1st Tube Amp - What to build?

[hifimaker]

I'm interested in building my first Class A tube amp to drive full range audio speakers. I've built several solid state amps, and interested in tube experimentation.

Question: Is there a great reference design for pure class A, 3-10 watts, and maybe self biasing? Budget is not a problem.

There are so many options, and a little conventional wisdom from the more knowledgeable would be helpful regarding which designs and implementations the forum have found that sound the best. The PSU can be solid state, and would probably prefer SS rectifiers. Although I'm open on this point.

Thank you for any ideas or suggestions.

-David

[kevinkr]

Check out George's (tubelab) Simple SE design or the Tubelab SE here: http://www.tubelab.com/

These are good performing and sounding amplifier designs, come with lots of support both here and from George and have been built by lots of people. Provided you can solder, follow directions, and do simple troubleshooting you are virtually assured of a good working, reliable, nice sounding amplifier.

[audiowize]

Are you more interested in stuffing a board, or going point-to-point? There are some good PTP kits out there (Bottlehead has 2, 3.5, and 8 watt class A amps).

If you're comfortable with all the machining and isolation procedures, I would think that a triode strapped 6V6 or EL84 is just too sweet and easy not to try!
-Paul

[planet10]

Originally posted by audiowize
I would think that a triode strapped 6V6 or EL84 is just too sweet and easy not to try!

Or an RH84. George's SimpleSE is also appealing, but haven't tried it.

dave

[wa4swj]

Hi,

If budget is no obstacle look at this one:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin.../0105/trex.htm

Plitron transformers through and through.

Regards,

Ed

[Richard Ellis]

This hyper $$$$ 300B using tube regulation???
Wasn't it MJ that pretty much decreed tube regulation as way complex, expensive, fragile, and not really worth the effort as they don't perform anywhere near SS??
Note that He doesn't use any regulation for the filiments?
Perhaps one could use a transmitter tube thru a step down TX for filiments......that would be your "All Tube" set-up.
_________________________________________________R ick...........

[planet10]

Originally posted by wa4swj
If budget is no obstacle look at this one:

Its a 1st project... simple is important. So for the power SE, and no DHTs, and probably just 2 stages.

dave

[Eli Duttman]

Its a 1st project... simple is important. So for the power SE, and no DHTs, and probably just 2 stages.

Agreed, except for SE. An "El Cheapo" variant using current production "reissue" TungSol 6V6s and a DEEP Class "A" operating point meets all of the orginally enumerated requirements. As "folding green" is reasonably plentiful, buy superior O/P trafos from a proven winder, like: ElectraPrint, MQ, or Heyboer. Reducing the amount of loop NFB employed is possible, given top notch "iron".

50 KOhm PEC volume pots. plus 18 nF. PIO caps. working into 510 KOhm 12AT7 grid leak resistors will sound very good, while being reasonably "friendly" to upstream signal sources.

[Hearinspace]

This kit-amp series is being discontinued. Only three left at writing.
Called a Paramour they come with extremely good documentation and follow-up with a forum dedicated to the product line. Various avenues for upgrade as well. Good people there , many got their start with amps from this company and still regularly go to the forum years later to see what's happening.

[planet10]

Originally posted by Hearinspace
a Paramour

If you needa well documented kit, it would certainly be one... we have a pair in house, i prefer both the RH84 derived EL84 monobloks & the El Cheapo derived Class A Push-pull (despite what Eli says it is at least 3 x as complicated as the RH84 -- don't get me wrong, El Cheapo is a very good amplifier when done with good iron and caps)

dave