Just took a look at Broskie's blog today for the first time in a long time. I was shocked. Sure, I had noticed the drop in thought provoking articles when he took the Aikido commercial. Now he's writing about pedestrian stuff like gainclones! Brutal! As an aside, I have always been disappointed by how this forum went commercial, but at least there are a few altruists left here. Now I am REALLY disappointed with what happened to Tube CAD. It's such a pale imitation of what it once was.
I can't speak about Broskie's blog, but I can tell you my experience. Every time I added a page to my web site I got dozens of emails asking questions. Some were about the new material, some were loosely related to the material, and some weren't even close. Answering that email takes considerable time, even if I only answer the relevent stuff. When you have a full time job, there isn't any time left for tube stuff. I find that I must regulate the posting of new material in order to keep up with the responses. I had an email conversation with John a few years ago and he told me that he was in a similar situation (right after he relocated to California). My personal situation has basically prevented me from posting anything new in the past several months even though I have been working on tube stuff. I know that I will be away (with limited internet access) for about half of the next two months. I will post it all when I return.
Gain clones may not be vacuum tube related, but John has ventured into sandy territory before. On a similar note, when I talked to Jack at Electra Print about PowerDrive he was less than enthusiastic, in fact totally negative. Have you seen his recent "A2" schematics?
Gain clones may not be vacuum tube related, but John has ventured into sandy territory before. On a similar note, when I talked to Jack at Electra Print about PowerDrive he was less than enthusiastic, in fact totally negative. Have you seen his recent "A2" schematics?
Well, I have been absolutely amazed at how J. B. could keep up a high quality journal for so long, for free. Hopefully there are more things to discuss in the future yet. But I think most standard tube design issues have been pretty well covered already, and so are available in the archives there.
If new ideas are in short supply, then I think a look around this forum can find a few leaps into new territory for ideas like tube emulation with SS, SE emulation by P-P, switching impedance converters, Hawksford Errror Correction, G2 drive, G2 feedback, modifications to and extended understanding of Ultra-linear mode, ripple steering power supplies, WE harmonic neutralization, common mode feedback for error control, class G and H hybrid amps, vacuum tube current mirrors, vacuum tube voltage mirrors (ie. like Aikido input) and likely others I can't remember off hand.
Don
If new ideas are in short supply, then I think a look around this forum can find a few leaps into new territory for ideas like tube emulation with SS, SE emulation by P-P, switching impedance converters, Hawksford Errror Correction, G2 drive, G2 feedback, modifications to and extended understanding of Ultra-linear mode, ripple steering power supplies, WE harmonic neutralization, common mode feedback for error control, class G and H hybrid amps, vacuum tube current mirrors, vacuum tube voltage mirrors (ie. like Aikido input) and likely others I can't remember off hand.
Don
Jeez,
as I see it he has well earned the right to talk about whatever he wants! Its his blog - he can talk utter shite if he wants. The aikido design and boards have allowed many to build stuff that they never would have before.
to be honest I dunno how or indeed why he does it. No way could it pay - and just imagine the volume of interest-sapping email he must get.
Fran
as I see it he has well earned the right to talk about whatever he wants! Its his blog - he can talk utter shite if he wants. The aikido design and boards have allowed many to build stuff that they never would have before.
to be honest I dunno how or indeed why he does it. No way could it pay - and just imagine the volume of interest-sapping email he must get.
Fran
At some point it all really stops being fun.. Drowning in email, dealing with customers - happy or otherwise, weeding out the real prospects from those with nothing better to do than waste your time, while trying to be very nice about it... And I was desperately trying to make a living at it, keep the bills paid, and a roof over my head.... The best thing I ever did in tube audio was to largely get out of the commercial arena.. Anonymity has its benefits... 
What's next: buy a kit, chew it, go to doctors, then involve lawyers?!
Come on, guys! I saw somewhere results of research of complains about injures: more people in this country are insured by soft furniture!
Can you imagine that? A soft furniture!
Now, what about high voltage, high temperature vacuum tube stuff?
Anyone trying to return some investments sharing results of own hard work has to be prepared to pay lawyers to defend himself from unhappy customers... Sometimes from professionally unhappy customers...
John is very brave man! He is The Man! I respect him a lot. However, sometimes his designs remind our own ideas, but what for we share them on forums and on other sites if don't expect somebody else to use them for good?
Come on, guys! I saw somewhere results of research of complains about injures: more people in this country are insured by soft furniture!
Can you imagine that? A soft furniture!
Now, what about high voltage, high temperature vacuum tube stuff?
Anyone trying to return some investments sharing results of own hard work has to be prepared to pay lawyers to defend himself from unhappy customers... Sometimes from professionally unhappy customers...
