With no schematic and no advanced knowlege of valves, probably. With a schematic, it probably isn't that hard. so google around, I know there has to be something out there.
when I google around, should there be a few feature I should look out for, like any after amping filtering or any thing that helps to make the amp to sound........mmmmmm, lush!!!!
Not so much difficult as expensive compared to solid state. Big cost is the output transformer if you want quality, and valves aren't cheap. Also, of course, line voltages are seriously shocking. Have a good lurk here for recommended circuits.
correct, I am a bit of a novice and will probably blow myself up, but I have always wanted a gorgeous little hi-fi valve amp (as im in to my hi-fi and want a sexy valve amp to drive my TDL Studio 10's, would build one to drive my kefs......but worth to much to be messing around with ) and so I thought sod it, think I will build one
If you're into sound quality you probably dont want a valve amp, their distortion figures are usually magnitudes highr than the average solidstate unit. This higher distortion is what gives them their unique (or warm) sound.
I're read quite a few books on audio amplifier construction, and one of them had a pretty good idea for people who like the valve sound. Just get a signal processor (same idea as an EQ) that is made from valves, and use a solidstate unit for the main power output. That way you have a unit that is cheaper since there arent lots of big valves and big transformers, and you can turn it off or disconnect it for a distortion free signal when you want. You get the best of both worlds. [edit] You can also get solid state signal processors that simulate the valve sound too and avoid actual valves altogether. I think (but I could be wrong), to simulate the valve sound you need to add 3% to 5% of 3rd order harmonic distortion to the signal [edit]
not really, cause solid state amps mess around with the sound, even if they are eq by-passed. There wave forms are not analoge
Any descent solid state amp does not "mess" with the sound what so ever - at least not to a level that is even remotely close to being audible. And what do you mean "There wave forms are not analoge"?
well valve amps have more of a sine wave shape in its wave forms dont there, where solid state amps are sharp and clip off sharper
No. The whole reason that valve amps sound the way they do is beacause when they try to output a true sinewave ther is about 3% to 5% error in the signal. When a solid state amp tries to output a true sinewave there is usually less than 0.03% error. I think you're getting the term "solid state" mixed of with whats known as "digital amps", or more correctly "class D". Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I mean dont get me wrong, Im not saying valve amps are better, Im just saying I think the sound if far better, but a solid state amp person will defend a solid state amp is better, and a valve amp man will defend a valve amp is better. I can say that every time I listen to a quality tube amp setup I have a Wow! experience. I can't say that for every SS system I've heard. Generally, I find that solid state systems, especially those with digital sources, sound a bit lifeless, lacking the 3D effect of good analog systems and I've heard some very, very good systems. From what I've found out, good SET tube amps use little or no feedback to reduce the THD rating whereas in SS amps it's practically a necessity. Feedback helps the THD rating but increases upper harmonics. There have been attempts to create solid state devices called Field Effect Transistors (FET) that operate more like tubes and less like bipolar transistors. These attempts have been more or less a wash as they are devices that simply sound different from either tubes or bipolars. Of all these devices the MOSFET probably comes closest to replicating the sound of a tube. This points up the fact that in tubes, triodes sound different than pentodes, beam power or transmision type tubes. In solid state, bipolar, MOSFETS and J-FETS all have a distinct sound. it interesting that in the almost fifty years since the transistor was introduced the general effort in audio has been to make a transistor that sounds more like a tube while the effort in tubes has been to make tubes sound more like music.
Solid state amps (which are just as analog as tubes) dont have any distinct sound as they distort way below the human hearing range. They are as close as you can get to a piece of wire with gain. If you do hear a distinct sound from one solid state amp to the next then that is a flaw in the design not the components used. People also tend to crank up their amps way above audible distortion (which is bad for the amps and speakers) and this is where the tube amp "sounds better". Solid state amps, when driven too hard, have lots of even order harmonics which sound like hell. Tube amps when driven too hard generate even order harmonics, which sound more pleasing. Fet's still arent as good as transistors because their extremely high gate capacitance is hard to drive at high frequencies...but they are getting better. The only reason peeps want to use FET's over transistors is that they are damn near bullet proof. I'm not out to say that tube amps are crap or that people who think they sound better have no right to talk about high quality audio. All's I wanted to say is that tube amps sound the way they do because they have high THD where as solid states dont. And since high power tube amps are big and expensive you could just give the signal that "tube" sound at the line level.
well prehaps it just the systems i have heard, and my system, but when I replace my linn pre and power amp with a valve amp my kefs just sound amazing
Each to their own! Oh and to answer your original question... I think there are some designs that are fairly simple to build. But as it was said before there are some rather high voltages involved so beware. I know I have come across website that are devoted to tube amps that usually offer a handfull of designs. Unfortunately I dont know what they are but hey are out there... I'll let you know if I find any. Cheers.
