Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

I would go to the Google search engine and search for that same question
posted here in RAT
it has been answered many times over the past few years
there have been many good suggestions as well.


Doug


"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

I would go with some sort of single ended triode amp, very easy to build and
can sound really great. Try the bottlehead paramours.

"doug" wrote in message
news:tdmPb.199287$X%5.111482@pd7tw2no...
I would go to the Google search engine and search for that same question
posted here in RAT
it has been answered many times over the past few years
there have been many good suggestions as well.


Doug


"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I
want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy
or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys
have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

I have looked at the Bottlehead phono, and pre amp and like the way they
look but their power amps are a bit out of my financial reach. I have seen a
kit that sells for around $100 and it's an intriguing little thing, I am
considering it. But I don't have any idea what all is out there and I think
I'd like to spend a bit more than that and come out with maybe a somewhat
higher end product. I have seen a circuit board offered that is supposed to
duplicate a dynaco 35 (I forget the exact model). That is closer to what I
am looking for, a bit more complex, bit more power, around the $300 range
complete maybe a little more. I am looking around $300 - $500, although
closer to $300 than $500. I see the Paramour kit is $499 but I'd need a pre
amp to go with it and that's an additional cost.

Thanks,
Bryan
"Henry007" wrote in message
...
I would go with some sort of single ended triode amp, very easy to build
and
can sound really great. Try the bottlehead paramours.

"doug" wrote in message
news:tdmPb.199287$X%5.111482@pd7tw2no...
I would go to the Google search engine and search for that same question
posted here in RAT
it has been answered many times over the past few years
there have been many good suggestions as well.


Doug


"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I
want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat
project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions
easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can
buy
or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I
am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo
push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys
have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components
are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message ...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

Whoot!! Another (soon to be) R.A.T. In Oregon!


You might look into the Velleman kits,I've never assembled one
myself,but have read about them,and seen them in catalogs and
whatnot,seems like a good choice.
Hmm,Thats about the only tube amp kit I can think of..except maybe the
S.E.X (Single Ended eXperimentation) amplifier kit? (is that kit
available anymore?)
Decware has the Zen amp,but I'm not sure if those are available as a
kit. (just checked,they are,and a preamp aswell!) www.decware.com

Short of an all out DIY homebrew amp,thats about all I can come up
with.

Good Luck! Patrick. -- In Portland,Or.

"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.



Bryan,
If you want to get your feet wet, want stereo, don't want to also build a
preamp and don't have a lot of money take a look at-
http://www.s5electronics.com/gpage1.html for a nice little project. You can
get the kit from S5 or from
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/6523 and a couple of other
places. For $140 you can't go wrong.

I just finished one and am breaking it in. Real specs are more like 5 watts
RMS. I've been using it to drive a pair of Advent /1 speakers and it sounds
very good.

I made a few modifications to the basic kit to make it more useable for me.
I built a wooden case for it. I added an input selector using a 4 pole 3
position rotary switch and put the input jacks on the back of the case. I
put speaker terminals on the back of the case as well. I changed the on/off
inline switch to an illuminated rocker on the front panel and changed the
inline fuse holder to a panel mount type on the back of the case. I changed
the PC board mounted volume pot with a panel mount pot so it could extend
through the front of the wooden case with the input selector. I soldered
the three big caps to the bottom of the board along with the three resistors
that are raised off the board due to heat. That way nothing on top is
taller than the tube sockets and I could do a tube out design for the case
with an aluminum top plate with holes for the tubes.

Electrically I added caps as filament snubbers on the two output tubes and a
cap across the HV of the power transformer. The sound is truly very good
for a $140 amp. (Actually it is good for a much more expensive amp.)

Some of the modifications suggested on the S5 website to reduce noise have
been incorporated into the PC board design but the website has not been
updated to reflect that. For instance there are now places on the PC board
to solder caps across two of the output resistors. There are points on the
board to solder grounding wires for all three transformer cases.

S5 also has a metal chassis with a tube cage for $85. The chassis has a
polycarbonate (I think) window so the tubes show through nicely.

