• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

Tube circuit sim software for free?

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Thanks for the reply.

i can use multi-sim 11 just fine and I can use PCB artist. I feel as if eagle cad would not be a problem either. but to the best of my understanding I need to import some kind of tube library in here and downloading the tube library has been giving me crap. I think it's called PSpice or something?

Could I trouble you for a bit of guidance with what you think I need to learn?
 
. . . i can use multi-sim 11 just fine . . .
Aren't there some vacuum tube models already built into Multisim? I never made the effort to figure out how to extend Multisim with external models, but I think it can use anything written in standard SPICE format.

. . . I need to import some kind of tube library in here and downloading the tube library has been giving me crap. I think it's called PSpice or something? . . .
"PSPICE" is a commercial program based on the public-domain SPICE circuit simulation program from the 1970's. I believe PSPICE will cost you a few thousand dollars per copy (they used to have a very limited-capability demo version), but it may be a good investment if you are in the business of doing circuit design - especially since it links to ORCAD's other EDA tools.

PSPICE can use models written in standard SPICE syntax, as well as a few language "extensions" originated for PSPICE. If there is an official vacuum tube library for PSPICE it is almost certainly copyrighted. There are other vacuum tube models available on the web. Two popular ones are Norman Koren Vacuum tube audio page and Spice Models Most of these models should be compatible with other SPICE-based circuit simulators, or can be made compatible with minor changes.

Dale
 
Thanks for the reply.

i can use multi-sim 11 just fine and I can use PCB artist. I feel as if eagle cad would not be a problem either. but to the best of my understanding I need to import some kind of tube library in here and downloading the tube library has been giving me crap. I think it's called PSpice or something?

Could I trouble you for a bit of guidance with what you think I need to learn?

Are you looking for a PCB designer or SIM software? Two different things.
 
Are you looking for a PCB designer or SIM software? Two different things.

I am looking for a tube circuit simulator.

Yeah, I'm a long term Tina user also. I find it very easy to use. Adding macros is no problem (after I was shown how to do it by one kind soul on this message board).


PSpice is another version of the Spice program universe. Tina compiles PSpice macros, no problem.

it sounds like I should look into Tina too then!


thank you for the link

Aren't there some vacuum tube models already built into Multisim? I never made the effort to figure out how to extend Multisim with external models, but I think it can use anything written in standard SPICE format.

"PSPICE" is a commercial program based on the public-domain SPICE circuit simulation program from the 1970's. I believe PSPICE will cost you a few thousand dollars per copy (they used to have a very limited-capability demo version), but it may be a good investment if you are in the business of doing circuit design - especially since it links to ORCAD's other EDA tools.

PSPICE can use models written in standard SPICE syntax, as well as a few language "extensions" originated for PSPICE. If there is an official vacuum tube library for PSPICE it is almost certainly copyrighted. There are other vacuum tube models available on the web. Two popular ones are Norman Koren Vacuum tube audio page and Spice Models Most of these models should be compatible with other SPICE-based circuit simulators, or can be made compatible with minor changes.

Dale

I only had multi sim in tech school.. I was becoming a little bit of a wizard on it too! I see the trial version but it seems limited. like down to only 50 components. I wish eagle cad was free and had tubes because that program seems to kick butt for PCB design. From what I can tell its what the pros use. It does do auto routing but I would assume that it would be a terrible idea for heater traces. maybe it would be decent for some solid state amplifiers or low voltage logic boards.

unfortunately im not in the business of doing tube circuit design, but I am trying to become a half way decent tube circuit designer. I post often in the group DIY forum but this forum had the answer that I was looking for via a google search. thats why I bumped an old thread and started this one. I'm sorry if I'm crowding the board in any way, thats not my intention.

PSPICE is objectively not what I want then.. I have no $.

Great info thank you! I will look into these two other simulators and its nice to know about this "spice" platform.

Also get Duncan PSU Designer. Very quick and easy tool for more designs than just tube amps.

Awesome!!
 
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hahaha lets spice it up.

beautiful work on your facebook page. fredericksburg VA is one of my favorite towns, especially for antique hunting. your front panels look great!

Thanks! much appreciated. It's really amazing how much it takes to make something that looks good enough that someone would like to buy it. I don't think we are there yet, but we're getting better.
 
are you working in front panel express? I only got one made but it was a good experience. they went as far as contacting me with a real human being to correct a small mistake I made. The product looked great too.

