Hi, my goal is to build a tube amp that accepts RCA and ideally DC power and obviously outputs to jack. I am a complete novice but very eager to learn. I have scoured eBay (Uk), for a starter kit as well as the internet but finding it hard to find by step by step instructions anywhere.
Has anyone had any experience with any UK kits? Or know where the best place to start is
Best
Reg
Has anyone had any experience with any UK kits? Or know where the best place to start is
Best
Reg
You're posting in the headphone sub-forum. Is that what you want to build, a headphone amp?
jeff
jeff
Kits are ok, but it is not dificult to source materials and solder up a headphone amps. Whammy is all through hole and has a nice kit with case from the Diyaudio store. It is not a dificult build and is an excellent sounding amp. If you want to go with tubes that’s a whole different animal. My opinion for less money a solid state amp will sound better until you get into the much more exspensive and complex offerings. I love my Ageis tube amp but the materials alone are $2000 and you have to source from multiple vendors, not a good first amp.
Bill
Bill
Tube amps use high voltages that can kill you if you’re not careful.
They are by definition the opposite of a good first project.
I would build @alexcp Omicron TH version. Easy to build and excellent.
Otherwise,
if your will is up-to-date,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1448178508...SI31TKvTAe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
won’t be cheap, but will sound great.
They are by definition the opposite of a good first project.
I would build @alexcp Omicron TH version. Easy to build and excellent.
Otherwise,
if your will is up-to-date,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1448178508...SI31TKvTAe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
won’t be cheap, but will sound great.
The John Linsley Hood K2100 Chiara with the Andante Power Supply is the kit I started with back in the 90's, recently I refitted this with Vishay/ Dale RN60 resistors and up'ed the smoothing capacitors in the PSU to 10,000μF and could not believe the how good a humble Jfet LF343 wide band low impedance Dual op amp can be!
Hart Electroninc Kits are long gone, but had exceptional step by step instructions.
The mantle was taken up by APJ Audio, I dont know if he's still going.
The point is that J.L.Hood was a designer of significance with a depth of knowledge seldom seen today, the results of his designs are worth pursuing. Like Peter walker of Quad or Nelson Pass, who has a current healthy community of kit builders.
Circuit simplicity is key.
Hart Electroninc Kits are long gone, but had exceptional step by step instructions.
The mantle was taken up by APJ Audio, I dont know if he's still going.
The point is that J.L.Hood was a designer of significance with a depth of knowledge seldom seen today, the results of his designs are worth pursuing. Like Peter walker of Quad or Nelson Pass, who has a current healthy community of kit builders.
Circuit simplicity is key.
A True RMS multimeter is a necessity for any project.
Electro dynamic test meters such as the old AVO's are essential for valve work.
Also a good Variac, generally, but especially for valves.
A mean of measuring actual capacitance would help, see below.
Also Inductors; check out Peak Electronics, Atlas. Amazingly reasonable prices.
Electro dynamic test meters such as the old AVO's are essential for valve work.
Also a good Variac, generally, but especially for valves.
A mean of measuring actual capacitance would help, see below.
Also Inductors; check out Peak Electronics, Atlas. Amazingly reasonable prices.
Just looked at this amp yesterday. Broskie @Glassware Audio makes incredible designs, but unfortunately, many times that I try to buy they are out of stock. This one is available and uses John's designs. The circuit board is equally impressive too. Then of course, there is the price. Hey only $45 for a bare board and a chip, so that's good. When I looked up the BOM at Mouser, the total came to $389. It's not shocking, but probably not for first timer either. And of course, you get to source a chassis. Honestly if I needed such an amp right now, I would strongly consider this.
Here at Headphone systems there is many good headphone amplifier projects.
If you need a predesigned KIT with all parts I do not know any.
After a lifetime in electronics he wrote these books...
Books by John Linsley Hood:
The Art of Linear Electronics (Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993)
Audio Electronics (Oxford, Newnes, 1995)
Valve and Transistor Audio Amplifiers (Oxford, Newnes, 1997)
Books by John Linsley Hood:
The Art of Linear Electronics (Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993)
Audio Electronics (Oxford, Newnes, 1995)
Valve and Transistor Audio Amplifiers (Oxford, Newnes, 1997)
I had forgotten about the Wammy. Unfortunately, the full kit is sold out, but the PCB's and case are in stock. https://diyaudiostore.com/products/whammy
jeff
Outside of chassis work, which always trip beginners, it's easy to stuff the PCB and connect the transformer and choke.
It's not cheap, but it does not sound cheap either. Everyone raves about the Aegis, but this sounds just as good to me. The Aegis uses luxury parts, that is for sure.
I just remember a kit that may be perfect for your first venture:
https://garage1217.com/g1217_004.htm
It's easy to poopoo it, but again, surprising sound quality at that price.
I have seen this site before and it is intriguing. The writing is a little 'loud' to me, but the point is taken. With a 5 year warranty (for pre-built amps), I would consider it. And then the fact that the PCB is higher quality than most is a clencher in my book. I have owned and made several different headphone amps, and I recall sending a famous brand amp back the day after I received it. Junk. That is what you get for $100. That usually leads me to doing it myself or paying a bunch more for decent quality to begin with.
The 'Starving Student II' amp is coming in today. I am building it for a friend. If it comes up roses, I will report back.
Just an update. I finished the Starving Student kit and overall, it is worth the price. My friend in Chicago is pleased with it and I am sending an additional set of tubes that he can try for fun, as they say. I must admit that I fell for my 'assumption' that the sockets were on the same side of the board as the rest of the circuitry. That is simply my fault for not paying attention. Everything was well marked so I have no excuse except force of habit rules, man. this amp falls right into the category that it should, and I find myself liking the sound of the Whammy better overall. That could be a headphone thing too. Different cans different outcome, sometimes.