DIY Tube Power Amp

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A-Barr
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Post by A-Barr » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:50 am

ckeene wrote:I guess this topic is getting a little theoretical at this point, but anyone's help regarding power-supply design is really helpful. Thanks!
I'd suggest googling Williamson and Mullard amplifiers, Dynaco, Eico, Heathkit designs, etc., there are a ton of them up online that will give you a really good starting point. There are also forums like this one out there for DIY tube projects, most of them get really heady and theoretical really fast, but there's more accessible stuff out there too.

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Post by ??????? » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:05 am

There are also tube hi fis sold in kit form. However, these are very expensive, as parts for this sort of thing are very expensive, especially output transformers as you will soon find out :D if you decide to continue with this project.

I think the best bet for a pair of nice output transformers right now would be to buy an old Heathkit AA-100 amp that's broken or "untested" and rob the output transformers out of that. A hi fi guru I know insists that the heath AA-100 is a SHIT amp that's designed terribly, especially the preamp section, but for some reason the output transformers are some of the best ever made in terms of linearity, etc. You can generally get a working AA-100 for about 80 bucks, so a broken one would probably be cheap. To buy new transformers with that type of quality you're talking major, major $$$ so there's an idea for you.

Of course, you could also just buy an AA-100 and gut it and start all over with the chassis and transformers and build a power amp or integrated amp of a better design. Unless you're for some reason just married to the idea of making a hi fi out of this organ.

ckeene
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Post by ckeene » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:25 am

I'm ok with more or less starting from scratch and scrounging parts. I like the philosophy of building something usable and simple based on cheap and available transformers.

thanks for the heads-up on the heathkit stuff, i'll for sure look into that.

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A-Barr
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Post by A-Barr » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:27 am

Also check out www.Angela.com's How-To Section, some really great, simple projects in there with parts lists and advice. Of course you'll have to do some metal fab., but that's part of the fun.

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