new build - abdellah SE KT88

vince76 · 28th July 2009, 07:58 PM

Hy all,
I'm new here and this is my first build.
The circuit is the Abbellah KT88 as Gendrano has modified. except for the fact I substituted the 5 mH inductance with 250R resistors and omitted the two 10 uF condenser connected to the 47K res going on the plate of ecc88.

The amp works, so I'm happy (it is a good news for a first builder)
Anyway I have some answers for you experienced builders:

I left off the standby swich, should I include it for some reason like improving tube life?

I hear a little hum, I believe it is 50Hz related hum. what can I do? better B+ filtering or DC on filaments?

when the amp is on I can hear the rectifier rattling. is this normal?

When no source is connected to the amp (I included a source selector) I can hear a Prrrrrrr coming out from the speaker... what the hell is happening? Maybe I was wrong when connected the grounds of the two sources together? hope can understand me

hope someone can help me.

Vincenzo

vince76 · 28th July 2009, 10:08 PM

just discovered that only one channel hums.
should I swap the output tube to see if the hum is related to the tube?
how to verify it doesn't depend on the ecc88?
thank you,
V.

Richard Ellis · 29th July 2009, 05:32 AM

Vincenzo...
On the subject of the "rattling" sound your hearing..Quite probably it is your choke on the power supply. Of course that is assuming it is a choke input PS.
Chokes are notorious for buzzing badly...imparting the buzzing sound into the chassis. One needs to isolate a choke from the chassis with a soft pliant material to absorb vibrations.
Do you have a schematic for us to see??
_______________________________________________Ric k........

vince76 · 29th July 2009, 02:51 PM

Thank you Richard for your reply. I will try to put something between the choke and the chassis. The schem I followed can be found at:
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/KT88/

I found that only one channel hums and if no source is connected the hum stops. Maybe the double triode or a wire too close to heater ac wires?

Vincenzo.

porkchop61 · 29th July 2009, 09:13 PM

Hi Vincenzo-
I built this same amp, and it's dead quiet, so I'm not sure where the hum is coming from.
You say "I found that only one channel hums and if no source is connected the hum stops." This sounds like a ground loop with one of the channels. If you short the input jacks to ground, the center of the RCA connector to the outside, do you still hear the hum?

I'm also not sure where the ecc88 came into this build, I'm using the 6N1P called for on the schematic. Is it possible that the ecc88 has too much gain for this amp? Others more knowledgeable than myself can comment on this.

My KT88 build

Glenn

alexg · 29th July 2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vince76
Hy all,
I'm new here and this is my first build.
The circuit is the Abbellah KT88 as Gendrano has modified. except for the fact I substituted the 5 mH inductance with 250R resistors and omitted the two 10 uF condenser connected to the 47K res going on the plate of ecc88.

The amp works, so I'm happy (it is a good news for a first builder)
Anyway I have some answers for you experienced builders:

I left off the standby swich, should I include it for some reason like improving tube life?

I hear a little hum, I believe it is 50Hz related hum. what can I do? better B+ filtering or DC on filaments?

when the amp is on I can hear the rectifier rattling. is this normal?

When no source is connected to the amp (I included a source selector) I can hear a Prrrrrrr coming out from the speaker... what the hell is happening? Maybe I was wrong when connected the grounds of the two sources together? hope can understand me

hope someone can help me.

Vincenzo

What is the voltage rating for the capacitors that you used on the PSU? If it is 500V or 450V, then you need to use a standby switch as the PSU is capable of producing more than 500V when the tubes are cold.

If you are just hearing the hum on one channel, then please check your wiring and where you have routed the signal wires, it might be close to the heater wiring. BTW, did you twist the heater wires? It can also be a "cold solder" on the side that you hear the hum.

I have built a few of these amps, and all of them are very quiet.

