tube guitar headphone amp
Apr 3, 2004 at 12:45 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11

cam

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Ok - I would like to build a tube guitar headphone amp.

Soon I'm going to start a cmoy or a mint for use with my portable player + headphones to learn more about audio diy. However, once this is complete I wish to build a tube driven headphone amp to plug my guitar directly into. Does anyone have any ideas where to start planning something like this? Any links?

I pick up this kind of stuff quite quickly, but I would prefer a plan that doesn't leave very much of the design up to me.

Thanks for any input you may have,
Cam

[edit] In case you're wondering, I already know about such resources as
www.ax84.com
[/edit]
 
Apr 3, 2004 at 8:12 PM Post #2 of 11
check the headwize library , there are plans there

But really ,all you need to do is add a tube preamp stage with a tone stack to any tubed headphone amp for it to be guitar ready

if portability is a concern then use a 6GM8 tube or 'pencil" tube like those used in early hearing aids
 
Apr 5, 2004 at 4:10 AM Post #3 of 11
I just looked all over the headwize library and only found one project that specified guitar in its title - and it unfortunately wasn't tube.

Secondly, I understand (rudimentarily) what a tube preamp and tone stack are, but do you possibly have any links or info that could help me understand how to design and build such a thing? Or could I simply "copy and paste" those stages from a full-on guitar amp schematic onto a headphone amp schematic?

Thanks,
Cam
 
Apr 6, 2004 at 2:49 AM Post #4 of 11
There is an example of a tube preamp with tone controls on HeadWize in the article about equalizers. Circuit here:

eq11.gif


Url of page here. Of course, you'll probably need a buffer on the output for headphones.


And then there is Alex Cavalli's headphone amp with tone controls (called the Fender tone headphone amp) on HeadWize here.

If you look over at DIYAudio you will be sure to find many more tube preamp and tone control circuits. For a minimalist approach, look especially at posts by Tim Williams. He has a few circuits that minimize tube usage, thus making the designs more cost-effective.

Hope this helps.
 
Apr 6, 2004 at 3:03 AM Post #5 of 11
Quote:

Url of page here. Of course, you'll probably need a buffer on the output for headphones.


more like an output matching transformer

a 5687mu stage , capacitor or transformer coupled, would be fine for a headphone output if the cans used are 600 ohms

use a typical 12AX7 guitar preamp before it and you are there

A DIY fender clone pre is at the TAOS Amp site with pcb layout

A 5687 mu stage can be found at "pat's schematics"


do a google search for each for the lionks

i am whipped right now and i am hitting the rack
 
Apr 6, 2004 at 12:52 PM Post #6 of 11
Have a look at Aron's Stompbox Forums.

There's a couple of projects there using 12AX7's as a front end for either an LM386 (small amplifier) or opamp (distortion box). The distortionbox is called 'Shaka Tube' and the amp is called 'Ruby Tubey' or something like that. BOth are using the tube at only 12V so you don't need big $ High Voltage transformers.

Are you trying to amplify only your guitar or will you be having music from a PCDP going in as well?

ok,
erix
 
Apr 8, 2004 at 12:56 AM Post #8 of 11
As you can probably tell, I'm pretty new to this. Am I correct in saying that I could just build a "guitar-specific" preamp that goes straight into an ordinary headphone amp? If this is true, that would be awesome, a tube headphone amp and part of a guitar headphone amp in one.

Thanks,
Cam
 
May 1, 2009 at 12:51 AM Post #9 of 11
I have fallen in love with the Suhr Badger 18 with Divided by 13 cabinets but would much rather have a home headphone unit that accomplished the same at high quality. I would prefer to buy rather than build, but if I must, I can solder something together.

Any ideas?
 
May 1, 2009 at 3:23 AM Post #11 of 11
Ping Fishski - he just built something.

Assuming you aren't just a spammer on the sly, you might also look at my ATF the Alembic F-2B. Hard to beat, with Fender lineage.

For DIY, you can also look here.
 

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