DIY Tube Amplifier Circuit Boards
Many audiophiles and enthusiasts enjoy building their own amplifiers. There has been a resurgence in tube amplifiers and quality kits are now available.The kits from Heath and Knight in the 50s are nostalgic and conjure up the sounds of a Rockola jukebox in a sleazy Quentin Tarantino bar. The new kits feature high quality components, including circuit boards with mounted vacuum tube holders. Other printed circuit board (PCB) options include making your own board or using a PCB company to customize your circuit board for you.
DIY Amplifier Kits with and without PCBs
DIY kits with amplifier circuits come with PCBs (See Reference). Some are hard wired with tube sockets mounted on a chassis with parts connected to the tubes and terminals under the chassis (See Reference). The kits containing PCBs save a lot of time and eliminate a lot of unnecessary soldering and space for wiring. Many of these kits feature high quality components and you learn as you build your circuits. Most write-ups allow a detailed discussion on what a component does in the circuit operation. Most of all you have the feeling of pride that only a successful built can supply that lasts. Every time you turn on the system, a knowing smile appears.
DIY PCBs
Making your own PCB is quite do-able. You can buy kits to do this or start from scratch (See Resource). If you are fascinated by the idea of making your own PCB, the time and effort is more likely justified when building multiple kits requiring the same board. So make several boards and you may be able to sell them to other PCB enthusiasts or exchange for other boards to help defray the initial outlay.
The Resource below references a book and several useful links. These include a guide to PCB design and elements of fabrication. These modern circuit boards will save time in construction and allow for neater and a more compact build of your amplifier.
Related Posts:
Make Title Strips For Boards
Bulletin boards and display boards are common sights in a school environment. Display boards are often used in science fair projects as well. Without a title, any display board would be confusing...
Make A Laptop Work With A Sound Amplifier
Audio production and editing often requires high-definition sound that standard computer speakers and headphones don't deliver. With a simple hardware interface, however, you can configure your la...
Make "Happy Days" Themed Bulletin Boards
"Happy Days" 1950s-themed bulletin boards can teach life lessons."Happy Days" was a phenomenon that changed the face of television. Whole families identified with and watched t...
Stop A Fluorescent Tube Flicker
A fluorescent lamp is a glass tube coated with phosphor powder, and filled with an inert gas and a small amount of mercury. There are electrodes on each end which, when turned on, cause electrons...
Build A Stereo Preamp
The preamp powers the audio signal before sending it to the speaker.The job of a preamp is to boost the signal of an audio source to a level sufficiently powerful to drive the speakers. Integrated...
