Leaving sound quality aside (which is the most important thing), what detail do you think is cool in certain valve amps. There's no doubt that they can look good so have you and pictures of what you consider to be nice aesthetic details. Brass, cold, silver, neon, wood.....
Here's quite a nice example of design.
Here's quite a nice example of design.
First of all, it’s got to be symmetrical…..
I put the switches in the back, out of site.
The first 2 are rules I stick by, the next 2 I have made exceptions to.
Keep it simple, tubes, the power transformer and opt’s on top, everything else inside.
No metal tubes or 9-pin tubes (I Know, this really limits things)
My current project will be Based on this:
6moons audioreviews: Yamamoto A-08S 45 Stereo
A wood top amp with the iron under a cover.
I put the switches in the back, out of site.
The first 2 are rules I stick by, the next 2 I have made exceptions to.
Keep it simple, tubes, the power transformer and opt’s on top, everything else inside.
No metal tubes or 9-pin tubes (I Know, this really limits things)
My current project will be Based on this:
6moons audioreviews: Yamamoto A-08S 45 Stereo
A wood top amp with the iron under a cover.
Why? What's wrong with the thing looking like it sounds?
Show the Aloha, my bruddah!
Poinz
AudioTropic
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Show the Aloha, my bruddah!
Poinz
AudioTropic
Something very cool about this...
Post-modern? Brutalist?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Post-modern? Brutalist?
That's a lovely amp and some nice design touches.
The binding posts and the quality of work are examples of the nice touches I'm looking for.
Thanks.
I hate symmetry. It always looks contrived... because it is.
Likewise using wood for the majority of an amp looks wrong... it's a piece of equipment, not something for my grandmother to adore and polish.
That first picture is everything I hate in aesthetics.
...but to answer the original question...
I prefer aluminium and quite like exposed tubes, such as the Wavac EC-300B
http://www.wavac-audio.jp/pics/EC-300B.jpg
However if I had to make something enclosed I would go for a Pass Labs XP-20 or Jeff Rowland preamplifier type of look...
I prefer aluminium and quite like exposed tubes, such as the Wavac EC-300B
http://www.wavac-audio.jp/pics/EC-300B.jpg
However if I had to make something enclosed I would go for a Pass Labs XP-20 or Jeff Rowland preamplifier type of look...
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I hate symmetry. It always looks contrived... because it is.
Likewise using wood for the majority of an amp looks wrong... it's a piece of equipment, not something for my grandmother to adore and polish.
That first picture is everything I hate in aesthetics.
Tubes (VALES) " is grandma's hifi ".
I like wood in tube amps i like polish aluminium also but the most important thing is it have to look retro cause they are retro technology.
That is not rude... it is opinion!
There is no "right or wrong" when it comes to aesthetics, just subjective opinion. (Which is good, because I objectively do not look like superman!).
In theory you are right. However in practice the manufacturers need to appeal to the eyes of people who will have this equipment on display in their homes. Also they need to have a 'company style' to differentiate from the products of the next company.
We (DIY-ers) are fortunate as we can choose how we want it to look. So for us it can be just "made to reproduce music..." .
(I really must get my latest pre-amp into a box... it's been on the bread-board for ages).
: )
Hi Stixx!
Nice hearing from you. I am not surpriced about your design. As always it is no less than fantastic. You can without worry show some of your other amps. Your design level is top-professional and way above most DIY´ers (myself included!).
Btw, is it the dutch transformers in the shown amp?
Kind regards
Karsten
Nice hearing from you. I am not surpriced about your design. As always it is no less than fantastic. You can without worry show some of your other amps. Your design level is top-professional and way above most DIY´ers (myself included!).
Btw, is it the dutch transformers in the shown amp?
Kind regards
Karsten
There's only one rule to worry about w/ design. Form should follow function. If your tube layout happens to work symmetrically, then use a symmetrical layout. If you have an odd rectifier off to the side, and it makes better sense to leave it there (keeping PS away from signal or whatever) then don't worry about symmetry!
This might be personal preference, but I think it's good design... Don't add anything purely for aesthetics. Sure, pick the parts you use carefully, even down to the bolts. Make them part of the design, but don't add anything that isn't part of the function of the device.
This might be personal preference, but I think it's good design... Don't add anything purely for aesthetics. Sure, pick the parts you use carefully, even down to the bolts. Make them part of the design, but don't add anything that isn't part of the function of the device.
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