Just my $.02

Sherman

Well if when saying "Another (soon to be) R.A.T. In Oregon!" you are
assuming I don't have any tubes yet, think again. I have two amps, an old
Silvertone (not working right) and another old Hoffman I pirated out of a
console stereo. Only think is I really don't know much about what I have.
Beyond knowing if it hums loudly when powered up to replace the caps in the
power supply, I really don't know much about fixing, tinkering, or modifying
these things. I put new PS caps in both amps and that cut the hum. Although
I powered up the Hoffman tonight and it seem to have some hum that refuses
to be adjusted out with the hum pot. I don't remember it doing that last I
listened to it.

As for the Silvertone I don't know what is going on with that one. I
replaced the PS caps and that fixed the hum but after listening to it for
awhile I noticed that it seemed to be breaking up on the right channel so I
went to take a look and the tubes for that channel were glowing red. I shut
it down and let it cool off. I have since powered it up and poked around
with my DMM and am not finding anything on the one channel that doesn't seem
to be mirrored on the other channel that's not glowing. So I don't really
know where to start. I think I'll post a separate post about it and see if I
can get some trouble shooting pointers.

Thanks for the pointers on a kit.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham (A suburb of Portland), Oregon.
"Nothing40" wrote in message
om...
"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I
want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy
or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys
have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

Whoot!! Another (soon to be) R.A.T. In Oregon!


You might look into the Velleman kits,I've never assembled one
myself,but have read about them,and seen them in catalogs and
whatnot,seems like a good choice.
Hmm,Thats about the only tube amp kit I can think of..except maybe the
S.E.X (Single Ended eXperimentation) amplifier kit? (is that kit
available anymore?)
Decware has the Zen amp,but I'm not sure if those are available as a
kit. (just checked,they are,and a preamp aswell!) www.decware.com

Short of an all out DIY homebrew amp,thats about all I can come up
with.

Good Luck! Patrick. -- In Portland,Or.

I have actually been looking at those. I wonder if since everybody seems to
mod them if maybe I should just take the instructions and parts list and buy
somewhat better quality, equivalent rated parts and just build it into what
ever chassis I want and shape. I hear that the transformers are about the
most important thing in a tube amp. I also don't know how good the iron is
in that kit. Maybe starting with equivalent rating but better quality iron
and upgrading some important resistors or caps here and there would really
make it into something special?

Maybe what I really need isn't a kit but just a link to a really well
documented project that I can try? With pointers to where to get the parts.

Thanks for your input,
Bryan
"Sherman" wrote in message
...
"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I
want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy
or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys
have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.



Bryan,
If you want to get your feet wet, want stereo, don't want to also build a
preamp and don't have a lot of money take a look at-
http://www.s5electronics.com/gpage1.html for a nice little project. You
can
get the kit from S5 or from
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/6523 and a couple of
other
places. For $140 you can't go wrong.

I just finished one and am breaking it in. Real specs are more like 5
watts
RMS. I've been using it to drive a pair of Advent /1 speakers and it
sounds
very good.

I made a few modifications to the basic kit to make it more useable for
me.
I built a wooden case for it. I added an input selector using a 4 pole 3
position rotary switch and put the input jacks on the back of the case. I
put speaker terminals on the back of the case as well. I changed the
on/off
inline switch to an illuminated rocker on the front panel and changed the
inline fuse holder to a panel mount type on the back of the case. I
changed
the PC board mounted volume pot with a panel mount pot so it could extend
through the front of the wooden case with the input selector. I soldered
the three big caps to the bottom of the board along with the three
resistors
that are raised off the board due to heat. That way nothing on top is
taller than the tube sockets and I could do a tube out design for the case
with an aluminum top plate with holes for the tubes.

Electrically I added caps as filament snubbers on the two output tubes and
a
cap across the HV of the power transformer. The sound is truly very good
for a $140 amp. (Actually it is good for a much more expensive amp.)

Some of the modifications suggested on the S5 website to reduce noise have
been incorporated into the PC board design but the website has not been
updated to reflect that. For instance there are now places on the PC
board
to solder caps across two of the output resistors. There are points on
the
board to solder grounding wires for all three transformer cases.

