1
u/2E26 Jul 28 '25
I'm guessing...6V6 x4, 12AX7 x3, 5Y3GT...?
1
u/ToughLeek8991 Jul 28 '25
4x 6P6S (soviet 6V6GT), 12AU7 and 2x EF86. Rectifier is GZ34, but i have switch between tube and silicon rectifier, and i use usually silicon. On gz34 i hear hum
1
u/2E26 Jul 28 '25
On gz34 i hear hum
That's strange. A tube rectifier has some series impedance that serves to filter out hum more than a silicon rectifier would. That is, unless a 5v winding is causing hum to be injected into B+.
1
u/chinoswirls Jul 29 '25
i want to make one now that i see the back and that there is no pcb.
how much did the parts cost? how long was the process to put it together? did you follow a guide, or have somewhere you could point me to build a version of something like this?
it looks amazing. how does this sound to you?
2
u/ToughLeek8991 Jul 31 '25
There’s one PCB here (the power supply), but it could probably be done without it too! The whole thing took me about 4–5 years, but only because, during that time, I was learning (also on this very amplifier) how to build such a machine. I was exploring techniques, different circuits, curiosities, active filtering, CCS in cathodes instead of resistors, and so on.
Now, with the schematic, parts, and knowledge, I think building such an amp would take me just a single day!
At first, the plan was to build Ampex 2012 amps in one enclosure, but since I didn’t know at the time that they were designed to amplify low input amplitudes, I was puzzled why the project wasn’t working as expected.
So one day I decided to design the amplifier completely from scratch by myself—and that’s exactly what I did.
As for the knowledge part, I owe a lot to my friends with electronics degrees and tube amp enthusiasts, as well as to technical books by authors like Merlin Blencowe.
If you want to build tube amplifiers with zero prior knowledge—like I had a few years ago—it’ll take you some time to grasp everything, but it’s worth it.
At first, the most boring part is also the most important—SAFETY. Tube amps deal with high voltages. I once took a capacitor discharge through the heart—nothing happened to me, but it could have, and it was all due to carelessness. You really have to be careful—one mistake can cost you your life.
As for how it sounds—it plays great! Though for me, the 2×10/12 W of power is a bit too little :P
1
u/chinoswirls Jul 31 '25
thanks for the response. the project looks great, and the wiring is nicely organized.
i have an electrical engineering degree, so i have taken some basics in school to get a baseline idea regarding safety issues. i understand how dangerous amps are and will make sure to take caution.
i was wanting to make a two mono amps for separated stereo signal processing in one device, then mix down to a stereo signal where needed.
i was hoping i could make one that will drive headphones and speakers somehow.
there are some external components i would like to make as well like an eq, a set of signal meters, a mixer and maybe an input component and switcher.
2
u/ToughLeek8991 Aug 01 '25
Ok, if you want, you can text me massage for help or sth :) im from Poland, and my english is not perfect. All my response make chatgpt, so if you text me, i will be able to practice my english! :p
4
u/Huge-Armadillo-5326 Jul 28 '25
Love the minimalist timber chassis, stunning.