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The Social Zone! => The Lounge. No business, just chit chat. => Topic started by: milky on March 31, 2017, 10:44:03 AM

Title: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: milky on March 31, 2017, 10:44:03 AM
Having grown up in the valve (tube) era, I always had a love of the warmth they can impart to music. These pictures are V2 of a 200 watt bass amp I built for my talented bassist son. We are about to embark on V3, which will include some effects and interesting things.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: milky on March 31, 2017, 10:58:03 AM
Another pretty shot.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: clover-leaf-productions on March 31, 2017, 10:19:34 PM
Dang Milky that is a beautiful thing!  Are those the high performance tubes that come out of Europe, that have a blue glow when they are energized?  I understand the blue glowing tubes are quite expensive, but worth the financial investment for the true audiophile.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: milky on April 01, 2017, 10:48:40 PM
Yes, CLP, these are Russian tubes from Electro-Harmonix. They glow with a bluish tinge which darkens as the volume increases.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: Jigger on April 02, 2017, 04:59:56 AM
Ah Milky memories of valve amps takes me back.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: LASER558 on April 05, 2017, 10:32:17 AM
Just beautiful, love valve amps and that's a fantastic example  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: clover-leaf-productions on April 13, 2017, 12:02:40 AM
The Russians really worked very hard to perfect tube technology, even into the 80's, and 90's, because they believed it far superior for military purposes, and felt it had a better chance of surviving an EM pulse from a nuclear blast.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: DJ Nikki on April 16, 2017, 02:45:20 PM
That's beautiful James.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: markebenson on April 20, 2017, 02:56:27 AM
Looks like north Korea is still using tube technology for their military.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: milky on April 21, 2017, 03:04:29 PM
Not too sure what to read into that comment. If it was politically motivated, I will not make a response. I just posted because I am proud of what I have built, and was trying to encourage others to respond with whatever they may have built or thought about designing.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: clover-leaf-productions on April 25, 2017, 12:53:01 AM
Nothing interesting to read, or see here Dr. Milky.  I was just endeavoring to give folks an understanding of why these cool looking blue tubes came into existence.  It is unfortunate to say, but many of the great technologies that we enjoy today had their developmental roots on some military build up drawing board.
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: Dj Buik on May 05, 2017, 04:02:19 PM
AWESOME!

What circuit diagram you used?
I saw you even built your diode bridge with standard components.


I built back in de 70s/80s AM transmitters with the famous 807 tube:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/807_(vacuum_tube) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/807_(vacuum_tube))

Also i built a Amplifiers with the EL34 tubes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EL34 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EL34)

Great times !
Title: Re: My labour of love - a serious bass amplifier.
Post by: milky on May 07, 2017, 09:38:08 PM
Quote from: Dj Buik on May 05, 2017, 04:02:19 PM

EH)What circuit diagram you used?
I saw you even built your diode bridge with standard components.


I have a book "Principles of Power" by Kevin O'Connor. It has many, hand-drawn circuits, mainly early Fender guitar and Hammond organ designs. I tried to keep it as authentic as possible, but I did use a printed circuit kit for the EQ section. I intend to replace that with a five stage EQ circuit based around a single 12AX7 (6922 EH).