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    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
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    the safety precautions around high voltages.

Help! Want to Diy Tube Amp!

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I've bought from Triode. If they ship the wrong part, the replacement shipping is free. They also have the most convenient on-line tube datasheets. They are near chicago. Nice to see source of Dynaco replacement parts that aren't from the reject pile of the Dynaco bankruptcy.
 
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Hi JTJY,

here is a great place to start....

boozhoundlabs.com/howto/

He goes into great detail on DIYing
a 6V6 SE.

I built one and it sounds really good.
Not golden ear tho, and I have no clue
how much power it puts out but it more
than fills a 12 X 15 room using 12" 3 way
speakers.
 

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Hi m2racer,
yes it sure is non stick. You may be surprised to learn the benefits of using
non-stick cake pans for chassis. the surface is so slick the eddie currents and grould-loop electrons cant stick and fall off thereby affording much better sound acoustics. the one small problem is you need to vacuum under the amp at least once a month to get rid of the stray electrons. the sound quality so so improved you can hear it all the way to the bank.
 
I found an old console at a thrift shop. I pulled the amp and recapped it and am very happy with it. It can be modded as much as I'd like, but I like the way it sounds and works with the recap. Here are some before and after pics. The nice thing about doing it this way is that you can do a little at a time and spread out the expense. My next upgrade for it will be new output transformers.
So for I have about $100 into it. The new iron will be about another $125. If I upgraded to volume pot, that might add $25 to $50. New tubes could be anywhere from $75 and up. There are a lot of helpful members on this forum, whichever way you go.
Mike
 

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There you go! A friend gave me an old Magnavox console built in 1948. I pulled the amp out, amp 101 B, and discarded the rest. For yucks I put just the 5Y3 rectifier tubes back in a few minutes ago. I have 520 V DC output. After the first cap 1.26 VAC ripple and after the second 0.00! On 60 year old caps. (I know powering up those caps without a Variac was stupid.) What is really cool is I found a second amp on eBay for $22.50. I also found a used Hammond 1650n OPT for $39.00 and a new one for $79.00. I now have most of the makings for a pair of Dynaco Mark IV clones

Search eBay with the parameter 'tube amp for repair' or 'tube amp for parts' and be patient you'll never know what you'll find.

And mikje, I have a pair of Sherwood S8000 receiver OPTs that are looking for a home.
 
Cheap DIY 40 watt amp

I wanted to design an inexpensive 20watt/channel amp. The first tube was 6u10, triple triode, input and LTP in one device. it was around $2 each(qty2). Output transformers were 8K-8 20 watt'rs at $22 each(qty2) If you hook up 4 ohm load they become 4k load to the tubes.... Output tubes I chose were the 6JN6 sweep tubes but 6L6 russian tubes 6P3S could have been chosen as well around $3 each(qty4). The power transformer was $35 delivered. I designed the PCB and used the toner transfer method with Ferric Cloride to etch around $4(qty1) 12 pin sockets were $2.25 each (qty6) The rest of the components scrouged from fleebay, radioshack, newark, antique electronic supply etc....
The power supply section is in the middle of the PCB with the large caps on the underside to allow for clearance to top plate. It also keeps the caps away from the heat of the tubes. There is a 1/2" gap between the PCB and top plate which allows the coupling caps to be placed on the top side. Orange drops would have to be placed on the bottom side for clearance....
It sounded sooooo good that I'm building another one with with 6JM6 outputs just because I found some for the cheap. Also found a pair of 1650H Hammonds to boost the output to 40 watts/channel. 1650P transformers could be chosen with 6LF6 or 6LB6 output tubes for 60 watts /channel. I did a PCB design for EL34, 6L6 tubes either in triode of UL configuration. I think the outputs are a little close to consider the use of KT88's....
 

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