Featured Sponsor Listings

makeing a Tube amp?

Nov 23, 2004 at 9:58 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 29
Kenny12

Kenny12

1000+ Head-Fier
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
1,415
Likes
10
well say i have a couple of tubes and i want to venture into the weird and wacking world of high voltage tubeamps what's the cmoy of tubeamps?
 
Nov 23, 2004 at 10:10 AM Post #2 of 29
the less dangerous : Pete Millet Hybrid
the easy one for high impedance cans : Van Waarde (see headwize)
the easy one for low impedance cans : Morgan Jones (see headwize)

recently, they have been quite a lot of discussion about an improved morgan jones, see the forum on headwize.
 
Nov 23, 2004 at 10:14 AM Post #4 of 29
the Morgan Jones and the van Waarde are in the projects section of headwize. Tons of informations on the headwize forum.

For the pete millet, you can buy a pcb, make a search here.
 
Nov 23, 2004 at 10:15 AM Post #5 of 29
The easiest and cheapest thing to build is a tube preamp, because you can get away with just a single tube and you don't need output transformers, which are expensive. The most basic circuit is the anode follower (aka. grounded cathode).

If you want to build a tube power amp or headphone amp, things are a little more complicated. In that case, the equivalent of a CMOY would be a simple single ended triode amplifier using the Hammond 125 output transformers, because they're inexpensive and very decent. Just pick a design and build it. This article is a really good tutorial, starting from scratch and ending up with a finished amplifier:
http://boozhoundlabs.com/howto/
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 1:11 AM Post #7 of 29
Are there any other PCBs for cheap tube amps besides the Millett? I want to give tubes a shot, but I am planning on building a Dynahi so my money is accounted for already. The boards for the Millett seem over priced too. Considering Dynahi board are going for about $5/amp the $40 for the Millett seems rediculous.
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 1:24 AM Post #9 of 29
Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533
Are there any other PCBs for cheap tube amps besides the Millett? I want to give tubes a shot, but I am planning on building a Dynahi so my money is accounted for already. The boards for the Millett seem over priced too. Considering Dynahi board are going for about $5/amp the $40 for the Millett seems rediculous.


The Millett will cost you around $200-250 in parts, so if you are balking at the $40 board, it might not be the right one for you. Also, if you get the schematic, you can build it without the PCB.

There are also a few power amp kits available from http://www.tubesandmore.com/ (click Kits -> audio) that have gotten positive comments here.
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 1:43 AM Post #10 of 29
Quote:

Originally Posted by dsavitsk
The Millett will cost you around $200-250 in parts, so if you are balking at the $40 board, it might not be the right one for you. Also, if you get the schematic, you can build it without the PCB.

There are also a few power amp kits available from http://www.tubesandmore.com/ (click Kits -> audio) that have gotten positive comments here.


I have added it up and it shouldn't be more than $150 with the plastic tray it was designed for. I already have some of the parts necessary to build it and I am planning on using some parts different than the parts list. $40 isn't a big deal, but it just seems like a lot for a PCB.
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 1:45 AM Post #11 of 29
The Millett amp shouldn't cost you more than $150 in parts unless you start upgrading things like the potentiometer. Also, you can save a good chunk of money by ordering Panasonic FC or FM capacitors and Vishay metallized films rather than the capacitors suggested (which are stocked by Welborne and have his customary ludicrous pricing). These parts are equally as good as the Welborne parts.

If you feel like hand-wiring the Millett amp you could build it without the PCB -- the circuit isn't that complex, and $40 is indeed a little expensive. The PCB used to only cost $25. However, if you're looking at this as an introductory project, it would be good to have the PCB.

If Digi01 still offers Morgan Jones PCBs, that would be a good project too. (If it helps to motivate you to get started, remind yourself you'll be building a Singlepower clone for a fraction of the price.)
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 3:12 AM Post #12 of 29
Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy
The Millett amp shouldn't cost you more than $150 in parts unless you start upgrading things like the potentiometer. Also, you can save a good chunk of money by ordering Panasonic FC or FM capacitors and Vishay metallized films rather than the capacitors suggested (which are stocked by Welborne and have his customary ludicrous pricing). These parts are equally as good as the Welborne parts.

If you feel like hand-wiring the Millett amp you could build it without the PCB -- the circuit isn't that complex, and $40 is indeed a little expensive. The PCB used to only cost $25. However, if you're looking at this as an introductory project, it would be good to have the PCB.

If Digi01 still offers Morgan Jones PCBs, that would be a good project too. (If it helps to motivate you to get started, remind yourself you'll be building a Singlepower clone for a fraction of the price.)


I planned on using Panasonic FCs for the amp. I already have some of them. Have a few Panasonic pots already around too.

I really haven't looked into the Morgan Jones because I didn't know boards were available. I am sure it has been discussed before, but what Singlepower amp is it a clone of? I really want a PPX3, but it is out of my budget right now.
 
Nov 24, 2004 at 5:59 AM Post #14 of 29
Quote:

Originally Posted by bg4533
I have added it up and it shouldn't be more than $150 with the plastic tray it was designed for. I already have some of the parts necessary to build it and I am planning on using some parts different than the parts list. $40 isn't a big deal, but it just seems like a lot for a PCB.


I did indeed upgrade a few of the parts, but what was really the killer was shipping from 4 or 5 different vendors. Also, for me, I figured if I was going to build it that I might as well do it right and I was not knowledgable about what cheaper subs would be okay, so Welborne got his part.

I am now in the process of building a case (a year after building the amp) and it is costing as much as the amp itself -- damn Cary knobs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top