I want to build a headphone amp to connect to my laptop's audio output, and thought a tube based one would be a nice change from all the IC driven ones I've built in the past. I would prefer a simple one with low cost components, and low voltage operation, if possible, and no more than 3 tubes. Any tube type will do.
Thanks Dave Australia
OH WHY ?
Why would you want to degrade the sound so faithfully preserved today through ultra-accurate high bit density recordings at the final listening stage.
Why not just listen on some ex-army headphones ? It'll do the same thing.
Graham
-- http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=tube+headphone+amp JF
As good a way as any to get a crap sound.
Graham
Clearly you need to spend more time with true audiophiles. Of course tubes sound better -- they're weirder! Everything will sound even better yet if the whole kit and caboodle is dipped in LN2.
-- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com Do you need to implement control loops in software? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says. See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
I like your sense of humour !
Graham
Er, "tubes", "low cost components" and "low voltage operation" are mutually exclusive.
Try to get hold of some nuvistors. Googling for nuvistor produced a nice hit of explanations and designs. Oh, and start saving up some money, they are expensive. ;)
Nuvistors are vhf/uhf tubes, originally used in TV tuners. None of them would handle enough power to drive headphones, which was the OP's application. There were low-voltage audio power tubes designed for pre- transistor portable radios, but "low-voltage" meant 45 or 90 volts on the plate, and those tubes are collector's items now.
m - 45 to 90 volts is OK by me. It's voltages higher than 200 volts which I didn't want to use
Dave Australia
John Fields wrote: > On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 08:21:25 -0700 (PDT), "Dave.H" > wrote: >
I looked at your link and thought, how about an amp for electrostatic phones? I found the Gilmore amp indirectly because of you. Thanks
G=B2
I have to admit that I'd like to build some tube amps. But it comes from my admiration for obsolete technologies (obsidian knives, anyone?), not because I think (or care) if it'll sound better.
-- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com Do you need to implement control loops in software? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says. See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
ning
ing.
e .I love the old tube equipment, radios, amplifiers, etc. I don't care for best sound quality either.
Dave Australia
Dave, you might be interested in AudioXpress magazine
Best regards,
Bob Masta DAQARTA v4.00 Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
If you define "low voltage" as "a lot lower than what an 807 wants" then there are plenty of projects.
If you define "low voltage" as "won't kill me" then there are a few, but sound quality and power output will suffer a lot.
If you define "low voltage" as "runs off of a 12V rail" then there really aren't any at all.
A 6V6 or 6AQ5 wants around 250V and will function down to 100V or so at reduced output, should power headphones nicely (I dunno, I haven't done it, but it's like one of the World's Most Popular Tubes), and 250V won't kill you instantly if you do something stupid.
250V will make your heart go "rumpity-thump" for a minute or two instead of "lub-dub", but it'll only kill you if you hang on for a while.So keep one hand in your pocket any time the circuit's powered up, and have fun.
I have _never_ been shocked by a piece of tube equipment. AC mains, yes. Telephone lines, yes (you have to jam the wires into your finger to do this, but man it hurts when you do). Ringing telephone lines, yes.
But never tube equipment.
-- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com Do you need to implement control loops in software? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says. See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
Excellent advice.
You haven't 'lived' until you touched the anode cap of a color TV horizontal output. The anode of the CRT isn't much fun either.
G=B2
s.
.By "low volltage" I meant any voltage below 160v.
Dave Australia
-- 12AD6, 12AE6A, 12AF6, 12BL6, 12EK6, 12F8... JF
IIRC those are all for signal processing and are exceedingly wimpy, requiring you to implement the audio output stage with germanium transistors.
-- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com Do you need to implement control loops in software? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says. See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
I suspect that any circuit that works up to 300V will work at reduced power at 160V.
I found a bunch of OTL circuits on the web. The authors thought they were cool because once you've got an OTL amplifier you're just one LN2 dip away from audiophile nirvana -- I think they're cool because you don't need to spring for an expensive audio amplifier for each channel.
-- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com Do you need to implement control loops in software? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says. See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
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