steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206 
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 15:44:05 GMT
OK here's another 1950s inspired single ended triode amp I did a few years ago:  |
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 15:45:44 GMT
EL34 push-pull amplifier:  |
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 15:47:53 GMT
KT120 single ended ultra linear amp driven by 41MTL old British hi-gain triodes.  |
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 15:54:50 GMT
"Alexandra Palace" Single ended Ultralinear amp using 13E1 British power tetrode. British ML6 input valves (centre two) and 12B4A American driver valves (small ones) That's all I can find.  |
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Post by brian2957 on Dec 31, 2015 15:57:29 GMT
They're all stunning and I would love to have any of them in my system .  |
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 16:00:13 GMT
Thanks guys |
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Post by The Brookmeister on Dec 31, 2015 16:07:00 GMT
Aye..that little problem has been sorted out Splendid, I will be having a gathering at my place in January please bring it along if you can make it. |
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 16:18:50 GMT
Aye..that little problem has been sorted out Splendid, I will be having a gathering at my place in January please bring it along if you can make it. I'll come, if my hearing problems and the Bells Palsy have resolved, otherwise I'm pretty much stuffed in the hi-fi dept at the moment. |
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Post by Eduardo Wobblechops on Dec 31, 2015 17:25:12 GMT
Nice to see all the amps again Steve, those 13E1's looked great all lit up.
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Dec 31, 2015 17:29:58 GMT
Aye, nostalgia makes me want to recreate some of them, now I have dug out the pics.
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Post by dsjr on Dec 31, 2015 19:04:02 GMT
What do you do with them when the 'need' for another project comes along? Fabulous efforts and I'm sure they sound the biz into the efficient speakers designed for such amps.
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Jan 1, 2016 11:17:51 GMT
Sadly none of these amps except the one in the build sequence exist anymore, except in the pics and my own memories.
8-10 years ago I was just gung ho, dismantlng one, to build the next big thing. Silly in hindsight, but I learned a lot doing it.
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Post by dsjr on Jan 1, 2016 12:03:47 GMT
What a shame. Perhaps you could make more, taking pics as you go, and then pass on when you feel the need to move on? As an aside from regular soldering and wiring assembly work, there's a little valve amp kit mentioned on Ken Rockwell's site I might spoil myself with for fun  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2016 12:45:47 GMT
Awesome pictures, thanks for posting.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 1, 2016 13:26:33 GMT
Wish you had kept them all Steve.
They look like works of art to me.
If they sound as good as that they are priceless
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Post by Sovereign on Jan 1, 2016 23:02:26 GMT
Hi Steve I see you're definitely an all valve amplifier man what is it about valve amplifiers over say a good class A or class A/B amplifier ?
Thanks
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Jan 2, 2016 9:15:04 GMT
Valves are not necessarily any better than transistor amps, they tend to suffer from unnecessary hype from some quarters, but they do sound great if done right.
The audio circuits are simple, but like any other amplifier, it is power supplies that are the key to great sound from valves.
If attention is not paid to PSU design including bias and heater supplies, then you might as well just buy a transistor amplifier.
What appeals to me about valve amps (at my age) is that they use nice, big components, are readily hardwirable and are easy to build, without a needing a magnifying glass and anti-static precautions. Also they lend themselves to an artistic approach to case design and aesthetics, in which case you get something one-off and unique.
DIY transistor amp design is not so easy. Designing and laying out PCBs half a dozen times before you get something stable is something I just can't be doing with. Also opamp and transistor rolling though possible, is somehow not quite as appealing a proposition as tube rolling. I have a great deal of respect for small, specialist British manufacturers, making and selling great transistor amps; they do a splendid job, often in the face of tough Chinese built competition.
Steampunk and valves; now there's an avenue to explore......hmmmmm. I've got some brass tube and mahogany knocking about somewhere.
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Post by MartinT on Jan 2, 2016 9:50:59 GMT
A good power supply is key to the performance of any component; if there is one thing I have learned, it is this. That includes the quality of mains (or battery) fed into it.
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steve
Rank: Trio
Posts: 206
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Post by steve on Jan 12, 2016 14:51:12 GMT
This is a drawing of a retro radiogram I'm working on at the moment.  It will use a 12 inch Fane full ranger in glorious mono, with space inside to house a wi-fi router, media centre and DAC. Amp will be a mono push-pull EL84 jobbie producing 8wpc. |
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Post by MartinT on Jan 12, 2016 15:01:11 GMT
I wonder if you see the JBL Paragon as a bit of a challenge? If you make one, I want to hear it!
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