Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: ac427v on May 17, 2024, 07:08:51 am
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I'm planning another amp with Sluckey's Trem-O-Nator.
It looks like the original Vactrol VTL5C1 units are no longer available.
Has anyone successfully used a reliable substitute?
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Digikey has the NSL-32SR3
https://www.digikey.ch/en/products/detail/advanced-photonix/NSL-32SR3/5039793
or Aliexpress has packs of VTL5C1
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-vtl5c1.html
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I got some from this place a month or two ago ( & some others to try out). Good prices & shipped very quickly.
Cabin Tech Global (https://cabintechglobal.com/semi)
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Some people have had good results with the Xvive brand sold by AES...
https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/optocoupler-xvive-vtl5c1-vactrol-channel-switching
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That's several votes for the Xvive.Thanks for the info folks. I'll give their version a try.
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Yes. Stay away from the non Xvive ones. They are useless in the Tremonator
There's an in depth post on the amp garage forum with measurements and rationale.
Long story short, Xvive or NOS.
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If you want to understand vactrols rather than follow blind brand allegiance you can read Perkin Elmer's application note "Photoconductive Cells and Analog Optoisolators", and learn how to read a vactrol datasheet.
Perkin Elmer was the VTL5 series creator.
https://arduino.benarent.co.uk/datasheet/BRO_PhotoconductiveCellsAndAnalogOptoiso.pdf
Edit: Xvive prices are crazy. They're not magic.
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rather than follow blind brand allegiance...
Xvive prices are crazy. They're not magic.
No one is blindly chasing brands! Vactec (made by Perkins is no longer available) and Xvive have been proven to work reliably in this circuit. Some other brands of VTL5C1 have failed to work well. I highly recommend using a proven brand.
The Xvive VTL5C1 costs $8.40. I don't consider that crazy.
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86 cents for the photo cell
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/advanced-photonix/NSL-19-018/5423675
5 cents for the led
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/kingbright/WP113HDT/3084057
From DigiKey. Not exactly the cheapest supplier.
They cost 50 cents from China.
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$8.40 to buy from US supplier..50 from China.That sounds like many things these days.I just ordered from US because I don't want to give my credit card info to an overseas company. Yes I am a little suspicious (paranoid) :icon_biggrin:
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86 cents for the photo cell
5 cents for the led
That's great. Perhaps you can build some and test them in the TremOnator circuit. It would be nice to have more buying options.
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The NSL-32SR3 is the near match USA part for the VTL5C1.
https://www.digikey.ch/en/products/detail/advanced-photonix/NSL-32SR3/5039793
I have a build going (waiting on the PCB) that uses this part, and it has the option to use it in your circuit.
I also have Chinese VTL5C1 parts on the way to test.
I would not buy an $8 vactrol simply out of principle. I'm too cheap to fatten a reseller at that markup.
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The Xvive VTL5C1 costs $8.40. I don't consider that crazy.
Although the components of a VTL5C1 are inexpensive, the packaging saves (builder) time and is likely, IMO, to be more reliable in the long run.
The Xvive brand seems to work well, even if it is China made.
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The NSL-32SR3 is the near match USA part for the VTL5C1.
https://www.digikey.ch/en/products/detail/advanced-photonix/NSL-32SR3/5039793
I have a build going (waiting on the PCB) that uses this part, and it has the option to use it in your circuit.
I also have Chinese VTL5C1 parts on the way to test.
I would not buy an $8 vactrol simply out of principle. I'm too cheap to fatten a reseller at that markup.
I've been down this road.
https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=30909