If I just wanted to add a tube stage (like maybe a little box) to my audio chain without removing anything in my current setup, can that be done?
Also, can it be done without adding amplification, or without adding very much?
Finally, is adding more tubes to a channel "in series" a way to add additional tube sound, or is only a single tube (per channel) wiser?
Thanks in advance, guys.
P.S. Is this what I'm talking about?
Tube 6N3 Buffer Audio Preamplifier Kit Pre Amp Amp Kit DIY | eBay
Also, can it be done without adding amplification, or without adding very much?
Finally, is adding more tubes to a channel "in series" a way to add additional tube sound, or is only a single tube (per channel) wiser?
Thanks in advance, guys.
P.S. Is this what I'm talking about?
Tube 6N3 Buffer Audio Preamplifier Kit Pre Amp Amp Kit DIY | eBay
It sounds to me like you are after adding a little deliberate distortion to your system to change its tonal character... which a single valve stage like you show may do to some varying degree by adding (predominantly) 2nd harmonic distortion to the mix. The kit you mention says '0db' which to me means it adds no gain. I suspect the final distortion figure will depend greatly on how much your following equipment loads it.
(and fwiw, you might achieve similar results with a simple single JFET solid state stage running off a 9 volt battery... a sure way not to add any hum to your audio chain)
(and fwiw, you might achieve similar results with a simple single JFET solid state stage running off a 9 volt battery... a sure way not to add any hum to your audio chain)
Just add a poorly biased and heavily loaded follower. This could be an FET, or for the authentic 'tube sound' run an unsuitable valve off 12V supply rails. Lots of these 'tube buffers' are sold on ebay.
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I've often wondered about these lampizator type buffers - I have some very clean SS amps and a little tube warmth would be nice to have some evenings - switchable in/out of the circuit.
"Tube sound," has never been just one tube stuck somewhere in the chain. Original, vintage, "old school," audio was a system with a tube circuit to process some source and then bring that up with drivers and finally an output stage, and those stages could have had , or not, feedback circuits to process the signal. Are you expecting to duplicate what you would get from a complete system , with a single stage? It won't be comparable to a system.
If you want to experiment with tubes in your system i highly recommend this preamp kit Quickie 1.1 Battery Powered Directly Heated Tube Preamplifier Kit | Bottlehead
Cheap, safe, and more importantly sounds very good.
http://bottlehead.com/product/quickie-1-1-battery-powered-directly-heated-tube-preamplifier-kit/
Cheap, safe, and more importantly sounds very good.
http://bottlehead.com/product/quickie-1-1-battery-powered-directly-heated-tube-preamplifier-kit/
What qualifies for you as "tube sound" and why do you miss it? What is your current setup?
From my assumption what you might be after and assuming your solid state preamp is well made and doesn't need output capacitors try adding an old paper in oil capacitor as an output coupling device to your preamp output stage. It will sound more wooly and "slow". Assumptions over.
From my assumption what you might be after and assuming your solid state preamp is well made and doesn't need output capacitors try adding an old paper in oil capacitor as an output coupling device to your preamp output stage. It will sound more wooly and "slow". Assumptions over.
Great tube sound is clean, transparent,musical,and noise free. You sound like you want to take the edge off by masking it.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
Answer is line level equalizer. The advantage of it is that you can make it more "tube" sound or less "tube" sound with ease. Digital equalizers can be programmed so that you can go back and forth.
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I've never heard it, but at that price and given that all the bits you need are provided it seems like a great place to start.
Nothing like getting some parts and playing with it - tune and tweak it to suit and learn along the way. This link may be handy - get yourself a 12AU7.
http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/Triodes_at_low_voltages_Blencowe.pdf
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Yup i agree. Mine evolved into an AC powered, gas tube regulated headphone amp 🙂
Unlike starving a 12au7 or 6N1 with low voltages, the quickie uses 3S4 tubes from battery powered radios and have a max plate voltage of 67volts so they are perfectly happy with the 36-40v supply from a series of 9v batterys. They are also DHT tubes!
Unlike starving a 12au7 or 6N1 with low voltages, the quickie uses 3S4 tubes from battery powered radios and have a max plate voltage of 67volts so they are perfectly happy with the 36-40v supply from a series of 9v batterys. They are also DHT tubes!
You are all making this too hard. "Tube sound" is added by transformers, so add a 1:1 steel core transformer to the mix. https://www.edcorusa.com/ttpc-series
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What is tube sound? Which of these adds "tube sound" to a SS power amp?
1. 2nd Harmonic rich distortion
>> just about any SS or Tube based SE stage will get this harmonic
2. Bandwidth-limited output transformer sound
>> RC low-pass filter or inter-stage transformer
3. Low damping factor, shifting closer to a current-output amp.
>> 1-2 ohm power resistor on the speaker output? Yes.. efficiency is lower.
Personally, i think it is number 3.. Bob Carver challenge anyone? The Carver Challenge | Stereophile.com
1. 2nd Harmonic rich distortion
>> just about any SS or Tube based SE stage will get this harmonic
2. Bandwidth-limited output transformer sound
>> RC low-pass filter or inter-stage transformer
3. Low damping factor, shifting closer to a current-output amp.
>> 1-2 ohm power resistor on the speaker output? Yes.. efficiency is lower.
Personally, i think it is number 3.. Bob Carver challenge anyone? The Carver Challenge | Stereophile.com
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