Re: Some Notes on Gary Pimm?s Phono Preamp
- From: jbyrns@xxxxxxx (John Byrns)
- Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:56:22 -0500
In article <443A50B5.F1AAC6F1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, jh.stewart@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
John Byrns wrote:
In article <4439B2EA.59789A13@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, jh.stewart@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
First of all, I had always understood active loading to be in respect to
the phono cartridge on the input circuit. You can do that with an Anode
Follower as the input amp. I did one many years ago using =BD of a 12AX7
working back into a Ronette Xtal Cartridge. I guess it was OK since the
guy who got that amp was very happy. Various FB networks could be
switched in to get the correct playback curve. In those days there were
several.
The 47 K input resistor forms part of the playback correction curve in
combination with the inductance of the pickup. Did anyone mention that?
Actually it takes a resistor about an order of magnitude lower in
resistance than 47k to perform any meaningful equalization. The -3dB
point with 47k is about 15 kHz is there is no capacitance involved, the
shunt capacity of the cable tends to form a second order filter flattening
the response before it heads down.
Not so. The GE VR used a load resister exactly as I've noted here. And so did
many other magnetic type pickups. Where have you been?
What do you mean "Not so", aren't you essentially saying what I just got
through saying? When the load resistor was used for high frequency
equalization in the days of yore, its value was approximately an order of
magnitude lower then the 47k load now standard. Using the load resistor
to achieve high frequency equalization meant that the load resistor had to
be tailored to the particular model of cartridge being used. Eventually
47 k was chosen as a standard load, I assume one reason being that its
value was high enough that it would have a minimal impact on the high
frequency response, and the high frequency equalization was moved into the
preamp where it was unaffected by the properties of the cartridge. I
believe this topology also offered improved noise performance as a side
benefit.
Interestingly there was also a low impedance model of the "GE VR" designed
to be feed through a passive equalizer directly into a 150 Ohm microphone
input of a broadcast console, a great way to play early rock and roll
records.
Someone forgot to bias the output 6GK5. The 22M contact potential R7 is
OK for an AC/DC radio. But not here in my opinion!
A lot of old Hi-Fi equipment used contact bias, it works fairly well with
high mu tubes, as long as the signal level isn't too great, I think the
6GK5 qualifies.
Please show us an example of an amp claiming to be HiFi using contact bias. In
this case an actual circuit needs to be posted as proof.
It may take a moment for me to locate a URL for a Hi-Fi "amp" circuit
using contact bias, but I did say "Hi-Fi equipment" not "amp", so in the
meantime take a look at the schematic for the H.H.Scott 310E FM stereo
tuner. The matrix amplifier, V503, uses contact bias and it's a 12AU7,
not even a high mu tube. Don't be fooled by the cathode resistors, they
are there only for the matrixing function and don't contribute to the bias
for the tube, the grid return resistors are connected directly to the
cathodes, not to ground as they would be if cathode bias were being used.
There is a PDF of the 310E service bulletin available somewhere on the
web, I am sure you can search it out, I think a link to it may be on the
One-Electron web site, if you can't find it let me know and I will see if
I can find the URL for you.
Don=92=That gets about a
volt on a good day. As the signal from the previous stage gets larger
the 6GK5 grid will conduct, increasing the bias. A quick look at the
plate curves looks like the Q point would end up at about 75 volts. That
leaves (258 =96 75) volts=85=85.183 volts across that BBMCCS thing.
loading bet have
any data on it. Is it that good? Looks like a failure waiting to happen!
What about that output coupling circuit to the OPT? The 3 microfarad cap
is series resonant at 53 Hz with the 3 H in the primary. Depending on
secondary loading there should be quite a good peak in the response!
Assuming it is properly loaded it should make a nice high pass filter to
get rid of infrasonic energy from record warps, and if it is not properly
loaded the peaking will give nice bass slam.
A poor way to get where you want to be, indeed! And what would proper
in this case?
It depends on "where you want to be" and I suppose "proper loading" would
be determined by the sonic effect you are looking for.
control. AndIf this thing is to drive a tone circuit the output will need to be
about one volt anyway. With all their losses many tone circuits have
only a gain of one or so. If it is to go strait into an amp sans tone
circuits there will still need to be at least a volt. Is that possible?
Pimm sez he has set the transformers for a 4:1 step down ratio. That
means 4 volts min at the plate of the 6GK5, working into 4K.
Drive a tone control? Where have you been modern audiophiles don't use
tone controls, at least explicit ones, that's what features like the
output resonance are all about, a bass boost without the stigma of tone
controls.
Better read it again. I did include those who would not use a tone
some folks still do!
Sure they do, I do too, but I bet that you can't get many audiophiles on
this group to admit to it.
preamp, not aThe total plate current is set at 2.5 mA, so the signal at that point
can go from zero to 5 mA, max. Into 4 K that translates to zero to 20
volts, or 7 volts rms. Looks like it can make that requirement OK. But
what about fidelity? The 6GK5 curves don=92t look very promising. OK for
RF but perhaps not here.
The power supply is a great example of over design. A 6X5GT or 6X4 would
have done fine. And with care on the same chassis as the preamp.
You need a good stiff power supply to keep the bass from becoming flaccid.
Either rectifier I've noted will do that with authority. This is a
power amp.
So then what is your explanation for the rectifiers used in this phono preamp?
allows some ofDid I leave anything out?
Yes, you obviously aren't an audiophile.
Well, at least you got that correctly. And not being an audiophile
us to stand back & look at this stuff objectively. That way it is possible to
separate the crap from the important stuff.
Never said it didn't, but it's best to be somewhat diplomatic about the
sifting and winnowing.
Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/
I did. It is still something like 95% the work of others.
It was originally intended to be 100% the work of others, making the
material available to others who might be interested, but I added my 25L6
amplifier during the Magnequest wars, and then the AES phono oscillator
too.
You could make a starttransmitter you
by redrawing that abysmal schematic of your rather ordinary 25L6 amp. And when
posting something on your own website, why would you not correct an error,
actually noted by yourself on the improved version of the phono
built from a kit?
I have been intending to completely remove the the AES phono oscillator
pages, you have inspired me to finally remove the reference to the AES kit
from my index page, although it will remain available via google for a
while which is how most people access it, but eventually I will remove it
completely.
Time to get outa here & sell something!
You are selling again?
Regards,
John Byrns
Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/
.
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