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DIY Tube AMP


Cantilope

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Completed my first DIY Tube AMP.  With the help of Wdecho of course, couldn't have done it without him.

 

I love it!  You must build one and try it.  I am into this about $500 with these tubes.  I couldn't be happier with the sound or how it turned out aesthetically.

 

IMG_5691.jpgIMG_5692.jpg

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Looks great Joe!  How about some under-chassis pics?  I can only hope that more Klipsch speaker owners will give tubes a try.  The synergy is too good to miss out on the experience!  Let William know when you are ready to try a total point to point build!  He has plenty of experience to share with those too!  Keep up the nice work!

 

Maynard

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OK here is your under the skirt shot.  I appreciate the kind words.  I am very new to this sort of thing, having just 18 months ago, started by replacing caps in a Cornwall.  Seriously, if I can build this so can you...  If you see anything here that I should modify or change please feel free to say it.  

 

This AMP sounds great with the Jubes, but so does the Aleph J and the M2.  I am not sure you could ever describe tubes to someone, you just have to hear them.  I think they are very smooth and a little more forgiving on bad source material.  FWIW, this is my fist experience with Tubes and I am super proud to have built them myself.  As far as the tubes, I do seem to prefer the KT-88s over the EL34, but by no means would value my judgement at this point...  I am just tickled I haven't burnt down the house.

 

thumb_IMG_5693_1024.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

It has been some time and I want to clarify my position on the EL34 vs the KT88.  I will add my EL34s are JJs and my KT88s are gold lions.  I have tried the amp on may various speakers and in various setups.  I think the KT88s really shine with the KLF-30s and the Cornwalls, However hooked up to the Jubes bi-amped I do believe the EL34s are supreme.  Also when I bi-amp the KLF-30s I like the EL34 better there as well.

 

So in a nut shell, full range I think I like the KT88s but bi-amped with something else picking up the LF or bass bins (SS), the EL34s are just beautiful in the midrange.  I am really enjoying this amp and how very little money I am into it.  So much fun.  Thanks again William and Maynard for your positive peer pressure.

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49 minutes ago, Cantilope said:

It has been some time and I want to clarify my position on the EL34 vs the KT88.  I will add my EL34s are JJs and my KT88s are gold lions.  I have tried the amp on may various speakers and in various setups.  I think the KT88s really shine with the KLF-30s and the Cornwalls, However hooked up to the Jubes bi-amped I do believe the EL34s are supreme.  Also when I bi-amp the KLF-30s I like the EL34 better there as well.

 

So in a nut shell, full range I think I like the KT88s but bi-amped with something else picking up the LF or bass bins (SS), the EL34s are just beautiful in the midrange.  I am really enjoying this amp and how very little money I am into it.  So much fun.  Thanks again William and Maynard for your positive peer pressure.

 

 

that looks really nice.  so for someone who still has a tremendous amount to learn in the whole area, this is a "power amp", correct?  as opposed to a pre-amp, AVR, or anything of that sort, right?  so what do you use to send to this guy you built here, where you have your signal sources connected, assuming you have a tuner, phono, maybe CD/DAC and so on?

also - how much power does this fella turn out?  connected to your KLF-30's or your CW's, neither of those probably need very much power to get them rolling, do they?

 

btw - excellent job - looks really nice, and your comment that if you can do it, go ahead & try it - offers hope to someone like me B)  thanks for your example, and feedback

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Yes Power Amplifier.  Not sure on the output I am guessing 8-10 Watts maybe.  I do have volume pots on the AMP.

 

I have had it in three systems of various complication:

 

Schitt Bifrost (DAC) ->Schitt SYS (Passive Preamp)->Tubes AMP->KLF-30s

BiFrost->McIntosh C28 Pre-AMP -> Tube AMP->Cornwalls

Oppo->Xilica Xover->Tube AMP->TAD 4002 Driver (my favorite)

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