others here and applaud your interest in audio and undertaking such a project. I can't speak to the circuit details your inquiring about. I have experienced unique strengths in many different amplifier designs and as of yet not one with even most of those strengths combined. I've enjoyed amplifiers with and without negative feedback. It must be their design execution that appeals to my ears. Good luck with your project. |
I listen posts about amps and I wondered, people very likes brand amps and ready to give thousnad money for amps, towers with ordinary components and speakers /Sorry for my bad English!/.....that are with common using, for ex. tube amps with cheep tubes, that are used in guitar amps, speakers that are used in thousand towers for common people. Audio listeners do not think there are audiomasters, that can make really HIEnd devices with quality better brands.....In CA I listened brand SE 300B for about 9000 $ and I noted nothing interesting, ordinary amps. The same with PP McIntosh, IMO, I wasnt wondered, dry sound.....And hundreds posts where people praises with dozens brands amps, towers. Expensive towers with 3 and more speakers are not very good choice, although that are built with expensive components. Deviding filters always press the sound and decrease it quality. Always better choice is direct coupled amp and speaker, really HiEnd.And I noted, people likes big power PP 50-100W that is inexplicable, 3-5 W from SE with speakers with good semsitivity are enough for quality listening in big room. All above I dont understand....Sorry /encore une fois/, maybe Im in wrong place... |