With the last update I added a page of information about my simple single-ended (SSE) amplifier, The email and forum activity related to that project have been outstanding, so I have began a major expansion of that page. The one page is now 4, and more are coming. Some of these pages are not complete yet. When it is all done you will be able to follow along during the entire design process. Some of the new material being added is a direct result of questions asked on the DIY audio forums.
I have reorganized the site so that I can add new pages without having to re-do all of the links and table of contents on all of the other pages. This meant giving more control to Microsoft (Front Page 2003). The previous organization became impossible to manage. It will no longer be possible to have a link to everything from this home page. The menus (links) on the left bring you to a secondary menu page that has links to the individual pages. The news that formerly occupied this space has been moved to the news page.
Number three was a success! I have added several new pages, with more to come soon. Some of the new pages may have little or no content. That is because I mapped out the design of the web site before I finished the individual pages, and I needed to make sure that all of the hyperlinks work. Content is being added as I have time. I sit in front of a computer for 8 to 10 hours a day at work, when I get home, I would rather play with tubes. All of the old pages are still here (some have been updated) and they are still in the same location, so all old bookmarks and links should still work. Email me if I broke anything. I don't claim to be an expert web designer.
The PowerDrive circuit has become quite popular, and I constantly get requests for unique designs. There is no way that I have the time to design, prototype, and test each one of these. I am finishing up a new page that should help you design your own. (Actually I am doing it over, it got zapped when my hard drive died).
Family matters and other commitments have required me to be out of town for many of the weekends so far this year. I now have a work schedule that allows little time for Tubelab. This will continue for the near future. I have tried to set aside one or two evenings per week to answer e-mail. I am currently running about one to two weeks behind responding to e-mail.
I finally have a free weekend. We are ready for the demo at work, and I have just finished building the new Tubelab SSE (simple single-ended) PC board. It rocks! I have been blasting this thing with everything from Roberta Flack to Metallica. It is hard to believe that I am listening to $18 output transformers. If I don't find anything wrong with this in a few days, I'm sending the board out for duplication.
I have tested the first prototype of the new Tubelab SSE (simple single-ended) amp design. It works quite well but there was not enough gain for every application. I have fixed the gain problem by using a CCS load on the driver stage. Now I can reach clipping in triode mode on a quiet CD at less than full volume. This change requires a new PC board design. Our demo at work has been moved up to May 30. The web site still will not upload.
I am back at home, and the new web site will not upload. I have found out that I must have a prototype design ready to demo on June 15 at work. I finished the PC board layout before going on vacation. Now I have less than 2 months to get them populated (1200 parts on a 3 inch by 7 inch board) and debug the design. Looks like there will be no time for Tubelab.
I have gone as far as I can with the web site, since I don't have all of my files with me to finish the technical pages. I started the PC board layout for a new amplifier design. It is a simple single-ended design that is geared for the novice builder, but has the features and sound quality of a high end amp. I was originally planning to use the 6AV5 sweep tube but I have been informed that it is not available outside the US. The new design uses any of the popular audio pentodes (6L6, EL-34, KT-88) in triode or UL mode.
I took the laptop with me on vacation. I am designing a new version of the Tubelab web site. I attempted to reorganize the web site so that I could manage it better. The original site was made up of several individual pages that were linked together by a menu system that I made by hand and pasted on to each page. This allowed total control, but became unmanageable as the site grew. It was also the source of the broken links. The new site is built using Microsoft Front Page 2003. It will either work better, or not at all, only time will tell.
I am currently on the road beginning a 2500 mile road trip. I will meet my grandson, and see my daughter for the first time in almost 3 years. I must be back at work in 10 days, so I will have little time for tube shopping. I brought the laptop to work on this update. It will go live when I get back. This is being written in a hotel room in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Next stop, Moundsville, West Virginia.
This web site is in the process of a complete makeover. I have about 6 months worth of new information (and some old stuff that I found) that I haven’t had time to post. It will take a while to get it all posted. The Tubelab SE assembly manual is being uploaded first. The Tubelab 3 prototyping system is finished, a few pictures are here, more will be added as soon as I can get them processed. Complete assembly details will follow. Several new amplifier designs are done, and will be added also. The PowerDrive circuit has become quite popular, and I constantly get requests for unique designs. There is no way that I have the time to design, prototype, and test each one of these. I am finishing up a new page that should help you design your own.
I plan to put a lot of new and old content on this site over the next few months. This requires some better site organization. It will no longer be possible to have a link to everything from this home page. The menus (links) on the left bring you to secondary menu pages that have links to the individual pages. The news that formerly occupied this space has been moved to the news page.
All of the old pages are still here (some are updated) and they are still in the same location, so all old bookmarks and links should still work. Email me if I broke anything. I don't claim to be an expert web designer.
I have concentrated on functionality and content, I will make it look nice as time permits. Some of the new pages may have little or no content. That is because I mapped out the design of the web site before I finished the individual pages, and I needed to make sure that all of the hyperlinks work. Content is being added as I have time. I sit in front of a computer for 8 to 10 hours a day at work, when I get home, I would rather play with tubes.
Family matters and other commitments have required me to be out of town for many of the weekends so far this year. This will continue for the near future. I have tried to set aside one or two evenings per week to answer e-mail. I am currently running about one week behind responding to e-mail.