S5 also has a metal chassis with a tube cage for $85. The chassis has a
polycarbonate (I think) window so the tubes show through nicely.

Just my $.02

Sherman

On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 02:44:36 -0800, Bryan McGivney wrote:

snip

As for the Silvertone I don't know what is going on with that one. I
replaced the PS caps and that fixed the hum but after listening to it for
awhile I noticed that it seemed to be breaking up on the right channel so
I went to take a look and the tubes for that channel were glowing red. I
shut it down and let it cool off. I have since powered it up and poked
around with my DMM and am not finding anything on the one channel that
doesn't seem to be mirrored on the other channel that's not glowing. So I
don't really know where to start. I think I'll post a separate post about
it and see if I can get some trouble shooting pointers.

snip

Just a couple of suggestions.

With the amp OFF, and caps discharged:

Try to use a multimeter with a high resistance range to measure leakage on
the coupling capacitors to the "glowing" output stage (you'll have to
disconnect one end to prevent the meter reading the wrong thing!). Any
leakage will drive the grid too positive, causing severe problems. This
will also show up as too high a voltage across the faulty valve's cathode
resistor while running. It may be worthwhile disconnecting the output
stage coupling caps & switching on to see if the anodes still glow. If
they do, that would point to a fault on a fixed bias system (possibly loss
of a negative bias supply).

You could check the resistance values of the cathode resistors on the
output valves. They should all/both (I don't know the circuit!) be very
close in value. That would rule out a problem from them, but that isn't
likely in this case as resistors usually age on the high side (and only
carbon types AFAIK).

--
Mick
http://www.nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini information
Also at http://www.mixtel.co.uk where the collection started.
Currently deserting M$ for linux... :-)

Hi RATs!

Another cheap way to start is an old vacuum tube table radio.

Get one that works and then upgrade and improve it.

When it is perfect, get another one, for stereo

Happy Ears!
Al


Alan J. Marcy
Phoenix, AZ

PWC/mystic/Earhead

"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
I have actually been looking at those. I wonder if since everybody seems
to
mod them if maybe I should just take the instructions and parts list and
buy
somewhat better quality, equivalent rated parts and just build it into
what
ever chassis I want and shape. I hear that the transformers are about the
most important thing in a tube amp. I also don't know how good the iron is
in that kit. Maybe starting with equivalent rating but better quality iron
and upgrading some important resistors or caps here and there would really
make it into something special?

Maybe what I really need isn't a kit but just a link to a really well
documented project that I can try? With pointers to where to get the
parts.

Thanks for your input,
Bryan

Bryan,
Only two mods I made were directed at improving the sound; adding filament
snubbers and placing the cap across the power tranny HV lines. All the rest
of the mods were just for convenience, safety or esthetics.

I can't argue that the iron is extremely important and I have no idea where
the stuff in the kit came from or truly how good it is. (I've tried to look
it up online but haven't had any success. I'd actually like to buy a few to
play with.) All I know is that it sounds great and seems to be improving.
I have about 40 hours on it at this point.

I would like to make a suggestion. Get the kit. That way you have
everything you need to build a complete working amp of good quality. You
can complete it quickly and chances are it will work and work well.

*Then* go out and get better iron, upgraded caps and whatever else you'd
like to experiment with. Best I think to have a working amp (especially at
such low cost) and then begin modifying it. Plus you would have a
completed, working amp quickly. I think if you purchased the kit and then
started your modifications it wouldn't cost any more than trying to source
all the parts separately and you wouldn't have a "baseline" or control.
Once you've got it going and broken in you can decide which components to
replace or upgrade and if you have a 'scope you can see the electrical
results vs. the original to verify your theories.

Another idea to make experimenting easier- solder spade connectors to every
point on the PC board where a transformer lead would be soldered. Then
solder matching connectors on the tranny leads so you can easily change
them. Also install two mono volume controls rather than the stereo pot.
That way you could change one transformer and do a quick a/b comparison with
the stock channel vs. the "upgraded" channel. You might also add some extra
lengths of solid core wire to certain points (tube pins etc.) so you could
easily solder and remove caps for things like filament snubbers etc.

Just a few thoughts.

Sherman

"TubeGarden" wrote in message
...
Hi RATs!

Another cheap way to start is an old vacuum tube table radio.

Get one that works and then upgrade and improve it.

When it is perfect, get another one, for stereo

Happy Ears!
Al


Alan J. Marcy
Phoenix, AZ

PWC/mystic/Earhead

Good point. I found a tube phonograph at an antique store for $25. The amp
works great and speaker (two 3 inch tweeters and a 12 inch woofer) sounds
good. I pulled the amp and speakers and built another cabinet for them with
an RCA input for mono sources and a 1/4 inch jack for guitar. My son loves
it!

My younger son and I found a stereo tube console in working condition at the
same store for $35. The turntable doesn't work but the tuner does and the
aux input (originally for a tape deck) works fine for his CD player. A
couple cap changes and it really sings.

Shop around. You'd be surprised what's out there.

Sherman

"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message ...
Well if when saying "Another (soon to be) R.A.T. In Oregon!" you are
assuming I don't have any tubes yet, think again. I have two amps, an old
Silvertone (not working right) and another old Hoffman I pirated out of a
console stereo.

Oops! My mistake! ;-)

I have a stereo Push pull 6V6 amp out of an old Silvertone console
that I rebuilt from the ground up,I think it might just be my favorite
amp,but I could be biased!

There's some info on my slowly progressing website at:
http://www.users.qwest.net/~ptaylor/...V6amppage.html

Only think is I really don't know much about what I have.
Beyond knowing if it hums loudly when powered up to replace the caps in the
power supply, I really don't know much about fixing, tinkering, or modifying
these things. I put new PS caps in both amps and that cut the hum. Although
I powered up the Hoffman tonight and it seem to have some hum that refuses
to be adjusted out with the hum pot. I don't remember it doing that last I
listened to it.

As for the Silvertone I don't know what is going on with that one. I
replaced the PS caps and that fixed the hum but after listening to it for
awhile I noticed that it seemed to be breaking up on the right channel so I
went to take a look and the tubes for that channel were glowing red. I shut
it down and let it cool off. I have since powered it up and poked around
with my DMM and am not finding anything on the one channel that doesn't seem
to be mirrored on the other channel that's not glowing. So I don't really
know where to start. I think I'll post a separate post about it and see if I
can get some trouble shooting pointers.


The coupling caps probably need to be replaced.Check out the cathode
resistors (I'm assuming the amps are probably cathode biased?) to see
if they've drifted,and cathode bypass caps,if equipped.Also,check the
resistors from the output tubes grids to ground.
Check over the power supply (carefully!!) and make sure the voltages
are all relativly close..ermm to the schematic,which you may not have?


Thanks for the pointers on a kit.

No problem!

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham (A suburb of Portland), Oregon.




"Nothing40" wrote in message
om...
"Bryan McGivney" wrote in message
...
Tax time is coming around and I might have a few bucks I can spend. I
want
to get into the world of tube audio and think it would be a neat project
to
build an amp. I'm no electronics buff but can follow instructions easily
and
learn along the way. So I am looking for suggestions on a kit I can buy
or
posted set of instructions that really walks a guy though the whole
process
of sourcing parts to the finished product. After a little research I am
thinking what would best suit me would be some sort of small stereo push
pull design. I want to run some regular speakers, most likely in my
bedroom
where it doesn't have to go really loud. So any suggestions you guys
have
would be appreciated. Also suggestions on what brands of components are
the
best cost to value ratio along with the best places to buy them.

Thanks,
Bryan
Durham, Oregon.

Whoot!! Another (soon to be) R.A.T. In Oregon!


You might look into the Velleman kits,I've never assembled one
myself,but have read about them,and seen them in catalogs and
whatnot,seems like a good choice.
Hmm,Thats about the only tube amp kit I can think of..except maybe the
S.E.X (Single Ended eXperimentation) amplifier kit? (is that kit
available anymore?)
Decware has the Zen amp,but I'm not sure if those are available as a
kit. (just checked,they are,and a preamp aswell!) www.decware.com

Short of an all out DIY homebrew amp,thats about all I can come up
with.

Good Luck! Patrick. -- In Portland,Or.