Much of the amp is going to cost the same regardless of choice of "budget" or "top-end". This includes the printed circuit board from Tubelab, the valve sockets, resistors, power socket, speaker binding posts, maybe even chassis etc. I would suggest working out how much this stuff is going to cost you. You can then work out how much you have left to buy the output transformers, coupling caps etc.
Options for coupling caps, get them from whoever you end up getting tubes/choke etc. Worth considering is something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/0-22uF-1000V-PI..._0?hash=item350189722644&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14 sound very good and well priced.
Optional power supply capacitor, I used this http://cgi.ebay.com/80-mfd-500-VAC-...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
I used a hammond 193H choke 5H 200mA, about $30 from Antique Electrical Supply. Suitable to top mound as it has end bells. You can get a Triad choke for about half that, but would probably be required to be mounted under the chassis http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=9671006&DESC=&SEARCH=&MPN=
Have Fun!!!
Options for coupling caps, get them from whoever you end up getting tubes/choke etc. Worth considering is something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/0-22uF-1000V-PI..._0?hash=item350189722644&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14 sound very good and well priced.
Optional power supply capacitor, I used this http://cgi.ebay.com/80-mfd-500-VAC-...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
I used a hammond 193H choke 5H 200mA, about $30 from Antique Electrical Supply. Suitable to top mound as it has end bells. You can get a Triad choke for about half that, but would probably be required to be mounted under the chassis http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=9671006&DESC=&SEARCH=&MPN=
Have Fun!!!
My 2 cents on transformers: I went with all Edcors on my Simple SE...the big ones. They are:
XPWR035 - not on the website
CXSE25-8-5K
I don't plan on buying Hammond power transformers anymore, but I haven't heard anything recently bad about their output transformers. They still seem to be of reasonable quality. The Edcors don't have multiple output taps while some of the Hammonds do.
Here's my thread if you want to see them. The last post shows them all jammed on a 10x12" backplate. I decided to go another route with the chassis....
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140978
XPWR035 - not on the website
CXSE25-8-5K
I don't plan on buying Hammond power transformers anymore, but I haven't heard anything recently bad about their output transformers. They still seem to be of reasonable quality. The Edcors don't have multiple output taps while some of the Hammonds do.
Here's my thread if you want to see them. The last post shows them all jammed on a 10x12" backplate. I decided to go another route with the chassis....
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140978
If I had it to do over again I would probably use the same iron as rknize. Edcor probably is the best bang for the buck. Then a C-14X choke at Allied along with a 120uF 500v cap (overstock sale on the Cornell Dubliner 380LX121M500K032!) and whatever parts that you can't find at digikey.
I would avoid the Hammond 274BX like the plague. I'm currently using the Hammond 373BX for power. The 1628SEA output transformers are great, but are pricey and very heavy.
You can also save a lot on the output tubes although I think EH KT88's are the best I've tried so far. It's better to put your money into the output transformers now, since you can upgrade the tubes anytime.
I would avoid the Hammond 274BX like the plague. I'm currently using the Hammond 373BX for power. The 1628SEA output transformers are great, but are pricey and very heavy.
You can also save a lot on the output tubes although I think EH KT88's are the best I've tried so far. It's better to put your money into the output transformers now, since you can upgrade the tubes anytime.
HEADinaJAR said:
As he said, a lot of it went to the middle man. In today's currency, $700CDN is about $580 US. His cost is realistic considering what he might be paying for shipping and customs.
I spent about $365 on mine without the tubes or the chassis. I can't count what I spent on tubes - it just keeps going and going. The Genalex reissues alone cost $100 for the pair. The chassis was built out of scrap metal and lumber, so I paid practically nothing for it. Some people can easily drop over $100 for nice chassis material.
Circuit board, $43 shipped
Circuit parts, $72 shipped from Mouser & DigiKey
Transcendar OPT, $105 shipped
Power TX & choke, $133 shipped
Sockets, $12 shipped
So it is the transformers driving the cost up....
Interesting.
I figured instead of power transformers most people would use a resistor array as a voltage divider with a current shut and inducter. feed it to the rectifier and then have a stiffening cap in parralel to the bridges output.
as for the Audio transformer... idk
But it still seems cheaper to use an equivalent circuit instead of a Power transformer.
Interesting.
I figured instead of power transformers most people would use a resistor array as a voltage divider with a current shut and inducter. feed it to the rectifier and then have a stiffening cap in parralel to the bridges output.
as for the Audio transformer... idk
But it still seems cheaper to use an equivalent circuit instead of a Power transformer.
bacon665 said:
You need a power transformer for safety, to separate/isolate the mains from the amp circuitry for a variety of reasons. It also comes in handy to get the proper B+ voltage for the tubes (350V-375V)
BTW, the budget Allied power transformer that Tubelab recommends is about $44+shipping from Allied Electronics.
