On Monday, December 2, 2013 10:57:28 PM UTC, Michael Black wrote:
> On Mon, 2 Dec 2013, Tim Wescott wrote:
> > It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
> >
> > I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too lazy
> > (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
> >
> > Are there, by any chance, kits out there?  I'm not looking for nickel-
> > cored transformers with solid silver windings, genuine paper caps rolled
> > on the thighs of virgins, toobs dipped in LN2, and all that crap: I'm
> > just looking for something that'll give the audio quality of a mid-range
> > amplified speaker set, in a cabinet that shows off the fact that it all
> > uses ancient technology to get the job done.
> >
> > Suggestions welcome.

> Find something old, and feed the signal into it.  People are adding audio 
> input jacks to AA5 radios.

A recipe for lousy sound.


NT

On Monday, December 2, 2013 11:51:05 PM UTC, Tim Wescott wrote:
> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 15:13:52 -0600, John S wrote:
> > On 12/2/2013 3:02 PM, John S wrote:
> >> On 12/2/2013 12:58 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:

> >>> It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
> >>>
> >>> I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too
> >>> lazy (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
> >>>
> >>> Are there, by any chance, kits out there?  I'm not looking for nickel-
> >>> cored transformers with solid silver windings, genuine paper caps
> >>> rolled on the thighs of virgins, toobs dipped in LN2, and all that
> >>> crap: I'm just looking for something that'll give the audio quality of
> >>> a mid-range amplified speaker set, in a cabinet that shows off the
> >>> fact that it all uses ancient technology to get the job done.
> >>>
> >>> Suggestions welcome.
> >>>
> >>> TIA

> 'sokay, I appreciate the thought.  I have tons of tubes and data, what I 
> lack is decent output transformers and the will to do yet another design 
> project.
> I may go that route, particularly now that someone's suggested a kit and 
> I've taken a look at the price (!!!).

I've used mains transformers for audio out before, and done ok with them. They're far from ideal but with cautious use of nfb they've been ok. For a little few watts a channel project they're a fair candidate.

If you want to drive piezo tweeters made from bleepy things, just connect them to the primary side after removing dc & excessive V_out.


NT

On Thu, 24 Jul 2014, upsidedown@downunder.com wrote:

> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 13:13:42 -0400, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 02:01:36 -0500, Tim Wescott
>> <tim@seemywebsite.please> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:31:38 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Wed, 23 Jul 2014, Tim Wescott wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
>>>>>> <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too
>>>>>>> lazy (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are there, by any chance, kits out there?  I'm not looking for
>>>>>>> nickel- cored transformers with solid silver windings, genuine paper
>>>>>>> caps rolled on the thighs of virgins, toobs dipped in LN2, and all
>>>>>>> that crap: I'm just looking for something that'll give the audio
>>>>>>> quality of a mid-range amplified speaker set, in a cabinet that shows
>>>>>>> off the fact that it all uses ancient technology to get the job done.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Suggestions welcome.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is toob a brand name? What sort of amps does toob make?
>>>>>
>>>>> Someone should start a retro amplifier company and call it "Toob".
>>>>> Really.  Someone who loves vacuum tube amps, but doesn't suffer much
>>>>> from audiophoolery.
>>>>>
>>>> Someone came out with a book a year or two ago, where he came up with
>>>> some different name for "tube", almost as if a new hip name would make
>>>> tubes trendy again.
>>>
>>> Vacuum-mode field effect transistor?
>>
>> Indirectly heated source field effect transistors.
>>
>>> I had a prof that referred to them as "GlassFETs".
>>
>> Hmm.  I thought glass was silicon.
>
> Or more precisely glass Fetrons.
>
> Fetrons were pin compatible JFETs with direct replacement for e.g.
> 6AK5 12AX7 etc.
>
>
But there were limitations.  I remember a long letter in QST about those 
limits.  There were only a few Fetrons created.  And the 6AK5 Fetron 
wasn't good with AGC, it was intended more for use as a limiter if I 
remember properly.

There were various schemes back then for solid stating tube equipment.

One wsa to use the chassis and mechanical parts, and rebuild mostly from 
scratch.  Hank Cross did that with a BC348 in a Ham Radio article about 
1968.  It gave him a good foundation, but he could add things (like an FM 
detector and I seem to recall mechanical filter) and do things like an 
audio amplifier IC as the output or an IC IF amplifier, instead of 
directly trying to emulate what was there originally.

