Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Forum and Web site Stuff => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: niteman131 on January 19, 2024, 08:15:53 pm

Title: Hi from Florida !
Post by: niteman131 on January 19, 2024, 08:15:53 pm
Hi All !

I've been reading many of your interesting and entertaining posts for a while, and I finally got around to joining. Learning so much from all of your posts !

Just a little background...I started playing guitar in the mid '60s (after the Beatles went on The Ed Sullivan Show...I guess a few others may have got started that way as well  :wink:). I played in a few bands up until the mid 1980s. I was also the "in-house electronic technician" for my last band until I decided to get a "real job" and worked as an Electronic Technician for over 26 years (now happily retired).   

I guess I'm sort of an under achiever compared to many of you since I've never built my own tube amp. I have done some interesting mods over the years (Tube and Solid State amps, Effects, etc.). Most recently, I've been working on lowering the Plate/Screen voltages on the EL84s in my Vox AC30CC2, so that my poor EL84s might last a bit longer. I've tried a few Zener circuits on the center tap of the Power XFMR, and they all worked, but I think I've settled on a Linear Regulator feeding the Output XFMR CT and Choke. It is very stable and has greatly reduced the ripple/hum, and has brought the EL84 plate voltages down to 300v or less. I'm still tweaking/measuring the circuit, so the chassis is still out of the cabinet. Hopefully, it won't smoke or go pop when I close everything up  :undecided:

So, thanks to all who have contributed so much knowledge to this forum ! If anyone would like more details on my efforts to reduce the voltages on my EL84s, I would be glad to share !
Title: Hi from Florida !
Post by: EL34 on January 19, 2024, 08:15:53 pm
Welcome to the Hoffman Amps forum

There are many different boards on this forum for different topics.

The Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs board is where you can post amp questions.

That board is listed here.
https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?board=13.0

Thanks,
Doug Hoffman