Re: newbie tube amp project questions

Hi Patrick,

Thanks a lot for your informative reply.

A few comments:

Just type in 'tube amps do it yourself' intom google and you will get 
a huge number of hits.

Yes I know but there's a true avalanche of pages then, that's why I wondered if anyone could recommend me a page with good intro theory, eg including the different calculation steps for a simple amp.
I was able to download a few scanned old textbooks, they seem to be a good start.

Build a decent preamp first off, to learn about as much as you can. 

That seems indeed the wisest thing to do.

Try http://www.turneraudio.com.au to see what you might be able to do 
on your own.

Impressive. Congratulations.

Already you are considering an alternative to diy.
Any diy effort is capable of performing as well as the most expensive 
brand names.

Well, it's just that at first sight it seems impossible to DIY a decent tube amp myself for a similar price than what a pretty, ready-made and well-received Melody SP3 II amp seems to cost in hongkong or mainland china. But indeed, on the other hand diy is an attractive hobby.

on your comments re: gainclone/class d/tubes:

I do not have a "religious" preference, it is however true that it's mainly the charm of tubes that attracts me.
Indeed, Class D seems interesting. Harman Kardon have 2 well-received all-digital surround receivers. And the idea of a music chain that only goes to analog at the amp output is potentially great, yet at the same time less magical than using tube amps.

far more rewardingly than going to the pub, watching TV, etc.

agree about TV, do not agree about social activities eg pub visit. Each to his own!

Have a good new year. 

The same for everybody here

Tom




Tom Alaerts wrote:

Dear all,

Can someone recommend a good starting point for a first tube amp? I
have a number of tube newbie questions:
I was thinking about:
- a website with good introductory theory and/or a good intro level book
- a decent but not too expensive tube amp kit (but it should work on
220V, so Bottlehead kits will not apply, otherwise I need to buy an
extra transfo).


Just type in 'tube amps do it yourself' intom google
and you will get a huge number of hits.

Don't build a power amp straight away.

Build a decent preamp first off, to learn about
as much as you can.

You will need to read books and solder what you read,
and see how it works.
Try http://www.turneraudio.com.au to see what you might
be able to do on your own.

I have been looking at the Velleman kits, but is it
correct that they are not highly regarded? I also looked at www.thel.de
and I know that in Germany these have a good reputation. What do you
think of audio note kits?
For all these 3 kit brands the price is a hurdle.


Well price shouldn't stop a hobby; prices only ever stop the un-keen;
be keen, you will find the money for OPTs and tools.

But a preamp is the safer first option.



- or if not a kit, a good-sounding schematic and a pointer to a good
vendor of tubes etc. Apropos my speakers are approx 91db sensitivity.
- I also wonder if there are sonic advantages of choosing "classic"
audio transformers over the more recent toroid ones, or vice versa.
- Instead of DIY, wouldn't it be more sensible to let a hongkong based
colleague buy me the Melody SP3 2x38W integrated tube amp for a very
reasonable approx. 600 EUR? Or will it sound inferior compared to DIY
costing roughly the same?


Already you are considering an alternative to diy.

Any dit effort is capable of performing as well as the most expensive brand
names.

It all depends on your general knowledge, and determination.



I must say that the cost of a tube amp project is a big hurdle, esp.
the transformers. I can appreciate that they are not easy to make in
audiophile quality and that the market is small but still they are damn
expensive!


No, OPTs are NOT expensive when you consider the
work and material that is used to make one.

A Hammond OPT can be had for usd$ approx $100,
and how long will it take you to make that OPT?

if you work backwards from the price, take out the profit margins,
materials, and taxes, you will work out that some dude slaved his guts
out so you can use some output tubes.

So be thankful that the price isn't $400.

Some OPTs are $1,000, maybe more, with silver wire, 50% nickel cores
gee-whiz iron cores, or amorphous cores.

When I studied what went on in an OPT, I
looked at the meagre offerings around, and decided the only
way for me was to wind all my own OPTs.

I wanted the performance to be better than what I could buy.



It's probably heresy to mention it here but cost is a factor
that tempts me to build a gainclone instead.


Gainclone. YUK.

Why not build a digital amp, class D, 95% efficient?
They sound as well as medium conventional SS class B amps,
which are about to be extincted off the planet because of class D
innovations.
You may not ever work out how class D works and what goes on inside the
chips choko full of switching gizmos.


But you can get to know what happens in a vacuum tube a lot easier.


You could become all strange and religious,
and addopt the God Of Triodes as your one true god,
close your ears tightly to suggestions that tubes suck,
and then gird thy loins, practice care with high voltages,
and discover the beautiful simple mysteries of tubes,
and the fidelity they offer, while spending a % of your life
far more rewardingly than going to the pub, watching TV, etc.

I do hope you like music worthy of the extra effort,
time, and difficulties.


best regards and already thanks for any input,

Tom Alaerts 

Have a good new year.

Patrick Turner. 


.

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