survey - what project now ?

I was trying to post this as a POLL but it doesn't seem to be working, so go ahead and respond with your replies as posts

VOTE for your 1st and 2nd choice on a future project from this list . . . .
1* low cost 17wpc EL84 tube amp
2* high power 120w monoblocks with quad KT88s
3* low cost line stage preamp
4* medium grade line stage preamp with TONE CONTROLs
5* premium grade line stage preamp
6* premium grade phono stage
7* completely new PAS3 preamp with new chassis design

4,5, then 7.

1 and 6 especially if the phono stage (6) had a volume pot so it could be run directly to 1 for a nice simple analog system.

In order of preference:

1) 3
2) 5
3) 6

(Heck, why not do 3 AND 5?)

...and what stops me from putting option 2 (High-power 120 Watt monoblocks) in first place, is the cost involved in populating the tube sockets (I am currently working on a pair of Mark III monoblocks - and getting lots of flak from my Minister of Finance regarding the cost of 4 Gold Lion KT88... I'd be sleeping in the doghouse until 2020 if I doubled that!)

-- 'Jan
BC, Canada

6, 1

I think #1 and #2 with stepped attenuators would be the call for guys like me that use a PC based archive for my music library. My preamp/EQ is the PC. Then directly to a DAC and into the amp. Simple and clean. I only use my "Bottlehead" Foreplay for what III Extended preamp for hooking my tuner and I-pod to the system.Its the amps for me.
Depends on what Bob decides is the price for the high power amp but these are tough times and cost is a biggie for almost everyone. A 35 watter could be very reasonable and in kit form very affordable.



Seems like a lot of people are storing and playing stuff from a PC based HDD these days. L
ess space on the shelf and once burned you can re-sell those CD's. A terabyte HDD is only $100 these days and that's a lot of CD's

Kits would help that situation but a high quality 35 watt amp has enough kick for most efficient speaker setups.
A layout that would allow direct hookup wherever possible would not only simplify thungs but is a good way to get a quality signal path.
Hope our Tbues4 hifi gurus come up with something we can get into for reasonable costs.
Good luck gentlemen.

.

I'd say try good quality phono stage and high power amp.

Btw, preamps are the most difficult to build, so I'd steer clear of those.

I would like to see 1 and 2. Just in kit form so you can buy what you want and do your own chassis.I know some people just need the basics to the amp everthing else I have on the shelf it would keep the cost down for me. I would do #2 on one big chassis so not to have two seprate items. I have some really good ideas for lay out and material other than stainless and aluminum with no seems or spot welds.

6, oh 6 definitely. Then 3 and finally 1.

6.

great feedback, keep it coming everyone! 4 or 5 votes is all it will take for these projects to come to you,
I've got most of these projects 3/4 done but on the back burner
while I'm building 3 fully modified PAS3 preamps for a customer (does anyone else want $900 mods?)
So far the clear favorite is premium phono stage,
followed by low cost stereo amp and high power monoblock.
Roy has a low cost stereo amp coming in a month or so, Bob has the high power monoblock coming.
So the next question regarding a premium phono stage, what's the preference of these two . . .
A - Aikido style with 4 tube (12AX7) gain stage, passive EQ, and 4 tube gain stage
B - super low-noise JFET pair cascoded into 2 tubes (6922 or 12AX7),
passive EQ, and Aikido 4 tube gain stage
option B should give better performance for less cost and less heat (IMO)

Keep voting on the survey, and add your vote for the option A or B premium phono stage.
And somebody tell me how you can vote for 3 and 5,
did you mean to say 5 and 6 ??

Yuck, neither. How about octal tubes, 6SL7 maybe, and a choke power supply with 5V4 or 5Y3? Outboard power supply, active EQ. Why not make a product that differentiates itself from the me-too designs currently on the market and has some tone?

octal - sure, no problem. Choke power supply, definitely, But active EQ, no way, it's more complicated, more expensive, and doesn't work as well, as tubes wear the EQ changes
Are you mentioning tube tone, or tone controls? I've got both !!

2, 4, 5, 7 in that order. That doesn't mean I will buy one of each as soon as they are out, but definetly something I would take a serious look at if they were available.

Tube tone, not tone controls. And thanks for always being so open. I will buy one no matter what you decide on.

3, 4 and/or 5 - something cool looking with tubes visible.

