• 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.

Unusual amps..

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I think we may have just hit on the magic marketing scheme. Instead of painting the whole chassis and all, we touch up the individual components with different colors of paint to "tune" them up. This will inadvertantly make it impossible for anyone to clone the circuit, since they won't be able to read the component values or determine the component brand pedigree.

Let's see, this part needs a little warming up, where's the red paint. Some blue paint over there for a bit more clinical sound. Mellow that one out with some yellow. Some aquamarine on that one to cool it down.
 
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I think we may have just hit on the magic marketing scheme. Instead of painting the whole chassis and all, we touch up the individual components with different colors of paint to "tune" them up. This will inadvertantly make it impossible for anyone to clone the circuit, since they won't be able to read the component values.

LOL,
Yes noticed..🙂

Regards
M. Gregg
 
What I see, is someone who has a lot more "presentation" and the communications skills to push the valve amp as a "cool" product to a wider audience. Not one word about circuits, but can make a "wow" paintjob. Who cares about schematics, when the customer sees the product among 2364876 similar (boring) looking products and goes "god i have to have it". So the aesthetic similarity with boutique guitar amps is working for the intended purpose.

He's the cool kid between us nerds, and should be applauded for that. I could not sell an amp to save my life.

This guy nailed it!
He's just hit a home run! There's a saying that fits right here, and it goes like this... "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

I love it!
Gotcha all chasing your tails right now, don't I.

Steve
E E AMPS
 
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Wow so true..

Its like driving, you learn to drive..then you learn to drive..
Hopfully the college/uni work you did (1976on) gave you enough to stop you getting killed..then you go back and train others to be safe..

Regards
M. Gregg

Actually, it didn't. There wasn't a single lecture concerning electrical safety. I learned more about not getting killed when I was 3 y/o from my grandfather, and Debbie's (my first g/f) father -- both electricians -- than I ever did at the Uni.

Of course, there is onehelluva difference between experimenting with logic circuits or other transistorized subsystems you can power from one or two 9V batteries and a PS that puts out 300 -- 1000V and 100mA. There was not word one concerning how to stay safe while working with the latter. No, not even a mention of taking precautions of making sure filter capacitors are fully discharged before you go poking around under the hood. Interesting, considering that residual charges on PS capacitors is a major cause of IC poofage, even if the voltage doesn't exceed 5.0Vdc.

It's inexplicable, considering that some high power SS equipment also runs 100+ volts (and has PS's that produce even more amps than any 5U4 ever could).
 
I seemed to have offended Lance with my "sold rehashed Magnavox amps on eBay" statement I said earlier. Mr. Cochrane, I am sorry for this.

Had to google him.😕

Aside from that I am very entertained with this thread.

Same.🙂

There's a saying that fits right here, and it goes like this... "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

There's another saying that fits in here, "Beauty is only skin deep."

jeff
 
Steve, I asked about some circuit details, and how it should not effect your marketing. You have responded that you won't because of the 'jealousy'. Personally, I don't think it is, but I guess that is up to you. However, what I have highlighted is a basic misunderstanding of some basic safety principles. Hot melt glue as the only thing holding up your B+ capacitors to the chassis is dangerous. This stuff can let go. You need something mechanical. That combined with what I see as the use of a two conductor power cord with no proper chassis safety ground and you can end up with a 'hot' chassis which can kill someone. There are some other less serious safety problems to, such as lack of grommets to protect high voltage wires passing through the chassis.

I am not sure what part of Canada you live in. In Quebec there is a civil law code, but the rest of Canada is common law. I am familiar with the common law torts. In a nutshell, if it is reasonably foreseeable that poor construction poses a threat of electrocution, then there is a duty of care. If you have failed that duty of care, then you will be liable if someone is hurt. I also know that Canada is quite 'progressive' with its flexible approach to the remedies available for plaintiffs.