No, they are expensive. The panels you see on the FB page are from a trophy shop. I made the design by hand on paper, brought it to them, and they made it out of thin self-stick aluminum sheet. Then I stuck it on the panel that came with the box. We are moving away from this technique to engraving directly on the aluminum front panel. I bought an engraver for this purpose and we are working out the details of how to do it best.
 
great idea with the trophy shop thing. I might try that soon! front panel express can be a bit costly.. but I do believe that its a good product. If you can afford a milling/CNC system at home then more power to you! congrats on sling-shotting yourself forward and I look forward to seeing what you end up with.

I watched a tutorial video on youtube about the spice engine. it explained that the spice engine was designed at berklee and that its the basis of most circuit simulator programs, even some very expensive ones. I'm currently trying to sort out how to enter the tube characteristics of a 12AX7.. I figured out that the component libraries are under the logic gate looking symbol. I found the triode, I right clicked and figured out how to somewhat alter the connections of the schematic symbol but how do I change the mu, transconductance curves, and or operational parameters..
 
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great idea with the trophy shop thing. I might try that soon! front panel express can be a bit costly.. but I do believe that its a good product. If you can afford a milling/CNC system at home then more power to you! congrats on sling-shotting yourself forward and I look forward to seeing what you end up with.

I watched a tutorial video on youtube about the spice engine. it explained that the spice engine was designed at berklee and that its the basis of most circuit simulator programs, even some very expensive ones. I'm currently trying to sort out how to enter the tube characteristics of a 12AX7.. I figured out that the component libraries are under the logic gate looking symbol. I found the triode, I right clicked and figured out how to somewhat alter the connections of the schematic symbol but how do I change the mu, transconductance curves, and or operational parameters..

Yes, Front Panel Express makes an excellent product. We just didn't want to pay their price. The trophy shop was much less expensive.

We do not have a CNC engraver/router. I bought an old fashioned pantagraph type of hand engraver. I still paid $350 for it brand new. They normally sell for over $1,000. A CNC engraver with computer would be at least that much for a cheap Chinese one.

Ok, to get a 12AX7, you need to find in your software where you can create a macro. In Tina, it's under "Tools". Here is a PSpice compatible model:

.subckt 12ax7 P G K
Gp P K VALUE={((0.001149607902m)+(0.0001063352726m)*V(G,K))*limit((91.16514401)*V(G,K)+V(P,K)+(52.29904339),0.0,1.0e16)**1.5 * V(P,K)/(V(P,K)+(2.177964467))}
Cgp G P 1.7pF
Cgk G K 1.6pF
Cpk P K 0.46pF
.ends 12ax7

You save this as a .lib file and then find it from your spice software macro wizard/creator. You should be able to follow the instructions from there.

At the top of this forum is an entire thread devoted to spice models of vacuum tubes.
 
ugh.. I spent all day trying to get this working and still no luck. I think the insert macro button is the one of the top far right? that allowed me to put what you see on the page with dirkwrights code.

I got this far..


and then every time I click run it tells me "can not detect this circuits steady state."

I don't think I am skilled enough with computers to insert the macros on my own. I wish these programs could just come with the basic tubes.. like 12ax7, 6L6.. etc.

I downloaded TINA 9 from the link on the first page of this thread. it opens fine and it seems like there are more TINA users here over LTspice users. I would prefer to be on the same platform as most of the folk in this forum. Maybe some kind soul could help me get started with importing tube models into TINA - 9?
 
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There are probably more LTspice users, but I can help you with Tina.

Here is what you do. As I said, use Notepad (or a text only editor) and put that code in there. Save the file as 12AX7.lib. Open Tina, and go to "Tools", then "New Macro Wizard". In the window, give your macro a name, like 12AX7. Then just below that is "from file" and on the right is a small button. Click that button and a window opens. Find your 12AX7.lib file and select it. Then click "Next" and continue until it compiles and says it's ready to use. Good luck.

In your simulation above, you have the output connected to the grid when it should be connected to the plate.
 
There are probably more LTspice users, but I can help you with Tina.

Here is what you do. As I said, use Notepad (or a text only editor) and put that code in there. Save the file as 12AX7.lib. Open Tina, and go to "Tools", then "New Macro Wizard". In the window, give your macro a name, like 12AX7. Then just below that is "from file" and on the right is a small button. Click that button and a window opens. Find your 12AX7.lib file and select it. Then click "Next" and continue until it compiles and says it's ready to use. Good luck.

In your simulation above, you have the output connected to the grid when it should be connected to the plate.

ahaha thanks for catching that. maybe thats why it wont work! Because the circuit is wrong!

as for TINA
I got up to here and then the next button stops working. Should I just exit the window and search for my 12ax7?
 
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