Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: dwp on April 11, 2011, 07:56:42 pm

Title: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: dwp on April 11, 2011, 07:56:42 pm
I have a Dynaco 50 W OT with UL taps, if I use them, do I connect the UL taps directly to pin 4, without the 1K plate resistors? Aren't I losing a filter stage as well by doing this instead of using the board resistors? (Normal Hoffman Plexi style power rail)
Thanks in advance, dwp
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: RicharD on April 11, 2011, 11:26:50 pm
The UL taps do go to the respective screens.  You can go with or w/o the 1k screen resistors, although 1k may be a bit large.  You no longer use the screen node in the power supply.  You will probably want to up the dropping resistor value between the unused DC node and the next one to lower the voltage down stream.  I just did a UL amplifier and I used 100 ohm screen resistors.  Look at the Janitor thread for this schematic.  Don't let the choke placement throw you.  I used a big honkin' 10 Henry 300mA choke in front of the plates.
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: dwp on April 12, 2011, 07:31:01 pm
thanks for the reply, I found the janitor thread after I posted. Very helpful. Thanks again......
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: jojokeo on April 12, 2011, 10:43:26 pm
I just did a UL amplifier

Buttery, how does the UL hook-up affect an amp's sound and character vs. w/out it hooked up this way?
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: RicharD on April 13, 2011, 12:01:14 am
Dunno.  I only tried the UL wiring.
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: Ritchie200 on April 13, 2011, 09:21:30 am
Jojo,
UL=lots more headroom.  Fender had that twin UL and everyone seems to hate it because it is too clean and sterile.  The Major is also UL and is not a typical plug-and-play Marshall.  If you just plug in, you will be VERY disappointed.  However, when you do get it dialed in, there is no other amp that sounds like it.  The only way to describe it is to listen to Deep Purple's Made in Japan.  It has a distinct character.  A lot of amps sound good when you play a chord and then thin when you play a lead, or great lead and too muddy on chords.  The Major has a searing kind-of distortion that sounds great for lead and rhythm - very balanced without knob diddling or stomp boxes.  Obviously there is more to an amps character than just one thing - KT88's, cathodyne PI, etc., etc...  Ritchie's amp tech, who worked for Macintosh prior, swears "the" tone comes from the UL design.  I have a couple of OTs with UL taps that I am going to play with one of these days....

MVeryHO Jim
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: jojokeo on April 13, 2011, 12:32:49 pm
Thank you "my man, my man on the pur-ple mountain"! I love that riff.  :icon_biggrin: I was thinking it to be a little like NFB in making it cleaner but also different. You confirmed and explained it very nicely. Thank you!

I'm already thinking of diddling w/ it for el84s to get a cleaner output section maybe in combo w/ my DumbleWatt preamp section or = ? If I'm not mistaken Mr Fischer w/ some of his Trainwreck amps used UL didn't he?
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: Willabe on April 13, 2011, 01:42:07 pm
There's a number of guys using UL OT's and not using NFB becauce the UL taps generate a small amount of FB on there own. IIRC, DR. Z is among those doing this.


             Brad       :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: jojokeo on April 13, 2011, 02:36:42 pm
Ritchie's amp tech, who worked for Macintosh prior, swears "the" tone comes from the UL design.  I have a couple of OTs with UL taps that I am going to play with one of these days....

When will you have the time btwn runnin', rulin', racin', reefin', and riffin'???  :dontknow:

Thank you "my man, my man on the pur-ple mountain"! I love that riff.  :icon_biggrin:

sorry, bad play on words there  :laugh:
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: Ritchie200 on April 14, 2011, 08:24:09 pm

When will you have the time btwn runnin', rulin', racin', reefin', and riffin'???  :dontknow:

Thank you "my man, my man on the pur-ple mountain"! I love that riff.  :icon_biggrin:

sorry, bad play on words there  :laugh:

Who are you describing?!?!?!  That sounds like you pal!

Now, as far as your "Silver Mountain" play on words....dont give up your day job!!! :laugh:
Jim
Title: Re: question on ultra linear hook-up
Post by: jojokeo on April 15, 2011, 02:55:07 pm
 :laugh:
I meant it as a purple coralline algae mountain in a reef-sense tied w/ Richie/Rainbow and it didn't come out right. Day job good, humor bad  :help: