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 -- Tim Wescott Wescott Design Services http://www.wescottdesign.com
Toob Amplified PC Speakers
Started by ●December 2, 2013
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
On a sunny day (Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:58:56 -0600) it happened Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote in <GP-dnZwhlvztRQHPnZ2dnUVZ_hednZ2d@giganews.com>:>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,You are sick man, very sick.
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
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. > >TIAAll of my tube amplifiers, starting when I was only 14 years old, were all open-chassis style. Only the preamplifier (Dynaco PAT-1, IIRC) and the tuner, Dynaco FM-3, had cases. I quit tubes in 1962 and built my first 30W+30W solid state power amplifier using Motorola RF power transistors. Having played clarinet in high school orchestra, marching band and various Dixieland and dance bands, I was never fond of the toooob "warmth"... and the intermodulation distortion... a good Mozart wood-wind ensemble that includes a French horn will illustrate distortion better than any test instrument. ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson | mens | | Analog Innovations | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
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. > >TIAJust for fun, you might do a single stage class-A stage using a 2A3. I did one when I was a kid, but with 5 in parallel ;-) ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson | mens | | Analog Innovations | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
In sci.electronics.design Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.really> wrote:> Are there, by any chance, kits out there?Google says there is a "headphone preamp" kit for $60 to $70 that uses 2x 6N3 for stereo. (Google "Sainsmart 6N3" or "Riorand 6N3"). I can't find an output power spec, though. There is also an "Indeed/Bravo" stereo headphone amp talked about on forums, which apparently has 12AU7 and 6922 versions. Not sure on the output power or where to buy. After that, prices seem to start at $150 for one channel and head skyward from there.> Suggestions welcome.Use toobs that need 5 V, 500 mA or less at the filaments and you can power each filament off of a USB port! Or, ask Antec if they have a PC power supply with DC outputs at +200, +12, +5, +3.3, -5, and -12 V, and an AC output of 6.3 or 12.6 V - Chinese engineers need to laugh too! Buy a couple of old toob radios at the thrift store and use the best power transformer (get ones that have one), both output toobs, and the chassis to roll your own? Schematics for old radios are pretty easy to find on the interweb. Matt Roberds
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
On 12/2/2013 1:58 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 >This kit has been around forever and seems to get good reviews: http://store.tubedepot.com/diy-k12g.html?vfsku=diy.k12g.2&gpla=pla&gclid=CJL-56C1krsCFWLNOgoduWkAIA There's also this little kit from a Chinese seller on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hifi-stereo-6N2-6P14-tube-headphone-amplifier-diy-kit-/230910167825?_trksid=p2054897.l4275 which has the output transformers on board - you'd need to supply a power transformer. You'd have to put them in a chassis if you wanted it, but since they're both mounted on PCBs it shouldn't be too hard: buy an aluminum chassis and punch holes for the tubes, mount the board underneath so the tubes poke through and then mount the transformers underneath or on top as your preference.
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
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. > > TIAGood for you! Nostalgia has its place in our hearts. Can 12AX7s and such still be ordered? I have an old 1964 GE Essential Characteristics of tubes data book. If you promise to actually build your amplifier(s) and it will assist you, I will send it to you free of charge. John
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
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 > > Good for you! Nostalgia has its place in our hearts. > > Can 12AX7s and such still be ordered? > > I have an old 1964 GE Essential Characteristics of tubes data book. If > you promise to actually build your amplifier(s) and it will assist you, > I will send it to you free of charge. > > John >Well, somehow my brain elided the fact that you don't want to scratch build. So, my offer is probably worth nothing. Sorry.
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
Jim Thompson 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. >> >> TIA > > Just for fun, you might do a single stage class-A stage using a 2A3. I > did one when I was a kid, but with 5 in parallel ;-) > > ...Jim ThompsonBetter yet, a push-pull transformerless design!
Reply by ●December 2, 20132013-12-02
>Can 12AX7s and such still be ordered?Yup. Tubes that are popular with musicians (for guitar amplifiers, etc.) are still in production in a few factories (China and Russia, mostly), and there's still an active trade in "new old stock" and "used and tested" tubes of these types. The 12AX7/12AU7 family are heavily used in guitar amps, and so remain available. I recently lucked into finding a big batch of tubes of various sorts at a garage/moving sale... got three boxes of used tubes, two emission-type tube testers, and some manuals and tube-data guides, for the "please take this away, I don't want to take it all to Arizona" price of $4. A friend of mine glanced at them, and identified several Telefunken 12AX7 tubes ("These are gold!"). I ended up selling a batch of seven of them (tested good on his fancy tester) on eBay for $145! Sorta hated to let them go, but none of my audio gear is glassFET-based and I figured that other people could make better use of them than I.
