Hello everyone, I was going to save up for a tube amp from a choice between two company's that I'm interested in, then someone told me I should try to build my own. I'm very new to tube amps but all of them I've heard so far ( total of four ) sounded very nice to me. I've never built anything electronic before or even soldered very much so my skill level is pre-school.
The system I want to put together would be: cd source into tube amplification out to single driver x-overless horns using fe108ez's. I looked at the Bottlehead site and was wondering if there are any kits like that for the beginner that you all would recommend that offer top notch sound quality? is the Bottlehead stuff the way to go or? Thanks Dave
The system I want to put together would be: cd source into tube amplification out to single driver x-overless horns using fe108ez's. I looked at the Bottlehead site and was wondering if there are any kits like that for the beginner that you all would recommend that offer top notch sound quality? is the Bottlehead stuff the way to go or? Thanks Dave
Power wise I guess a few watts would be ok but if I could have abit more that would be good too. I don't listen really loud but it's always nice to know there's still some clean volume left if needed. I'm hoping that someone like me could be able to build a really nice sounding reliable amp between about $? and $600 that would hold its own to some of the better manufactured one's out there. Dave
Thanks Greg and Eli, I will look into them. So far I've only really looked at the Bottlehead site, they have a 2a3 mono block kit that looks interesting but I'm not sure as I'm very new to all this, they say a beginner can build it. I've met both Dave and Chris and had a listening session with them a week ago or so, great guys, not sure I would want to bother them to help me build a amp, thats why I kinda wondered if a kit exists that a newbie could build safely that sounds really nice? Dave
Thats true Bare the Bottlehead kits are fairly pricey. There are two company's that I've been looking between for awile now that sell completed amps, one's around $900.00 and the other about $1350.00 plus shipping etc. I was going to try and save up from some extra jobs this summer to purchase one of them. But I was thinking if a person could do a kit for alot less that would compete sq wise then that could be a good option. Dave
Hi Dave,
I've built a couple of bottlehead kits. They are straightforward and easy to put together. They key is having enough patience to assemble everything in small, managable, bites. The S.E.X. amp., which I built, has the added advantage of being a headphone amplifier - but works great on my visaton b200 speakers as well. I would highly recommend a kit such as bottlehead as it virtually assures you'll have a working, aesthetically appealing, and safe amplifier your first go around. Plus you'll learn a bit as well.
I'm also about half way through construcing Eli's 'el cheapo' push-pull amplifier. Having to drill the chassis and figure out a workable layout took me a LOT of time. However, things are currently moving along at a slow - but forward marching - clip.
Scott.
I've built a couple of bottlehead kits. They are straightforward and easy to put together. They key is having enough patience to assemble everything in small, managable, bites. The S.E.X. amp., which I built, has the added advantage of being a headphone amplifier - but works great on my visaton b200 speakers as well. I would highly recommend a kit such as bottlehead as it virtually assures you'll have a working, aesthetically appealing, and safe amplifier your first go around. Plus you'll learn a bit as well.
I'm also about half way through construcing Eli's 'el cheapo' push-pull amplifier. Having to drill the chassis and figure out a workable layout took me a LOT of time. However, things are currently moving along at a slow - but forward marching - clip.
Scott.
Dave: one of the two sets of amps you heard last Sunday was the Scott/Cheapo . It's definitely enough power for any of the horns, and not an expensive build, but neither is it a complete kit in the "bottlehead" sense - i.e you need to fabricate your own chassis.
Now that you've had a taste test, you should borrow the amp and a pair of speakers for a listen at your place.
Now that you've had a taste test, you should borrow the amp and a pair of speakers for a listen at your place.
http://www.lh-electric.4t.com/sta44.htm
This is a kit I bought but have not yet finished due to limited time. The price is right, the specs are right but unfortunately I cannot comment on the sound yet. I may try to get one working in the next couple of weeks.
This is a kit I bought but have not yet finished due to limited time. The price is right, the specs are right but unfortunately I cannot comment on the sound yet. I may try to get one working in the next couple of weeks.
el-cheapo layout photo
SCD,
Another thing going in cheapo's favor - Jim Mcshane offers a bag of 'parts' and tubes - saving you the effort of trying to scrounge all those little resistors, caps, fuses, plugs, etc...It was this convenience that lured me in.
I have an autoCAD drawing showing the layout, with the relationship between what's mounted on top of the top plate, and what's mounted below - but I'm having a hard time exporting it to a .jpg file. Any CAD people out there have any tips for doing this? Meanwhile, here are two photos, above and below. At this stage only the heater wiring was in place. I'll have to take some more up-to-date photos. Currently working on the CCS.
-Scott
SCD,
Another thing going in cheapo's favor - Jim Mcshane offers a bag of 'parts' and tubes - saving you the effort of trying to scrounge all those little resistors, caps, fuses, plugs, etc...It was this convenience that lured me in.
