First, you need a grounding (bad pun) in basic electronics. The classic text there is Horowitz and Hill, "The Art of Electronics." Once you've got a good mastery of Ohm, Kirchoff, Thevenin, and Norton, you're ready for a more specialized tube textbook; the best one, IMO and the opinion of most of the experienced tube guys, is Morgan Jones's two books, "Valve Amplifiers" and "Building Valve Amplifiers." Jones's books can be supplemented by more advanced texts like Seely or Terman or Langford-Smith, but those are tough and terse. Jones is readable and entertaining, though completely rigorous. If all you want to do is follow someone else's schamatic, The "Building" book is more appropriate; "Valve Amplifiers" is concerned more with design and understanding how the circuits work.
Make sure that your basic math skills (algebra and trig; simple calculus will be useful but perhaps not necessary yet) are sharp. Practice lots of problems, it's like doing reps at the gym. I taught chemistry and physics for some years and without exception, the students who struggled did so not because the science was hard, but because they weren't fluid and totally at ease with the math required. They were so busy trying to follow the formula derivations that they couldn't concentrate on learning the physics. It's like trying to learn Shakespeare when you're still trying to sound out words.
Make sure that your basic math skills (algebra and trig; simple calculus will be useful but perhaps not necessary yet) are sharp. Practice lots of problems, it's like doing reps at the gym. I taught chemistry and physics for some years and without exception, the students who struggled did so not because the science was hard, but because they weren't fluid and totally at ease with the math required. They were so busy trying to follow the formula derivations that they couldn't concentrate on learning the physics. It's like trying to learn Shakespeare when you're still trying to sound out words.
I am a long time newbie. The Morgan Jones books are marvelous and a very fun read. Horowitz and Hill is very readable, but it is still a text book, nothing on tubes, and they do not walk you through building a tube amp like the Mr Jones. Buy all three if you can.
Also, visit Pet Millett's site:
http://www.pmillett.com/technical_books_online.htm
He scanned a bunch of technical books, some of which are great for somebody just starting out. And, it is free!
-e
Also, visit Pet Millett's site:
http://www.pmillett.com/technical_books_online.htm
He scanned a bunch of technical books, some of which are great for somebody just starting out. And, it is free!
-e
I'll throw in another quick recommendation for "Valve Amplifiers" by Morgan Jones... bought it on recommendation of this forum, it arrived yesterday, and I just haven't been able to put it down 
He seems marvelous at preempting your every question, I was looking at one of his schematics and thought "now what is that doing there..." next paragraph was to the effect of "You may be wondering why that is there..."
He seems marvelous at preempting your every question, I was looking at one of his schematics and thought "now what is that doing there..." next paragraph was to the effect of "You may be wondering why that is there..."
Rosenblits, or Rosenblitz, the guy who came up with the non-grounded grid 'grounded grid' pre amp, has an easy to read book on valves and valve amp design.
Radiotron Designers Handbooks are always good to get. edition 4 is the big red block, however, if you can get a 3rd edition, this is much easier to read, and also much slimmer! this was the first book that I came across, found mine in a junk shop.
I think antique audio has a good range of books you can buy. This includes handbooks on the williamson, and the mullard design books. I have all of these as I am a bit of a collector.
ALso try www.triodeelectronics.com they have a mine of infomation, as does www.duncansamps.com this is the guy who wrote the very useful PSUD tool to simulate power supplies, which i would strongly suggest you buy.
Once you get up there, go to www.tubecad.com. and www.tubelab.com, two most excellent sites.
there was a guy in the uk on www.griffin.co.uk that had a whole heap of information as well, don't know if he is still there, I scanned in a book for him years ago and he sent me a CD with heaps of stuff in it.
hope this helps
bill
Radiotron Designers Handbooks are always good to get. edition 4 is the big red block, however, if you can get a 3rd edition, this is much easier to read, and also much slimmer! this was the first book that I came across, found mine in a junk shop.
I think antique audio has a good range of books you can buy. This includes handbooks on the williamson, and the mullard design books. I have all of these as I am a bit of a collector.