You appear to have a healthy dose of ego. Might be time to eat a little humble pie and get some advice on how to get those amps safe. This site is a good place to start, but I would suggest getting Morgan Jones book 'Building Valve Amplifiers'. It is the sister book to 'Valve Amplifiers' and covers building techniques and how to properly wire. You will end up with a better product for your clients.
 
UnReal! You all (other than GloBug) are like a bunch of old hens in a hen house! This reeks of jealousy!

It has nothing to do with "jealousy". You put this on your welcome screen:
I' like to talk a bit about the 807 radio transmission tube for a minute. The 807 was originally intended and designed for the military during World War II.
Right from the second sentence, you state misinformation. This does not help your credibility. As for your accusations of "jealousy", by your own admission, you sell -- maybe -- ten amps per year. You could make the same by flipping burgers at MacDonald's or greeting at Wal-Mart. Besides, you get bennies from MacDonald's. OK, so you'd rather sell amps. Good on you. I hope you sell a bunch.

I thought this was a friendly forum where you all share thoughts and ideas. After seeing you try to basically gang rape my work like a pack of wolves, I'm not about to share anything with any of you. Don't get the wrong idea, I am not in anyway upset by this. (The rest of this butthurt not worth quoting.)

Yeah, I can see just how not upset you are.
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You didn't come here for the technical critiques. You came here for Attaboiez. If that's what you want, then go find someplace else. If you're looking for fanboiez, you won't find them here. We've got forum members who're pretty good when it comes to engineering and design. Many different design philosophies, and, yeah, the inevitable flame wars over the differences. I can assure you: some just might know a thing or two that you do not.

You aren't the first, and you won't be the last, to have your work picked apart, your every claim challenged to put to the test, and, yeah, even have the paint schemes put up for analysis. Even the "true masters" -- guys like Douglas Self or Nelson Pass or Broskie or Jones or... -- have gotten the same treatment here. You have no cause for this butthurt.

You want to discuss the technical merits of your designs, then discuss. You want to brag on how you are "Luke Skywalker" to "Lance Whatever-the-hell-his-name-was's" Obi Wan, then I'm not interested.

May The Farce be with you.
 
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I'm not getting into it here, due to the attitudes and insults of others, but I can assure you I don't use hot glue. What I use will hold the caps better than a clamp. I know, I have completely ruined a cap trying to remove it after installing it. The amps are well built and safe. I'm not getting into the 3 prong plug issue here either. The type of cable I use for the 807s is better than using a grommet that can fall out or be pushed out. Like I said in the past, I was taught well.

Thanks for your genuine concern.

Steve
E E AMPS
 
I'm not getting into it here, due to the attitudes and insults of others, but I can assure you I don't use hot glue. What I use will hold the caps better than a clamp. I know, I have completely ruined a cap trying to remove it after installing it. The amps are well built and safe. I'm not getting into the 3 prong plug issue here either. The type of cable I use for the 807s is better than using a grommet that can fall out or be pushed out. Like I said in the past, I was taught well.

Thanks for your genuine concern.

Steve
E E AMPS

Ok, I will agree that if you use epoxy or similar (maybe your using something completely different), the cap would not let go. But as far as being "better" than a clamp, I don't know about that.

A grommet if installed properly will not fall out. It may be able to be pushed out, but that is extremely unlikely. The wire you are using may have an extremely tough jacket. If so, that's great.

I will also agree that I have not personally ever experienced anything "letting go" inside of an amp that made the chassis "hot". But isn't it better to err on the side of safety? Maybe others can offer some experience that they may have had.

Additionally I want to say congratulations on your success. You're doing better than me in the sales department.
 
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I intended no offense, I only mean to state that safety IMHO has precedent over every other aspect of tube amp building including sound. Ego has no place there. An amp which may sound like heaven is still unacceptable to me if it is not built with safety in mind. I hope I am not alone in this belief.
Again, no offense intended but any good teacher should teach these things as well...
 
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