Regards,

Alex

vince76 · 30th July 2009, 12:32 AM

hy Glenn,
thank you for the input. very nice and clean buils.
I'm trying to move the ground point for the input source ground...
hoping that's the problem. It's night, tomorrow I will trying again
following your ground scheme if possible (mine is point to point)

V.

porkchop61 · 30th July 2009, 12:23 PM

OT: A friend of mine owns a villa in Treia, very nice area.
http://villatrina.com/index.html
I always wanted to visit Napoli, never made it there.

vince76 · 30th July 2009, 02:24 PM

thank you Alex
I need a standby switch. I didn't put a switch in because I used for on off switch a recicled one from a computer PSU. I wanted to use two of them but realized one was under rated since it says 250V 5A.
The heater wires are well twisted. I will look for a cold solder, but I'm sure it isn't since as I turn off the amp, while the caps are discharging and I can listen to the music, the hum disappear. It have to be 50 Hz!?!?!

Vincenzo

piero7 · 30th July 2009, 07:14 PM

controlla le masse vincè...

28th July 2009, 07:58 PM	#1
vince76 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	new build - abdellah SE KT88 Hy all, I'm new here and this is my first build. The circuit is the Abbellah KT88 as Gendrano has modified. except for the fact I substituted the 5 mH inductance with 250R resistors and omitted the two 10 uF condenser connected to the 47K res going on the plate of ecc88. The amp works, so I'm happy (it is a good news for a first builder) Anyway I have some answers for you experienced builders: I left off the standby swich, should I include it for some reason like improving tube life? I hear a little hum, I believe it is 50Hz related hum. what can I do? better B+ filtering or DC on filaments? when the amp is on I can hear the rectifier rattling. is this normal? When no source is connected to the amp (I included a source selector) I can hear a Prrrrrrr coming out from the speaker... what the hell is happening? Maybe I was wrong when connected the grounds of the two sources together? hope can understand me hope someone can help me. Vincenzo

28th July 2009, 10:08 PM	#2
vince76 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	about hum just discovered that only one channel hums. should I swap the output tube to see if the hum is related to the tube? how to verify it doesn't depend on the ecc88? thank you, V.

29th July 2009, 02:51 PM	#4
vince76 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	schematic Thank you Richard for your reply. I will try to put something between the choke and the chassis. The schem I followed can be found at: http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/KT88/ I found that only one channel hums and if no source is connected the hum stops. Maybe the double triode or a wire too close to heater ac wires? Vincenzo.

29th July 2009, 09:13 PM	#5
porkchop61 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mansfield, Connecticut	Hi Vincenzo- I built this same amp, and it's dead quiet, so I'm not sure where the hum is coming from. You say "I found that only one channel hums and if no source is connected the hum stops." This sounds like a ground loop with one of the channels. If you short the input jacks to ground, the center of the RCA connector to the outside, do you still hear the hum? I'm also not sure where the ecc88 came into this build, I'm using the 6N1P called for on the schematic. Is it possible that the ecc88 has too much gain for this amp? Others more knowledgeable than myself can comment on this. My KT88 build Glenn __________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge"

30th July 2009, 12:23 PM	#8
porkchop61 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mansfield, Connecticut	OT: A friend of mine owns a villa in Treia, very nice area. http://villatrina.com/index.html I always wanted to visit Napoli, never made it there. __________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge"


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29th July 2009, 05:32 AM	#3
Richard Ellis diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mar del Plata, a BIG seasonal getaway city, can see the Ocean from our residence.	Vincenzo... On the subject of the "rattling" sound your hearing..Quite probably it is your choke on the power supply. Of course that is assuming it is a choke input PS. Chokes are notorious for buzzing badly...imparting the buzzing sound into the chassis. One needs to isolate a choke from the chassis with a soft pliant material to absorb vibrations. Do you have a schematic for us to see?? _______________________________________________Ric k........

30th July 2009, 12:32 AM	#7
vince76 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	hy Glenn, thank you for the input. very nice and clean buils. I'm trying to move the ground point for the input source ground... hoping that's the problem. It's night, tomorrow I will trying again following your ground scheme if possible (mine is point to point) V.

30th July 2009, 02:24 PM	#9
vince76 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	thank you Alex I need a standby switch. I didn't put a switch in because I used for on off switch a recicled one from a computer PSU. I wanted to use two of them but realized one was under rated since it says 250V 5A. The heater wires are well twisted. I will look for a cold solder, but I'm sure it isn't since as I turn off the amp, while the caps are discharging and I can listen to the music, the hum disappear. It have to be 50 Hz!?!?! Vincenzo

30th July 2009, 07:14 PM	#10
piero7 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Matera	controlla le masse vincè...

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