Hi,
I am brand new to this page and to any kind of diy audio. I’ve been thinking about building a stereo tube amp and have found several fairly detailed plans online. They are almost all very low power, most less that 10W per channel. The speakers I am planning to pair this amp with requires 35-100W. Does anyone know of a higher, say 50w per channel tube amp diy plans? Or is there a reason why tube amps tend to be so low on the power?
Thanks
I am brand new to this page and to any kind of diy audio. I’ve been thinking about building a stereo tube amp and have found several fairly detailed plans online. They are almost all very low power, most less that 10W per channel. The speakers I am planning to pair this amp with requires 35-100W. Does anyone know of a higher, say 50w per channel tube amp diy plans? Or is there a reason why tube amps tend to be so low on the power?
Thanks
Hi, there are plenty of larger amplifier designs around. Have a look here for starters; 100 Amplifiers – Part 3 , 1955 – 59 | Lilienthal Engineering
If you require what I call real amplifier schematics, take a look at QUAD II Valve Power Amplifier Information
Here is a nice schematic; http://www.keith-snook.info/amplifier-hifi-schematics/QUAD-II-Schematic.pdf
Hope that starts things off for you.
If you require what I call real amplifier schematics, take a look at QUAD II Valve Power Amplifier Information
Here is a nice schematic; http://www.keith-snook.info/amplifier-hifi-schematics/QUAD-II-Schematic.pdf
Hope that starts things off for you.
There are many high power designs, some of which I've designed myself including the attached.
Low cost to implement, low distortion, and pretty simple for a push pull amp.
It uses triode connected 6P36S Soviet horizontal sweep tubes for the outputs.
The tubes can be bought for under $10 if you look hard enough.
The OPT is a 1650N with the with the 8R speaker on the 16R tap to reflect 1/2 the 4300 Ra-a it's designed for.
The bias is set now set to 80ma/tube instead of 60ma.
Low cost to implement, low distortion, and pretty simple for a push pull amp.
It uses triode connected 6P36S Soviet horizontal sweep tubes for the outputs.
The tubes can be bought for under $10 if you look hard enough.
The OPT is a 1650N with the with the 8R speaker on the 16R tap to reflect 1/2 the 4300 Ra-a it's designed for.
The bias is set now set to 80ma/tube instead of 60ma.
Attachments
Look at tubes4hifi.com, they have from 35w/channel to 120w/channel. Kits or complete. Also dynakitparts.com from 17w to 60w/channel All above have spares schematics and all you ever need to support them in the future, most om them uses current production tubes too.
This is where SMPS and toroid power transformers as OPTs come in 🙂 The Hammond iron on my rebuild costs over $1000CAD, I've been able to reduce that to ~$200 using "alternative" methods...
@fidel1890 just my 2 cents , build a gremlin class D amp with linear power supply and put it in a case with glowing tubes on it.🙂
Then you never spend more money on a amp and concentrate on sources and speakers.
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Thanks a lot for the help / information. I live in a 1000 sq ft apartment, so it’s not like I need a ton of volume... just concerned that a lower wattage amp will not run the 35-100 wpc speakers.
Do tubes amps have to be running at a certain % of the max power in order to sound good? Does a 60 wpc channel tube amp in a 25’ x 20’ room not make a lot of sense?
Do tubes amps have to be running at a certain % of the max power in order to sound good? Does a 60 wpc channel tube amp in a 25’ x 20’ room not make a lot of sense?
I have used a 5W amp in a 12x18 space... 10W is plenty loud. 60W in a 20x25 room should be fine.
What speakers do you have?
What speakers do you have?
Tubeamps may be used at any level.
How many watts you need depends on the speaker you have, some speakers needs more power for the same volume.
If the 30-100w figure is from the speaker manufacturer I would take it with a grain of salt. They have no idea what your room and listening tastes are so I feel they often over estimate your requirements. In a sense watts are watts but most well designed tube amps are pretty graceful approaching max output compared to most solid state amps (exceptions exist on both sides of course).
Are you using these speakers now? If so what are you driving them with?
Are you using these speakers now? If so what are you driving them with?
I dont any yet, but A friend of mine is selling his KEF LS 50 for pretty cheep. So I was planning on buying them.
Ya 60W should be good enough, but don't expect bass... They have a -3db of 79Hz and they are only 85db 2.83V/1m
http://www2.kef.com/uploads/files/en/LS50/LS50_brochure_EN_preview_230412.pdf
http://www2.kef.com/uploads/files/en/LS50/LS50_brochure_EN_preview_230412.pdf
It will be money wise to pass on the speakers for something more efficient (about 90 dB/W/m or more), build a less powerful amp, and have money left over. As an added bonus there are a lot more designs available under 15W so you could (over time) build more than one and see which typology you like more. In a 1000 square-foot apartment I suspect you only need a couple of Watts before the neighbors will start complaining.
My $.02
My $.02
The LS50 is not a speaker that would benefit from a high power tube amp.
With the good quality class D amps, high power is a matter of taste, both are good, and not cheap also...
From the budget speakers I liked the castle speakers towers with 2 woofers (china made new ones). I liked the Epos with 2 woofers too, the difference with higher price speakers is not that much...
For your apartment size you can get good sound if you use sound absorbers, carpets, wall decorations.
With the good quality class D amps, high power is a matter of taste, both are good, and not cheap also...
From the budget speakers I liked the castle speakers towers with 2 woofers (china made new ones). I liked the Epos with 2 woofers too, the difference with higher price speakers is not that much...
For your apartment size you can get good sound if you use sound absorbers, carpets, wall decorations.
By all means get them. A Dynaco ST-70 or it's equivalent would be perfect here. You also need to seek for a preamp ( or signal switch/Volume control) St-70 may be found used. Avoid "improved" or altered ones unless they are well documented. A new one won't be much more expensive but will be "all new" components and tubes.
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fidel1890,
Since your friend has the KEF LS 50 speakers, see if any other friend has a low power tube amp that he can bring over and do a 3 person listening session. You may be surprised.
Or if possible, do the listening at your room with the speakers and low power tube amp.
Different rooms, different music tastes, different distance from the listening position to the speakers, different volume desired, etc., all makes it hard to determine how much power and what speakers are needed for you (a professional pipe organ player will probably require a different stereo).
Since your friend has the KEF LS 50 speakers, see if any other friend has a low power tube amp that he can bring over and do a 3 person listening session. You may be surprised.
Or if possible, do the listening at your room with the speakers and low power tube amp.
Different rooms, different music tastes, different distance from the listening position to the speakers, different volume desired, etc., all makes it hard to determine how much power and what speakers are needed for you (a professional pipe organ player will probably require a different stereo).
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My speakers (home made) are probably in that range and do fine with 8wpc. I bet any of the 15wpc class P-P amps would do fine in normal living room. Of course efficiency.is always a plus.
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