Question for EU diyaudio members
 

I am in a preliminary phase and considering to release a DIY kit series with tubes.

The kits will be shipped to EU countries.
Pre-drilled aluminum chassis, toroidal power transformer, quality input/output connectors.

First kits to be released will be a valve pre-amp and buffer and a Push-Pull power amplifier utilising 2 EL34's per channel. These will be new designs, not clones of classic products.

The pricing would be competitive, not down to Chinese prices of course.

I would like to hear your views and opinions. Thanks for your time.

Two things:
1. use metric bolts (M3, M4 etc.) so we can get spares
2. remember that '230V' means 240V in most of the UK and 220V in most of the mainland.

EU needs pre-drilled chassis for tube amps

make mains adjustable in steps of 20v 200-220-240 don't include a thermal fuse that renders the transformer inoperable . its DIY after all

Fuse the HT CT and maybye design a PCB for the mains wiring its likely safer that way .
chassis power cord fuse and HF suppression on a little PCB that has jumpers for the correct mains voltage

use some good sockets not chinese those ruin valve pins use NOS /nice fitting stuf
hum pot would be nice


v4lve

1. All screws and bolts will be metric
2. My little research states that UK and Cyprus is 240 V and mainland Europe is 230 V, except Russia/ Lithuania /Ukraine which are 220 V.
So I believe that a heater regulator is the solution (for the preamp)

Thanks!

Make it a true European Amp and have the chassis and PCB made in Europe, not China, and use European parts where possible.

Consumer electronics products like tube amlifiers including kits should comply with european Low Voltage Directive and EMC Directive.
This must be indicated with CE-marking on the product and documents.

A suggestion for the power xformer's primaries: Provide windings for 110 V and 10 V, two of each. Thus the tranny can be hooked up for 110 V, 120 V, 130 V, 220 V, 230 V and 240 V and saves winding space

Best regards!

Give the spec in Eu/US watts and not Chinese watts.

You mean PMPO watts, which, according to Morgan Jones, means Purely Mythical Power Output? :D

Best regards!