Hi everyone,
I’m new here, just wanted to share my recent build. The goal was to build a funny looking amplifier based on a simple and reliable tube design and that’s how I’ve discovered George’s SSE. Due to the weird component placements, extra parts in the signal path (old helipots in place of R17 and R27 and meter shunts) and much longer than normal wire runs I didn’t expect much of the sound quality. However, to my surprise, the amp is dead quiet (cannot detect any hum whatsoever) and so far I haven’t noticed any problems with the sound either (still have to try it with a better speakers though). To my ears it sounds great – a truly bulletproof design.
Thanks George, I’ve had a lot of fun building it!
I’m new here, just wanted to share my recent build. The goal was to build a funny looking amplifier based on a simple and reliable tube design and that’s how I’ve discovered George’s SSE. Due to the weird component placements, extra parts in the signal path (old helipots in place of R17 and R27 and meter shunts) and much longer than normal wire runs I didn’t expect much of the sound quality. However, to my surprise, the amp is dead quiet (cannot detect any hum whatsoever) and so far I haven’t noticed any problems with the sound either (still have to try it with a better speakers though). To my ears it sounds great – a truly bulletproof design.
Thanks George, I’ve had a lot of fun building it!
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gosha68,
Congratulations, you got a unique amplifier there! 🙂
George's SSE is a solid design and does sound good - enjoy!
Congratulations, you got a unique amplifier there! 🙂
George's SSE is a solid design and does sound good - enjoy!
Very nice, and whimsical. I love the color scheme, sloping front panel and all of those meters. It is 100% over the top man cave material, and a high level of execution as well.
All I can say is hats off...
All I can say is hats off...
Not sure but I'll give it a try as soon as I'll figure out what additional meters are absolutely required for the welding function - always wanted to learn to weld 🙂
I don't think I'll be allowed to keep it in the house so once I'll finish with the matching speakers, I guess I'll have to look for a nice fire truck to install this whole thing on.
Guys, thank you all for the replies!
I'm not sure, but they will go to 11.....or beyond.
Current and voltage meters will not move much with music in a class A amp.....until you drive it hard enough to leave class A......In a class A SE amp that is the clipping point. The meters go crazy on my breadboarded SSE when I drive it with a guitar preamp set on KILL. The current actually goes down when banged really hard.
VU meters should "dance to the music."
Very cool!
How did you make the faceplate?
Or did you design it and have it fabricated by a commercial outfit?
How did you make the faceplate?
Or did you design it and have it fabricated by a commercial outfit?
Exactly as George described - current meters move very slightly at full volume, I didn't noticed any movement on B+ meter (maybe that 80uf motor run cap helps?) and VU meters do dance to the music, but kinda like a tired dancers. My fault here - I have several versions of the VU driver board that look almost the same, I've calibrated the newer one which is way more sencitive to peaks and makes meters looks more lively, but managed to install the older and uncalibrated one that shows more of an average level and hides peaks.
The volume pot that I've ordered as a log turned out to be a linear pot and I've also managed to wire it in reverse... Not that any of these really matters but I'll probably replace those later anyway.
video please.
Might have a problem in this department - my betamax camcorder is out of alignment and so far I've managed to survive without being chained to a smart phone... Will have to ask my son for some help here.
I've ordered it from http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/ I've made a couple of faceplates for other projects using transfers and should say that the look and quality of a commercially made faceplate is so much better that it totally justifies that extra expense for me.
Front Panel Express provides you with a free software where you'll do your own design. The problem with them is that they'll charge for evey single element (every hole, every label, etc.,) separately and it adds up to a lot. So I've used another program - FrontDesigner to create all the labels, then exported them as a single graphic file into Front Panel Express - this way all of the writngs were counted and priced as a single label. If I'd did all the labels in Front Panel Express it would have cost a fortune. Didn't invent this trick - found it here: WOOSTER AUDIO
So over the top that it's a man castle material.
Evenharmonics, now, when I finally managed to stop laughing, I have to tell you - you were spot on - my real name is Igor - same as the guy's on the right...