Others did attempt to replace a tube with a solid state device or two, 
though generally there was sculpting, figure out some arrangement to 
replace that tube there, and then even if the next stage used the same 
tube, it might require a different arrangement or at least biasing.

It often was simpler when FETs became available, at the very least they
had high impedance so they might be a sort of direct replacement.

Some tried to keep the unit intact, o the replacement was plug in, others 
lived with some added circuitry and modification of existing resistors. 
The former camp may have tried to keep the supply voltage as is, the 
latter camp was more likely to start with lower voltage.

Then others tried to create universal replacements, like the Fetrons, 
though I'm not sure how successful that was.  Those tended to be in 
separate articles, "how to build tube replacements", without a lot said 
about when they were used in equipment.  The other categories of 
replacement were always about specific equipment.

Then there was a whole different camp, just update the tubes.  Fred Brown 
had an article in CQ in 1970 about updating an HRO, he put in miniature 
tubes, which if nothing else meant less filament current (and heat).  But 
he also ran the B+ at a relatively low voltage, explaining the benefits.

IT was also the time of hybrid tubes, so you could run some tubes off 
+12v.

Nobody seems to talk about tube replacement anymore, except for that 
elusive oscillator tube in the Zenith Transoceanics. It was mostly an 
interim thing, stretching out the life of existing equipment when everyone 
wanted to go solid state. Now, people want to keep their old equipment 
intact, and for many, there are enough tubes to keep going.  They want the 
old equipment precisely because they are tubes, so solid stating them, 
even if they could keep the existing circuitry intact, isn't appealing.

   Michael

On 7/24/2014 10:35 PM, rickman wrote:
> On 7/24/2014 3:01 AM, Tim Wescott wrote:
>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:31:38 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 23 Jul 2014, Tim Wescott wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
>>>>>
>>>>> Is toob a brand name? What sort of amps does toob make?
>>>>
>>>> Someone should start a retro amplifier company and call it "Toob".
>>>> Really.  Someone who loves vacuum tube amps, but doesn't suffer much
>>>> from audiophoolery.
>>>>
>>> Someone came out with a book a year or two ago, where he came up with
>>> some different name for "tube", almost as if a new hip name would make
>>> tubes trendy again.
>>
>> Vacuum-mode field effect transistor?
>>
>> I had a prof that referred to them as "GlassFETs".
> 
> A home for wayward electrons...
> 
> BTW, I am sitting with a hot laptop in my... well lap and the last thing
> I would think is "cool" is a valve power amp.  I do like the fake toob
> idea with LEDs.  Lol.
> 

I remember the soft blue glow of the mercury vapor rectifiers (bright
blue if you drew too much current :) ).

I've though in the past about putting a HV a transformer in the base
with a MV rectifier mounted on top (all enclosed in a grounded wire mesh
for safety reasons).  Turn it on and the glow would make a nice night
light and cute antique conversation piece.

Don't know where you can get the parts any more though.

-- 
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry, AI0K
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

On 7/24/2014 8:38 PM, Neon John wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady
> <atheist@hotmail.com.au> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
>> <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:
>>
>>> It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
>>>
>>> I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too lazy
>>> (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
>
> Well, since nobody else is going to answer your question about
> hollow-state amplifier, I'll take a stab.
>
> Here's a good starting place
>
> http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/tubes.htm
>
> And another
>
> http://www.dynakitparts.com/
>
> Even Amazon is getting into the act.
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Integrated-Tube-Amplifier-DIY/sim/B005XE3I3E/2
>
> Additionally, there is a Yahoo mailing list called "funwithtubes".
> Very nice list.  Lots of old timers with first hand experience.  And
> the files section is full of plans and schematics.

I wonder if you could connect Peltier modules to toobs and use that to 
power the solid state amp which actually did the work... ?

-- 

Rick

On 7/24/2014 3:01 AM, Tim Wescott wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:31:38 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 23 Jul 2014, Tim Wescott wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
 >>>>
>>>> Is toob a brand name? What sort of amps does toob make?
>>>
>>> Someone should start a retro amplifier company and call it "Toob".
>>> Really.  Someone who loves vacuum tube amps, but doesn't suffer much
>>> from audiophoolery.
>>>
>> Someone came out with a book a year or two ago, where he came up with
>> some different name for "tube", almost as if a new hip name would make
>> tubes trendy again.
>
> Vacuum-mode field effect transistor?
>
> I had a prof that referred to them as "GlassFETs".