Ty_Bower said:
I think the circuit board is now $50 due to increased shipping costs.
I think HeadinaJar is not close to any suppliers. With shipping and exchange the cost rises, on top of that is the taxes and duty plus (and this one kills me) a fee to collect all the taxes and duty.
If it is shipped by UPS or FedX they will charge a hefty fee for a brokerage charges to take the package across the border, this can be around 1/3rd the cost of the item(s). This limits purchases from places that will ship USPS, for me anyways. It only takes once for you to not be home and the man at the door holds you wife up for highway robbery, oops I mean brokerag fees for $99 cash for some package they say you ordered, this part is a complaint.
The rest is not a complaint, just the facts of living out of the USA.
Cheers Ron.
Mungo Park said:
I've been caught the same way and that's the reason I generally 'insist' on USPS shipping- the post office charges a $5 flat rate handling fee to collect the sales taxes payable in Canada (On most items coming fron the US there is no duty) . UPS/FedEx 'brokerage fees' tend to range from $30-35 (minimum) on up, depending on the value of the shipment.
However, the situation is a bit more complicated than it seems. On some UPS/FedEX shipments the brokerage fee is 'included' in the quoted shipping costs. Some US firms like Digikey have a 'Canadian dollar' website where the taxes are included in the prices. The result (for me, lately at least) is that using Mouser ($20 flat rate shipping) or Digikey ($10 flat rate shipping) will not result in brokerage fees even though they use UPS/FedEx for shipping.
UPS/FEdEX are completely unethical in their application of brokerage fees- they don't inform the shipper of these fees in most cases. So, smaller companies in the US who don't do a lot of business with individual buyers in Canada may be innocently unaware of the problem.
Apparently, Canadian businesses have been happy to just 'sign on the dotted line' for brokerage fees, and pass the costs along to the customer, rather than fighting the courier companies for a better deal. It seems to be the accepted practice 'up here'. Then there's lots of wailing about folks who shop south of the border....
Cheers
John
Understand that the world of electronics is totally new to me. I could have bought the K-16LS kit for $225US and built my own chassis.
But after reading for months it became apparent that with a SimpleSE build I could get straight forward instruction, lots of support from George and bunches of people that have built it themselves, a versatile amp that I could modify in the future, learn a lot more and have a highly regarded SE amp by everyone familiar with it.
I know that I could not get the same newbee support if built the transformers or PCB myself. Maybe if I keep learning, one day I will be able to build from scratch something better and cheaper.
But after reading for months it became apparent that with a SimpleSE build I could get straight forward instruction, lots of support from George and bunches of people that have built it themselves, a versatile amp that I could modify in the future, learn a lot more and have a highly regarded SE amp by everyone familiar with it.
I know that I could not get the same newbee support if built the transformers or PCB myself. Maybe if I keep learning, one day I will be able to build from scratch something better and cheaper.
HeadinaJar:
Dou you think the K-16LS kit is a compairable in quality once both are finished and operating. That is if you set the side by side to listen to them how would they stack up, leaving the building part out of the picture.
This might not be a fair question with the SE having the options for various builds so I would have to add if you built the SE following the parts George lists without upgrading.
Cheers Ron.
Dou you think the K-16LS kit is a compairable in quality once both are finished and operating. That is if you set the side by side to listen to them how would they stack up, leaving the building part out of the picture.
This might not be a fair question with the SE having the options for various builds so I would have to add if you built the SE following the parts George lists without upgrading.
Cheers Ron.
The k-16ls is not in the same league as the SimpleSE as far as I can gather. I have not actually heard either amp. I've been reading about tube amps for a few years. I have seriously listened to a restored Dynaco ST-70(brilliant) and a small I-pod amp called a Muskito(very good).
The SimpleSe would be an entry into "high end" tube amplification and the K-16 an entry level into tube amps. SimpleSE just has a better "soudstage".
Both these amps are going to sound better than anything you can buy at Best Buy or The Source. Many of the k-16 builders have had to do an after-market fix because of a hum problem. I think the parts used in the k-16 are generic. Between off and full signal, the DC supply current changes dramatically requiring heavier filtering to prevent supply "sag". Economy push/pull probably make better guitar amps than home stereo amps.
Help me with this guys.
The SimpleSe would be an entry into "high end" tube amplification and the K-16 an entry level into tube amps. SimpleSE just has a better "soudstage".
Both these amps are going to sound better than anything you can buy at Best Buy or The Source. Many of the k-16 builders have had to do an after-market fix because of a hum problem. I think the parts used in the k-16 are generic. Between off and full signal, the DC supply current changes dramatically requiring heavier filtering to prevent supply "sag". Economy push/pull probably make better guitar amps than home stereo amps.
Help me with this guys.
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