John is very brave man! He is The Man! I respect him a lot. However, sometimes his designs remind our own ideas, but what for we share them on forums and on other sites if don't expect somebody else to use them for good?
(Rare post)
If John Broskie never again published a single new word, he would surely rank among the most prolific of writers about tube designs based on the body of his prior work, there for all to see - for free. I may not be a huge Aikido fan, but I admire Broskie's creativity and insightful mind. I've never seen anyone else offer so many different ways to configure tubes into circuits. I tip my hat out of respect and appreciation for what he's already published.
If John Broskie never again published a single new word, he would surely rank among the most prolific of writers about tube designs based on the body of his prior work, there for all to see - for free. I may not be a huge Aikido fan, but I admire Broskie's creativity and insightful mind. I've never seen anyone else offer so many different ways to configure tubes into circuits. I tip my hat out of respect and appreciation for what he's already published.
JoshK said:
I wonder if having his own question & answer forum would reduce the workload. My idea is that other readers that understood the article could answer the easier questions and Broskie could answer the other questions all at once at his leisure. Of course that's in a perfect world cause forums can become their own time sink.
I think the whole premise of the thread starter is completely wrong.
For one thing Gainclones sound extremely good if executed correctly. Despite having built a few Tube amps of good quality, I still keep and love one of my Gainclones. Infact I am thinking of building one as my next project.
The second point is one that Broskie makes himself. The Gainclone lends itself to the amature builder because it is so simple and so amenable to optimisation. He rightly states that it is much more difficult and expensive to achieve the same level of performance with SS and the technical skills required are often beyond the diyer He rightly states that the skills required are very similar to those required for valve amp building.
He is undertaking the task of pushing the already excellent Gainclone to new levels of performance and for that we should be gratetful.
Finally if thats what is interesting Broskie at the moment then more power to his elbow. He has seen the technical possabilite's and transcended hollow state prejudice to push the boundaries a little bit further. Good on him.
Shoog
For one thing Gainclones sound extremely good if executed correctly. Despite having built a few Tube amps of good quality, I still keep and love one of my Gainclones. Infact I am thinking of building one as my next project.
The second point is one that Broskie makes himself. The Gainclone lends itself to the amature builder because it is so simple and so amenable to optimisation. He rightly states that it is much more difficult and expensive to achieve the same level of performance with SS and the technical skills required are often beyond the diyer He rightly states that the skills required are very similar to those required for valve amp building.
He is undertaking the task of pushing the already excellent Gainclone to new levels of performance and for that we should be gratetful.
Finally if thats what is interesting Broskie at the moment then more power to his elbow. He has seen the technical possabilite's and transcended hollow state prejudice to push the boundaries a little bit further. Good on him.
Shoog
Shoog said:
OK, I have been quietly passive while this thread turned in to a beat up on leadbelly exercise, but this last post is just too ridiculous. I build a lot of gainclones too, maybe as many as you. However, if you actually read JB material on the GC, it is pretty weak, as he obviously just learning about them. Does that reflect poorly on him in my mind? No, I am happy that he does whatever he wants. I have to wonder where all this negativity that was associated with my post comes from? Maybe you should look up what mourning means.
leadbelly said:
1. commercial aikido
well, most of the stuff is published and downloadable for nothing
2. gainclones
i do not exactly know the word 'pedestrian'
but i would never throw any mud on all the thousands of happy & content
with sound performance gaincloners .. anywhere
3. this forum went commercial
in my book www.diyaudio.com has never left DIY for money
4. pale imitation of what was
give the man, John Broskie a tiny bit of chance - he really deserves this
to prove that his schematics & writings is not what they were = top class for DIY
Regards- even if my opinion is another one from your opinion
Lineup - http://lineupaudio.freehostia.com/forum/index.php
I have to say that Broskie was the man to show me and other noobs that it can still be fun and relatively easy to build a high quality amplifier. I am here talking about the Aikido which can be made in several different ways.
Furthermore, my interest for tube circuits (line level) has been increased very much and when my Aikido has been finished I am ready to try SY´s Heretical Preamp.
At last I will (maybe) try to make som tube circuit connected to a DAC. So, shortly, Broskie has, at least to me, made tube DIY very exciting - and not too difficult.
Kind regards
Karsten
Furthermore, my interest for tube circuits (line level) has been increased very much and when my Aikido has been finished I am ready to try SY´s Heretical Preamp.
At last I will (maybe) try to make som tube circuit connected to a DAC. So, shortly, Broskie has, at least to me, made tube DIY very exciting - and not too difficult.
Kind regards
Karsten
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