[bobeau]

Alright, this should probably go in the members lounge, but maybe it will spur ideas...

100 milliwatt guitar amp, uses these teensy tubes from the 80s designed for missle use

The tubes seem nearly impossible to remove (they might be secured inside) so I just took a closeup here.

Attack of the 5687!

 

[xarreo]

Wow!! this really cute and funny. How it sound??

 

[mrarroyo]

Who makes the amp? Where did you purchase it? How much did you pay for it? How does it sound?

 

[erix]

The Nano Head is a cute amp and sounds really good. I've heard it through a 4x10 cabinaet and it was great. Only one channel though.

What you need (to stay on topic) is this.

ok,
erix

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erix The Nano Head is a cute amp and sounds really good. I've heard it through a 4x10 cabinaet and it was great. Only one channel though. What you need (to stay on topic) is this. ok, erix

Well _all_ my amps (Matchless Chieftain, Dr. Z Maz Jr., Allen Class Act) are single channel. There's this little thing on a guitar called a volume knob that seems good at controlling gain...

Sounds like a hot-rodded plexi to my ears. Really nice to be able to get that sound in a small room without blowing a hole in the wall. Think someone measured it with a 1x12 at 102 dB balls out. My purpose for this is to use in my new downtown loft without causing too much trouble. All the dealers seem to price these ~$420-440, used you can find them $350-400. Seemingly not cheap but it really is a handbuilt/handpainted boutique amp head with great utility for recording/practice.

In any case I put this out there indirectly to see if anyone had comments about building headphone amps with these tubes, specifically a portable amp... even at full bore for 1+ hours the tubes are pretty cool to the touch. Now the thing does have a built-in fan and fairly heady power requirements (12 volts/1.5 amps), but still, if there is any possibility this would be a good tube to investigate.

FWIW I plan to build a 6" combo amp with this running off battery power. You can buy a big lead-acid battery (ala Ack!) and run it off a battery for approx. 12 hours so I can bring it out to a park or wherever there is no outlet.

 

[AdamWill]

Whoever built that thing needs to sue Apple, if that 'tm' is valid. Should be some nice money in that.

 

[nikongod]

the 5687 is supposed to be a VERY good tube if you build a good circuit for it.

i have heard thjat they often run very hot though. weird, probably depends on the circuitry around em.

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod the 5687 is supposed to be a VERY good tube if you build a good circuit for it. i have heard thjat they often run very hot though. weird, probably depends on the circuitry around em.

Oh you're correct on all counts. But the 5687 is the _large_ tube in the photos above (the one not in the amp), pulled from my Slam. And it's a scorcher if you try to remove it within a few minutes of shutting the amp down.

The tiny tubes in the 'nano' as well as the stereo amp erix posted are JAN 6021W Philips, and they run fairly cool.

This maker claims he'll be coming out with a headphone amp using these tubes very soon... assume it will make the EarMax Pro look like a tank.

 

[nikongod]

haha, the 5687 looks like its trying to make baby tubes with the little tube in that last picture

i was confused because i saw the 5687 boxes in the backround...

i REALLy want to build a hybrid that uses a 5687 as a preamp.

 

[zachary vex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobeau ... This maker claims he'll be coming out with a headphone amp using these tubes very soon... assume it will make the EarMax Pro look like a tank.

the iMPAMP has been out for the better part of a year. it's the world's smallest tube hi-fi amp, and it's got 10 times the power of the earmax.

 

[Voodoochile]

How loud is the Nano when the volume is, say, 3/4 of the way up?

I'm looking to put together a practice amp from my son, and want something on the order of a half-watt, that will have a good sound, yet not be overbearing even if all the way up. The Moonlight and AX84 are both too loud, and the tone is not quite right when throttled down. I'm sure I am asking too much, tho'.

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary vex the iMPAMP has been out for the better part of a year. it's the world's smallest tube hi-fi amp, and it's got 10 times the power of the earmax.

Hey Zack,

But this is a speaker amp - it has no headphone out correct?

On your site you mentioned a headphone 'box', do you have more info on this? If there's anyplace to talk about this project Head-fi is it!

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoochile How loud is the Nano when the volume is, say, 3/4 of the way up? I'm looking to put together a practice amp from my son, and want something on the order of a half-watt, that will have a good sound, yet not be overbearing even if all the way up. The Moonlight and AX84 are both too loud, and the tone is not quite right when throttled down. I'm sure I am asking too much, tho'.

It depends on what you're looking to get soundwise. The switches can alter the sound/volume dramatically - totally balls out gain on an 8 inch speaker it is quite loud... with a 4x12 you could probably compete with a drummer. But it can do a cranked tweed champ thing (where yes, the volume is completely dimed) at conversation levels.