.

6B - "super low-noise JFET pair cascoded into 2 tubes (6922 or 12AX7),
passive EQ, and Aikido 4 tube gain stage, option B should give better performance for less cost and less heat (IMO)"
Ya I just dug out my old B&O 2402 table and the vinyl timewarp "Introducing ... the Beatles" - Jeff Beck "Blow by Blow" - "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" Allman Brothers "Eat a Peach" what a trip.

David

I'd be interested in #6.

6 options?

JFET? That's a transistor, ain't it?

My preference is for non-hybrid, all tube design.

But if it's better than the Phono in the VTA pre amp I'm about to start building, and better than the Transcendent Phono I've already got, I'll buy it anyway.

2 and 5 for me, please.

OK, looks like this survey has run it's course for now.
Here's an update on what I've got available now, and what I will have later . . . .
none of this stuff is on my website yet so if interested just email me directly, it should be on my website by the end of this week (10-10-10)
info@tubes4hifi.com
1 - low cost EL84 tube amp ** this is done, to save cost uses my VTA70 driver PCB, so all 4 tubes can be individually biased. Uses EDCOR transformers, very good quality about $100 less than Dyna clones. 5AR4 rectifier, choke in power supply, and adjustable bias on all 4 output tubes.
12" x 10" steel chassis with custom top plate to mount all components.
Full kit $450, partial kit also available.
2 - high power monoblocks ** Bob is working on these and maybe available in a month.
3 - low cost line stage preamp ** I have all the parts available to clone a PAS3, with or without phono stage, uses a nice 12" x 12" aluminum chassis, custom front panel available, full kit $375 for line amp.
Also available with your choice of premium line or phono PCBs, or a premium tone control line amp.
4 - medium grade preamp with tone controls ** done, similar to #3, full kit $450 with a premium power supply section, phono section $80 add-on.
5 - premium grade line stage preamp ** done, similar to #3 but with premium PCB design & components based on AIKIDO design, full kit $450
6 - premium grade phono only preamp ** I'm working on 2 versions, one is all tube and based on a quad of 6C45pi tubes (those are $100 themselves) and a pair of 12AX7s in mu-follower output with passive RIAA EQ, similar to another $1000 preamp. Full kit $450 with tubes!!
Second version I should have done by end of October, with JFET current source for super low-noise cascode front end, followed by passive EQ, followed by AIKIDO style output stage. Full kit $500 with tubes!!! This should easily compare to $3000 phono only preamps from ARC and CJ etc.
7 - see #3, with phono, line, and power supply, full kit total $450

For more info on any of this, contact me directly at info@tubes4hifi.com

2,6

1 - low cost EL84 tube amp ** this is done, to save cost uses my VTA70 driver PCB, so all 4 tubes can be individually biased. Uses EDCOR transformers, very good quality about $100 less than Dyna clones. 5AR4 rectifier, choke in power supply, and adjustable bias on all 4 output tubes.
12" x 10" steel chassis with custom top plate to mount all components.
Full kit $450, partial kit also available.
2 - high power monoblocks ** Bob is working on these and maybe available in a month.
3 - low cost line stage preamp ** I have all the parts available to clone a PAS3, with or without phono stage, uses a nice 12" x 12" aluminum chassis, custom front panel available, full kit $375 for line amp.
Also available with your choice of premium line or phono PCBs, or a premium tone control line amp.
4 - medium grade preamp with tone controls ** done, similar to #3, full kit $450 with a premium power supply section, phono section $80 add-on.
5 - premium grade line stage preamp ** done, similar to #3 but with premium PCB design & components based on AIKIDO design, full kit $450
6 - premium grade phono only preamp ** I'm working on 2 versions, one is all tube and based on a quad of 6C45pi tubes (those are $100 themselves) and a pair of 12AX7s in mu-follower output with passive RIAA EQ, similar to another $1000 preamp. Full kit $450 with tubes!!
Second version I should have done by end of October, with JFET current source for super low-noise cascode front end, followed by passive EQ, followed by AIKIDO style output stage. Full kit $500 with tubes!!! This should easily compare to $3000 phono only preamps from ARC and CJ etc.
7 - see #3, with phono, line, and power supply, full kit total $450

My vote:

4/6 enhanced combo with both phono/line stage being premium, with tone controls for these old ears, and maybe JFET front end.