I'm looking for a new project to do. I'm a relative newbie and I'mm more than willing to jump in over my head. I want to make a tube amp for my audiophile father (local high end stereo shops used to use our house to demo equipment). He dosen't listen to headphones much but he does own some grado cans. I'd like to offer him something better than the headphone out he has on his mini-stereo in his office. His birthday is in March so I will have some time to work on it.
I was just wondering if somebody could point me in the right direction. Articles to read, full projects, etc. I get confused about which amps people in this forum are talking about sometimes.

Thanks for your help.

Pete Millett, the audio designer of the Wheatfield Amps, has designed a new tube amp: A low voltage, hybrid tube amp!

http://www.pmillett.addr.com/hybrid_head.htm

By just looking at the PCB, I believe this should be an easy project for a newbie. Most of the other tube amps are much more difficult and expensive. So Millett's new tube amp looks like the way to go. Right now, DIYcable.com is now selling the PCB and some of the components.

http://www.diycable.com

http://www.diycable.com/catalog/products/hybrid.htm

I suggest that you get a copy of the Audio Express issue with an article on Millett's new amp. It was published in Audio Express on 11/2/2002.

http://www.audioxpress.com/

*

Thanks a bunch. I think that I'll try that low-voltage hybrid headphone amp you pointed out. I even have that issue of audioexpress.
Is there any special safety precautions (besides the obvious) that I need to take into account when working with tubes? For instance: do they hold a charge after power is applied like television circuits do? I want to build this but I don't want to hear "At least he died trying" at my funeral

Hi st0ney,

AFAIK, you are the first chump..uhh...headfier to take on the pmillett amp. As such, you are required to post a review.



Thanks for sucking him in, Gariver!!

Quote:



lol... yeah I've had my eye on this thing... I look forward to hearing the review!

damm

I'll post a review with pics along the way. I'm ordering the pcb this week so I'll let you know how it goes

He, he! Puppyslug: That was funny! You really crack me up! It's the "sucking him in" that got me laughing. What a line!

However, I had to help stoney in his quest. Most tube amps are way too difficult for newbies. So I had to think of a 1st class tube amp that is easy to build. Hmm...that really narrows the choices. Actually, there's only one that fits.

Peter Millett is a top-notch tube amp designer. Therefore, I can easily recommend his Hybrid Tube Amp. It should be easy to build with that PCB. I bet the HTA sounds good too. Pete likes to maintain his reputation as 1st class audio designer.

Tube Amp Safety...
http://www.bottlehead.com/loosep/Safety.htm

Doc B's safety page should be read by anyone that builds and uses tube amps. It is very important!

Oops...I forgot something.

Capacitors do hold a charge even after you turn off an amp. In the same vein, the larger the cap, the larger the jolt! Auch! Don't worry too much, though. In the building phase, all your caps are not charged up.

"First chump...uhh...head-fier." I'm still laughing!

In another thread on this Millett amp, I did a post on the benefits of low voltage. I will repeat it here because it fits right in.

Low voltage equals less heat and parts failure. In this respect, I am thinking of resistor failure. I mean, if you have a section of an amp running 350 volts, your resistors on that section will take a beating. Thus, the reliability of the amp is better with lower voltages.

To sum up: High voltages are tough on components, esp resistors!