ALso try www.triodeelectronics.com they have a mine of infomation, as does www.duncansamps.com this is the guy who wrote the very useful PSUD tool to simulate power supplies, which i would strongly suggest you buy.
Once you get up there, go to www.tubecad.com. and www.tubelab.com, two most excellent sites.
there was a guy in the uk on www.griffin.co.uk that had a whole heap of information as well, don't know if he is still there, I scanned in a book for him years ago and he sent me a CD with heaps of stuff in it.
hope this helps
bill
I have the neets on my site
http://www.basenjes.de/tubes/data/neets_ch6.pdf
Oh and I can recommend Morgan Jones as well. I have the 2nd Edition.
Also have the Radiotron Designers Vol 4. but would not recommend that one. (I still won't sell it though) but find nothing particularly useful in the book. (because I'm not smart enough and it is not hands-on enough for me)
The Bruce Rozenblit book audio reality I would not recommend either. (I gave it away to the first person that sent me a mail after a similar posting to this one. (The guy that got the book liked it by the way)) I can summarize the complete content of that book as follows:
Half of it is full of useful comments that you should get not carried away with boutique components. (but that part is summarized in one sentence here)
The other half is a reprint of a patent of his. (Who cares?)
And inbetween there are a couple of schematics of his. Of which the most useful is probably his gg.
That's it.
Not trying to knock the guy. Just the book. Because his kits seem to me good value for money...and I'm sure they sound good. (read quite a few positive posts on the gg)
http://www.basenjes.de/tubes/data/neets_ch6.pdf
Oh and I can recommend Morgan Jones as well. I have the 2nd Edition.
Also have the Radiotron Designers Vol 4. but would not recommend that one. (I still won't sell it though) but find nothing particularly useful in the book. (because I'm not smart enough and it is not hands-on enough for me)
The Bruce Rozenblit book audio reality I would not recommend either. (I gave it away to the first person that sent me a mail after a similar posting to this one. (The guy that got the book liked it by the way)) I can summarize the complete content of that book as follows:
Half of it is full of useful comments that you should get not carried away with boutique components. (but that part is summarized in one sentence here
)The other half is a reprint of a patent of his. (Who cares?)
And inbetween there are a couple of schematics of his. Of which the most useful is probably his gg.
That's it.
Not trying to knock the guy. Just the book. Because his kits seem to me good value for money...and I'm sure they sound good. (read quite a few positive posts on the gg)
Read this:
http://www.cjseymour.plus.com/elec/valves/valves.htm
and understand everything.
Then read all the books on this site:
http://www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm
then your will know how to design and understand tube amps very well.
http://www.cjseymour.plus.com/elec/valves/valves.htm
and understand everything.
Then read all the books on this site:
http://www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm
then your will know how to design and understand tube amps very well.
Always an excellent resource: The ARRL Handbook ( http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?category=&words=handbook&SearchWords.x=0&SearchWords.y=0 ) The back editions in your public library can be an almost infinate source of good ideas ... DIY FM radio antennas ... tube amps for lab equipment ... basic electronics and leading edge radio technology ... physics and engineering ... 
The "Audio Express" website has a series of articles available under the heading "Audio Classroom" These are reprints of material published in the 1950 and 1960 era (often in AUDIO magazine) by Norman Crowhurst and Joseph Marshall. I have found these writings to be very clear and straightforward explanations of how tube audio circuits operate and how to design them.
There may be other offerings of the web from these prolific authors, but I haven't looked, since I've collected most of their works in the original publications.
http://www.audioxpress.com/resource/audioclass/index.htm
There may be other offerings of the web from these prolific authors, but I haven't looked, since I've collected most of their works in the original publications.
http://www.audioxpress.com/resource/audioclass/index.htm
planet10: " ... Allen Wright's Tube Preamp Cookbook ... ".
Wow, check it out! = http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/fvp5.gif and http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/rtp5.gif ... made me a believer.
Wow, check it out! = http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/fvp5.gif and http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/rtp5.gif ... made me a believer.
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