[nipponbiki]

Hello,

I first came here to learn about headphones for my portable mp3 player, but have stumbled over here and looked around a bit. Frankly, I really don't understand much of whats going here. However, I am hooked and I want start building stuff, especially a tube amp. But, how do I get started? I want to do some homework before I actually do anything, I want have some idea of what I am doing and not just paint by numbers.

Also, about how much would it cost to build one of those 8 watt tube amps?

Please help! I am dying to get started in this.
Also, IF anyone happens to know of any good book that would be in Japanese, please let me know too, although this is probably not the place to ask that.

Thanks in advance,

nipponbiki

 

[nipponbiki]

Well,　then,　could I at least get an explanation why noone will respond to my thread?????

 

[MonkHead]

read the stickys! go to Tangents site and read everything over there, find yourself a nice book for beginners etc. just read everything u can lay ur hands on. Im also a novice diy'er, i started just a few weeks ago and i can tell you that i learned alot! just read read read thats the best advice i can give you. as for tubes amps, i would advice you to stay away from them and stick to solid state as they are much cheaper,easier and safer! to build. when youll feel that your ready to move on, then and only then you should start with tubes projects.
CHEERS

 

[JMT]

Once you begin a project and have questions, posting the question usually will generate a variety of suggestions and assistance. Here are some excellent "getting started" links from Head-Fi member Tangent's site:

Getting Started in Audio DIY

How to Build the CMOY Pocket Amplifier

How to Wire Panel Components

 

[greyhorse]

Welcome to the forum Nipponbiki. You seem to be looking for a tube amplifier for speakers, but since this is a headphone forum, I think you’ll have to excuse the lack of immediate replies. Better forums are www.diyaudio.com, and www.audioasylum.com, both of which have specialised sections dedicated to all things vacuum tube.

You’re looking for a book on vacuum tubes in Japanese? Does this mean your Japanese is better than your English, or that you’d have a hard time finding books written in English in Japan? While I don’t know of any good Japanese vacuum tube books, looking thru MJ magazine back copies should give you an idea of what’s out there. I’m not sure where you’ll be buying your parts, but store owners specializing in vacuum tube audio also should be able to help you here.

There are also a number of Japanese audio forums and a lot of Japanese websites out there. Googling using the terms shinkuukan, and jisaku will get you started on a fun journey thru the Japanese diyaudio scene. You’re fortunate living in Japan, because there are so many people making tube amplifiers. This means there are also a lot of manufacturers making parts for them. I’m not sure if it was because Handa Seisakujyo went bankrupt, momentarily causing a stop to Tango transformer production, but a lot of little-known transformer manufacturers all of a sudden became known. It doesn’t look like they’re selling them now, but noguchi-trans in Akihabara was selling a number of transformers for under 1000 yen at one time.

Some interesting sites you might want to have a look at;
http://www2.famille.ne.jp/~teddy/myamp/myamp.htm
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/evo/amp/index.htm
http://member.nifty.ne.jp/rhizome/TSA/quickindex/

transformers can be bought from;
http://www.noguchi-trans.co.jp
http://www.eifl.co.jp/index/main.html (for non-japanese brands)
http://www.amtrans.co.jp (lundahl transformers as well as all sorts of other parts!)

How much you’ll end up spending to make an 8W power amplifier will depend on the circuit topology, what grade of parts you want to buy, and how pretty you want it to look. You’ll also need to factor in the price of metalworking tools if you don’t own them already. Vacuum tubes mean heat, so using plastic is out, and you’ll need something to make large neat holes in the chassis. Considering the price of tools in Japan, this price will be significant. Checking out various projects in MJ magazine should give you an idea of what you’ll be paying for parts alone. You should be able to find back copies of MJ magazines at a furuhon-ya in your area.

Sorry I couldn’t give you more specific advice, but I’m just getting into this whole vacuum tube thing myself, and I left all of my copies of MJ in Japan at my parents house. I’ve just completed my first tube preamp, and am deciding what I should make for a power amplifier. Best of luck.

 

[nipponbiki]

Thanks for the information!!!
I have been able to get started now.

My reasons for wanting Japanese literature are varied. I dont want only Japanese though, both Japanese and English. I cant say that my Japanese is better than my English per se, but especially technical things are easier to understand in Japanese for me, even though it takes a bit longer to read.

I have decided that I will make some simple solid states first to get my feet wet. I am gonna start with a cmoy pocket amp for my mp3 player.

So, now I have to buy tools. Greyhorse, do you of any major stores that I could actually physically go to to buy some of this stuff? Especially for some of the bigger tools, like soldering iron and drills, I'd rather not buy online.

Thanks

 

[greyhorse]

Nipponbiki, I’ve only lived for a while in Tokyo, then later in Chiba, so I hardly know anything about stores in Nagoya. That being said, I’d still say your best bet would be Tokyu Hands. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s an all-in-one DIY store with a surprisingly good selection for making pretty much anything. I’ve been to a number of them in Kanto-chiho, and all the stores featured neat displays, wide selection, and helpful staff. The downside of this is of course the price. You’d probably find better deals at a specialised tool store, and since Toyota’s located somewhere in your area, I’m sure there are a number of really great places selling tools there. Actually since this is Japan we’re talking about, pretty much any major city is sure to have great tool stores.

http://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/

Although you didn’t ask, my personal recommendation for a soldering iron is Hakko’s Presto No.980/984. While cheap, it’s got a booster switch that ramps the output from 20W to 130W. While this booster switch can only be used continuously for 30 seconds, it works wonderfully when soldering large PCB traces or large bits of metal like RCA jacks and transformer lugs. If you have the money, I’d heartily recommend going for a nice variable temperature model, but the 980 will cover most of your non-SMD needs.

http://www.hakko.com/japan/product.h...ID=2&prodID=27

As for enclosures, the two biggest names are probably Takachi and Suzurando. Takachi cases are more suited for SS equipment and the latter for tubes. The Suzurando tube chassis, while not cheap, are beautifully built, and can be bought pre-machined to accept the most common tube types. This may actually save you money if you aren’t planning on making too many tube amplifiers.

http://www.takachi-el.co.jp/
http://www.suzurando.jp/