Tube Regulator Thoughts?

eeyore · 18th January 2011, 01:57 AM

What do you guys think of this regulator design found in the Tun-Sol 0C3W datasheet for a tube power amp? Is it a good solid starting point? Would prefer to use an all tube power supply.

bob91343 · 18th January 2011, 02:03 AM

Looks fine to me. I'd make some small changes. I would use a more common pass tube, and reduce the capacitor across the reference tube. Maybe not use a filter choke. All minor stuff.

aardvarkash10 · 18th January 2011, 02:13 AM

steve bench

eeyore · 18th January 2011, 02:25 AM

Yeah, read all the Steve Bench stuff. Good, thorough stuff... I always wondered how the older standard designs (like the one above) does compared with a few more decades of development and technology....

Jaap · 18th January 2011, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

Yeah, read all the Steve Bench stuff. Good, thorough stuff... I always wondered how the older standard designs (like the one above) does compared with a few more decades of development and technology....

Search for the T-reg of Jan Didden (published in Elektor)

Miles Prower · 19th January 2011, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

What do you guys think of this regulator design found in the Tun-Sol 0C3W datasheet for a tube power amp? Is it a good solid starting point? Would prefer to use an all tube power supply.

It's actually quite similar to a design (attached) I used. It works pretty good, and gave an output voltage deviation of 0.8Vdc for a 40V variation at the input side. Used here as a screen supply.

Richard Ellis · 19th January 2011, 05:46 AM

I've always thought using valve regulation for valve amps is akin to a cat chasing its' tail. What hasn't been addressed is....Will you be using tube regulation for the heaters??? If so, you have more tube circuits to obtain your 2.5 VDC, 6.3 VDC, 12.6 VDC...........and what will you use to "regulate" the heaters for THOSE tubes.....see what I mean? On and on it goes!
Myself I just run a plain linear supply, tube rectifyed for B+.......let it go where it may..but use sand for the heaters. I'm not really into chasing my tail!

__________________________________________________ __Rick.........

DF96 · 19th January 2011, 12:17 PM

A regulator makes heavy use of negative feedback, and is likely to have a non-trivial output impedance variation with frequency. It can be as hard to get right as the amplifier it feeds. There is a case for regulated supplies for a phono preamp, because of the high LF gain and the need to isolate the signal from mains voltage variations. Elsewhere it is, in my opinion, usually unnecessary.

RTF671 · 19th January 2011, 04:45 PM

If you are pursuing voltage stabilization, have you considered transistorized stabilization/regulation? They will provide more reliable regulation while requiring no heater voltage with the added benefit of no tone coloring because they never see any signal gain.

It is still understandable to use Valve rectos. They are cool and classic and can still be worked with. Keep in mind though, sag will be reduced when using any regulation. Just be sure to keep those limiting resistors in series with the anodes (which are absent from the schem posted) and the reservoir limits in check.

18th January 2011, 02:13 AM	#3
aardvarkash10 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Auckland, NZ	steve bench __________________ "Folks, you can't prove truthiness with information. You prove truthiness with more truthiness. In a process known as truthinessiness." - Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report

18th January 2011, 02:25 AM	#4
eeyore diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2005	Yeah, read all the Steve Bench stuff. Good, thorough stuff... I always wondered how the older standard designs (like the one above) does compared with a few more decades of development and technology.... __________________ DF http://diy-audio-blog.blogspot.com

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18th January 2011, 02:03 AM	#2
bob91343 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2010	Looks fine to me. I'd make some small changes. I would use a more common pass tube, and reduce the capacitor across the reference tube. Maybe not use a filter choke. All minor stuff.

19th January 2011, 05:46 AM	#7
Richard Ellis diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mar del Plata, a BIG seasonal getaway city, can see the Ocean from our residence.	I've always thought using valve regulation for valve amps is akin to a cat chasing its' tail. What hasn't been addressed is....Will you be using tube regulation for the heaters??? If so, you have more tube circuits to obtain your 2.5 VDC, 6.3 VDC, 12.6 VDC...........and what will you use to "regulate" the heaters for THOSE tubes.....see what I mean? On and on it goes! Myself I just run a plain linear supply, tube rectifyed for B+.......let it go where it may..but use sand for the heaters. I'm not really into chasing my tail! __________________________________________________ __Rick.........

19th January 2011, 12:17 PM	#8
DF96 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	A regulator makes heavy use of negative feedback, and is likely to have a non-trivial output impedance variation with frequency. It can be as hard to get right as the amplifier it feeds. There is a case for regulated supplies for a phono preamp, because of the high LF gain and the need to isolate the signal from mains voltage variations. Elsewhere it is, in my opinion, usually unnecessary.

19th January 2011, 04:45 PM	#9
RTF671 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2008	If you are pursuing voltage stabilization, have you considered transistorized stabilization/regulation? They will provide more reliable regulation while requiring no heater voltage with the added benefit of no tone coloring because they never see any signal gain. It is still understandable to use Valve rectos. They are cool and classic and can still be worked with. Keep in mind though, sag will be reduced when using any regulation. Just be sure to keep those limiting resistors in series with the anodes (which are absent from the schem posted) and the reservoir limits in check.