A home for wayward electrons...

BTW, I am sitting with a hot laptop in my... well lap and the last thing 
I would think is "cool" is a valve power amp.  I do like the fake toob 
idea with LEDs.  Lol.

-- 

Rick

On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady
<atheist@hotmail.com.au> wrote:

>On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
><tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:
>
>>It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
>>
>>I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too lazy 
>>(and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.

Well, since nobody else is going to answer your question about
hollow-state amplifier, I'll take a stab.

Here's a good starting place

http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/tubes.htm

And another

http://www.dynakitparts.com/

Even Amazon is getting into the act.

http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Integrated-Tube-Amplifier-DIY/sim/B005XE3I3E/2

Additionally, there is a Yahoo mailing list called "funwithtubes".
Very nice list.  Lots of old timers with first hand experience.  And
the files section is full of plans and schematics.

John
John DeArmond
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.fluxeon.com 
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
See website for email address

On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 13:13:42 -0400, krw@attt.bizz wrote:

>On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 02:01:36 -0500, Tim Wescott
><tim@seemywebsite.please> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:31:38 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 23 Jul 2014, Tim Wescott wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
>>>>> <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too
>>>>>> lazy (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Are there, by any chance, kits out there?  I'm not looking for
>>>>>> nickel- cored transformers with solid silver windings, genuine paper
>>>>>> caps rolled on the thighs of virgins, toobs dipped in LN2, and all
>>>>>> that crap: I'm just looking for something that'll give the audio
>>>>>> quality of a mid-range amplified speaker set, in a cabinet that shows
>>>>>> off the fact that it all uses ancient technology to get the job done.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Suggestions welcome.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is toob a brand name? What sort of amps does toob make?
>>>>
>>>> Someone should start a retro amplifier company and call it "Toob".
>>>> Really.  Someone who loves vacuum tube amps, but doesn't suffer much
>>>> from audiophoolery.
>>>>
>>> Someone came out with a book a year or two ago, where he came up with
>>> some different name for "tube", almost as if a new hip name would make
>>> tubes trendy again.
>>
>>Vacuum-mode field effect transistor?
>
>Indirectly heated source field effect transistors.
>
>>I had a prof that referred to them as "GlassFETs".
>
>Hmm.  I thought glass was silicon.

Or more precisely glass Fetrons.

Fetrons were pin compatible JFETs with direct replacement for e.g.
6AK5 12AX7 etc.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 02:01:36 -0500, Tim Wescott
<tim@seemywebsite.please> wrote:

>On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:31:38 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 23 Jul 2014, Tim Wescott wrote:
>> 
>>> On Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:16:30 +1000, Barry OGrady wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600, Tim Wescott
>>>> <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> It's winter, and the amplifier in my PC speakers just died.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think it'd be kinda cool to have a toob speaker amp, but I'm too
>>>>> lazy (and time-challenged) to build one up from scratch.
>>>>>
>>>>> Are there, by any chance, kits out there?  I'm not looking for
>>>>> nickel- cored transformers with solid silver windings, genuine paper
>>>>> caps rolled on the thighs of virgins, toobs dipped in LN2, and all
>>>>> that crap: I'm just looking for something that'll give the audio
>>>>> quality of a mid-range amplified speaker set, in a cabinet that shows
>>>>> off the fact that it all uses ancient technology to get the job done.
>>>>>
>>>>> Suggestions welcome.
>>>>
>>>> Is toob a brand name? What sort of amps does toob make?
>>>
>>> Someone should start a retro amplifier company and call it "Toob".
>>> Really.  Someone who loves vacuum tube amps, but doesn't suffer much
>>> from audiophoolery.
>>>
>> Someone came out with a book a year or two ago, where he came up with
>> some different name for "tube", almost as if a new hip name would make
>> tubes trendy again.
>
>Vacuum-mode field effect transistor?

Indirectly heated source field effect transistors.

>I had a prof that referred to them as "GlassFETs".

Hmm.  I thought glass was silicon.