I have an autoCAD drawing showing the layout, with the relationship between what's mounted on top of the top plate, and what's mounted below - but I'm having a hard time exporting it to a .jpg file. Any CAD people out there have any tips for doing this? Meanwhile, here are two photos, above and below. At this stage only the heater wiring was in place. I'll have to take some more up-to-date photos. Currently working on the CCS.
-Scott
Hi Eli,
Thanks for the kind words. Regarding the aesthetics of the amp - I'm just trying to keep things simple and clean. If it sounds nice, it will look nice, I.M.O. Regarding the the ac heater wiring, it is a beldon shielded cable w/ drain wire. The pair of wires are twisted inside the shield - albiet not tightly at all. This is the same wire used in my bottlehead kit - which is dead quiet - so I'm giving it a shot here as well. However, every time I read the words 'tightly twisted pair' it gives me pause - although the heater wiring is burried beneath the amplifier components at this point, so replacing it isn't a practicle option.
Scott.
Thanks for the kind words. Regarding the aesthetics of the amp - I'm just trying to keep things simple and clean. If it sounds nice, it will look nice, I.M.O. Regarding the the ac heater wiring, it is a beldon shielded cable w/ drain wire. The pair of wires are twisted inside the shield - albiet not tightly at all. This is the same wire used in my bottlehead kit - which is dead quiet - so I'm giving it a shot here as well. However, every time I read the words 'tightly twisted pair' it gives me pause - although the heater wiring is burried beneath the amplifier components at this point, so replacing it isn't a practicle option.
Scott.
Those pics look great Scott you do nice work. Lately I've been thinking seeings how I've never built anything electronic before and have little understanding of it all, I should just buy an already made amp and support the small business guy.
The only diy kit I've seen so far that looks like I could have a chance at building it is the Bottlehead stuff, and for a few hundred more I can get a already made amp that I've had my eye on for sometime.
Chrisb, I'd love to borrow a set of speakers for a few day's if the offer's still there. I've got that cd of the Wailin Jennies on order that I heard at your place, can't wait till it arrive's.
Thanks everyone for your kind help and knowledge to this thread so far. Dave
The only diy kit I've seen so far that looks like I could have a chance at building it is the Bottlehead stuff, and for a few hundred more I can get a already made amp that I've had my eye on for sometime.
Chrisb, I'd love to borrow a set of speakers for a few day's if the offer's still there. I've got that cd of the Wailin Jennies on order that I heard at your place, can't wait till it arrive's.
Thanks everyone for your kind help and knowledge to this thread so far. Dave
Dave,
The thing about building a kit, or from a schematic, is unless you want to BUILD an amp, vs. just having an amp to begin with, I don't think the cost savings are worth it. You sink a huge amount of time into it which much be accounted for. Buying something that represents a good value ready to go is a good idea.
Scott.
The thing about building a kit, or from a schematic, is unless you want to BUILD an amp, vs. just having an amp to begin with, I don't think the cost savings are worth it. You sink a huge amount of time into it which much be accounted for. Buying something that represents a good value ready to go is a good idea.
Scott.
Thanks Scott, yeah thats what I was thinking also. I don't mind putting in the time to make something and it would be cool to say hey I made this amp, but I think it's abit beyond my abbilities. I think I could manage the Bottlehead stuff maybe but $600 plus shipping and some gear I'd have to buy verses about $900 for a respected manufacturer's product, make's it easy for me to decide. Hey I still have some horns I can build for my fe108ez's and some cable's I can diy so I think I'll stick to that. Dave
Hey, Scott,
Lookin' very good, man. I hope you find she's quiet. No reason not to be. I'm still figuring out a chassis, and may end up modeling after yours. Once you got it figured, some dimensions and maybe even a full-sized drilling template would be cool. I think there may be some conversion programs out there for converting dwg/dwf to gif or pdf or jpg. Is there both a "Save as . . ." and an "Export" set of options in your program?
Or you can always "print" to a pdf file creator like pdf995 or Acrobat.
I may still play with printed circuits. A Radio Shack went out of business here a couple weeks ago and I grabbed a few pcb kits for 60% off. I just need to find the time.
One question: I notice that you have vent holes in the chassis for the 12AT7s, but not the 12AQ5s. Is that the case? Is there a reason for that?
--Jeff
Lookin' very good, man. I hope you find she's quiet. No reason not to be. I'm still figuring out a chassis, and may end up modeling after yours. Once you got it figured, some dimensions and maybe even a full-sized drilling template would be cool. I think there may be some conversion programs out there for converting dwg/dwf to gif or pdf or jpg. Is there both a "Save as . . ." and an "Export" set of options in your program?
Or you can always "print" to a pdf file creator like pdf995 or Acrobat.
I may still play with printed circuits. A Radio Shack went out of business here a couple weeks ago and I grabbed a few pcb kits for 60% off. I just need to find the time.
One question: I notice that you have vent holes in the chassis for the 12AT7s, but not the 12AQ5s. Is that the case? Is there a reason for that?
--Jeff
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