This site supports RSS feeds, but it’s something that isn’t differentiated in my reader statistics. So, if you regularly see new content on my site via an RSS feed would you please leave a comment to that effect below. I’m curious to see how many are using this technology.
Thanks
After getting some chores out of the way this weekend, I got an opportunity to do some chassis work. The project is proceeding well.
Continue readingThere are some projects which are not big or flashy. Simple little things which are easy to build and fill a tiny but important niche in our audio setups. I call these “popcorn” projects.
Continue readingWe got some unseasonably nice weather here today. Clear blue skies and about 72° outside. This meant I got some time in my shop to move projects forward.
Continue readingFor the last couple of days I’ve been revisiting an idea for a “tone control” preamp. I had originally decided to go one way with the design, but then something happened to change my mind. My ears got involved.
Continue readingI haven’t talked about the new amp in a while so I thought I’d share current progress.
Continue readingYesterday I auditioned some new reissue Tung-Sol 6L6GC STR tubes in the 6L6 “Spalted Alder” amp. I was quite surprised at the results.
Continue readingI seriously despise cheap interconnects. And I don’t mean inexpensive, I mean cheap.
Continue readingIn my last post I threw in a comment at the end pointing out that lowering plate load resistance will play a part in how the cathode bypass capacitor behaves. Someone asked, so I thought an example of how this affects things might be in order.
Continue readingThere seems to be a little confusion concerning the true effects of cathode bypass on low frequency amplifier performance. The truth is, gain benefits from cathode bypass are limited. And not by capacitor size, but by the basic design of the amplifier stage.
Continue readingRemember when I said that you can’t always get what you want? Well, it turns out you can. At least in this case. Especially if you are willing to shift some priorities.
Continue readingRemember back in the beginning of January when I traced the failure of the Lacewood amplifier to a failed JJ power tube? Well, here we go again.
Continue readingLately I’ve been looking at a revised amplifier design based on the Marblewood project. The intent of the redesign effort is threefold. First, a different and more widely available rectifier tube. Second, an improved, if slightly more complicated, power supply design. And third, some potential improvement in the low frequency response. As it turns out, you can’t always get what you want. But also, two out of three ain’t bad.
Continue readingThere are lots of practices in the DIY world that are more than a little out dated. I’m obviously not talking about using vacuum tubes but rather the methods used in building and testing the circuits we build with them. Many of these test methods came about for very good reasons; perfectly applicable at the time. But as technology has advanced the reasons for many of these practices are no longer valid. And there is really no better example of this than the practice of testing audio amplifiers with square wave (or various sawtooth or triangle wave) signals.
Continue readingAfter a busy Christmas season, including a brief trip out of state between Christmas and new year, I have finally managed to get the Lacewood amplifier back up and running. As part of this effort I also identified the root cause of the initial failure. And frankly I’m a little angry about it.
Continue reading