• 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.

Amp books

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#3
I own a number of 'tube amp' books (both hifi and guitar amp) and the Blencowe books are the best-written and most useful of the lot. I also appreciate the fact that Blencowe maintains a very useful website (Valve Wizard) and answers questions online. For me, the Jones books aren't useful - even if I can find a topic (the index is very poor), my question is seldom answered. The last time I mentioned this here at diyaudio, I was told by several 'senior members' that I wasn't smart enough/educated enough to understand Jones' books - which is probably true.) Older Radio Amateur Handbooks have good sections on construction techniques. For guitar amps there are more choices.
Acrux said:
This should be an easy question to answer. What is a good book to purchase that deals with building tube amps?
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Easy to answer - just like: What is the best wine? What music is best? 😀
 
#5
I have both Merlin Blencowe preamplifier books and they are easy to read. The preamble is pretty much identical, but actual content tailored to the particular specialisation, instrument or hifi preamplifier. Both books are easier to read then Morgan Jones' Valve Amplifiers, which does have a great deal of valuable information within it

I have found that texts such as Radio Designers Handbook and pther bits on Pete Millets site absolutely invaluable.
 
#7
Howard Tremaine's Audio Cyclopedia (2nd edition), if you can find a copy, belongs in anyone's library that has an interest in audio. Written in question and answer style it contains an enormous amount of information not found elsewhere covering all forms of audio for both tube and soiled state. Although not directly intended for building gear, it's a reference treasure seldom, if ever, mentioned on this forum.
 

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#9
The two books have different purposes (and IMO neither achieves the stated aims).

'Building...' purports to be a guide to the actual construction process. There's some (not much) useful info in the first part of the book but then it spins off into test equipment, 'comments' on some British amps, etc...

'Valve Amplifiers......' is theory from start to finish.

HollowState said:
Howard Tremaine's Audio Cyclopedia (2nd edition), if you can find a copy, belongs in anyone's library that has an interest in audio. .
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Good suggestion. :up:

I checked on abebooks,com - $160 US and up with shipping to CA

It's nice to be able to find used books online, but places like abebooks have ended forever the 'cheap treasure found in a little book shop'...Even in isolated places, booksellers seem to be checking the 'values' online.

Keep your eyes open at yard/garage sales! (a.k.a. 'boot sales', 'jumble sales' ???)
 
#11
Audio Cyclopedia is nowhere near as good as the Radiotron Designer's Handbook 4th edition,
which is legally available free as a pdf. However, both books are more theoretical than practical,
as far as actual construction is concerned.
http://www.tubebooks.org/books/rdh4.pdf

Acrux said:
What is a good book to purchase that deals with building tube amps?
I would like one because a little refresher never hurts
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You didn't mention whether this is for a musician's amp, or a high fidelity amplifier.
There is a considerable difference.
 
#12
rayma said:
Audio Cyclopedia is nowhere near as good as the Radiotron Designer's Handbook 4th edition,
which is legally available free as a pdf. However, both books are more theoretical than practical,
as far as actual construction is concerned.
http://www.tubebooks.org/books/rdh4.pdf
Click to expand...

Coming from an EE as yourself, I am surprised you say that...LOL
I read that RDH-4 in my late teens ...to me it is more of a technicians handbook, since the math and analysis in this book is not detailed nor rigorous by any stretch....
 
#13
Certainly the RDH4 is older, but it is much more detailed and comprehensive.

By comparison, the Audio Cyclopedia is more of a dictionary. Have you actually seen a copy of it? I hardly ever even glance at mine anymore.
 
#14
I have two copies of the Audio Encyclopedia 2nd edition... One is a bit used but good shape.. The other is NOS with perfect paper cover I found in a little book store in Tucson, AZ about 15 years ago for like $20.... I have not looked them in about 15 years.... When I was a young and eager I would stay up through the night reading through that book looking at all the cool stuff in there being totally fascinated learning new things I was always wondered about..
 
#15
I sold my second copy when we downsized and moved a couple of years ago. As I recall, the third edition, Handbook for Sound Engineers: The New Audio Cyclopedia, was better. Apparently there is a recent version, Handbook for Sound Engineers 5th edition (2015), published by the AES, which I haven't seen.
 
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#16
rayma said:
Audio Cyclopedia is nowhere near as good as the Radiotron Designer's Handbook 4th edition,
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I think that depends on one's point of view and what information you're looking for. RDH is more hardcore engineering with equations and charts plus RF stuff. Cyclopedia is more everyday down to earth pragmatic with specific brands and circuits. Of course no one book has it all. I have them both plus a lot of others like Shea's Amplifier Handbook and the complete MIT Rad-Lab series (quite dated nowadays) accumulated over the past fifty years. Another particularly nice book (again if you can fine it) is High Fidelity Techniques by John Newitt from the mid fifties.
 
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