Want to make a tube preamp

[TheGimp]

I generally use an Alps stereo 100K pot on the input of my amps. With min at 7pm and max at 5pm, I rarely go above a noon setting when driven from my CD player or the FM stereo receiver.

Since I have yet to build a RIAA corrected record preamp, I am currently playing through the record preamp in the FM receiver.

If I ever finish setting up a HT system I suppose things may change.

[tinitus]

yes, you can do that with tube based poweramp

btw, a tube pre have always been known to have rolled off top, and sluggish lows, compared to SS preamps
and a SS design might be perceived as having slightly finer 'textures'
but the tighter bottom could at the same time be perceived as rahter thin, or boring
and regarding lack of 'substance', that could be where a tube design shines

everything could depend on your other electronics, and your speakers especially
ofcourse you can always design it all to match each other

and yeah, I do know you can design tubegear to sound no different from solid state
I have even heard of tube amps that sounded 'too much of bad solid state design'
seems like almost anything is possible

if you want to build a tube pre for fun, yeah, sure, why not
if your goal is 'better sound', it could be a different and more tricky affair
on the other hand, you still might have to build one to know for yourself
talk and wise words wont do it

so what's it gonna be ?

[SY]

Originally Posted by tinitus

you are not using passive att pot, are you ?

Yes, but buffered, like I said. There's also a transformer for CMR. It is transparent, not an effects box. I need the buffer because of impedances and cable lengths- a 10k passive is usually fine for 90% of the world.

[tinitus]

if its actively buffered its not passive, is it ?

but yeah, passive can be very transparent
though, some people might think something is missing
could depend on a lot of other factors
personally, I also prefer transparancy, surely
but I also build my own speakers to match it

and since the OP is asking about it this way, my guess is its because he is missing 'something', whatever it is ? speaker BSC missing maybe, like it often happened in the old days ?

[SY]

Well, again, if you want an effects box, play with guitar pedals, they're cheap and work well. No need to build expensive, high voltage stuff.

[tinitus]

effect pedal ? you must be joking
and no, I dont think they dont work so well at all, not even for playing music

but maybe you could use a PA eq
actually, it would also have a buffered volume control

[SY]

Actually, I'm dead serious.

[tinitus]

hmm, how about electrically compensated BSC, like done with actice crossover (sometimes) ?

Originally Posted by SY

Actually, I'm dead serious.

maybe you mean like taking the buffer used in effects
actually you can find 'cable drivers' there as well
only needs a 9V battery

[12B4A]

I would imagine many people build tube preamps because it's a simple and inexpensive way of getting a start at building from scratch. My first three self-designed from-scratch builds were preamplifiers.

[tinitus]

Originally Posted by doors666

I am a total newbie to tubes and would like to make a tube preamp.

I dont need gain as I mainly use cd players and sound cards.

This is going to be mainly for my desktop system.

I already have a pass B1 for my other system.

so lets try ask doors666 now, why a tube pre ?