Stereo amplifier

[dynaman1]

Yeah, I know there are other DIY forums better suited for this inquiry but I was wondering if anyone is privy to a simple stereo amp design for use with an iPod? I'm looking for something that's relatively simple and can be hand-wired, as opposed to just using the common PCB-based Velleman or Dynaco kit stuff. It doesn't need to have stellar audiophile performance. It's just going to be used as a "shop" stereo. My only requirements are that it use common and readily available tubes, have sufficient gain to be driven by an iPod and possibly gain controls. I'd imagine anything from 5-20W would suffice. Whether it be SE or PP, I'd like to use EL84s or the usual octals in the output.

Any recommendations??

[topbrent]

These were built around the little 6s4 power tube.


http://www.the-planet.org/6S4.html
http://boozhoundlabs.com/6s4hifi/

[DummyLoad]

http://www.schematicsunlimited.com/

have fun!   

this eico HF20 looks interesting - 12AU7 tubes cost much less than NOS 12AX7 - 6L6GB are still available for respectable $$, and if not in your price range, then the russian mil. 6p3s-e coin base (5881 equiv) are plentiful and for around $6-8 ea. are a bargain.
it's ultralinear and cathode biased. looks like the PT for a super or a bassman would work well for 2 channels - buy it from doug. 



--ISO

[stingray_65]

http://www.schematicsunlimited.com/

have fun!   
6L6GB are still available for respectable $$, and if not in your price range, then the russian mil. 6p3s-e coin base (5881 equiv) are plentiful and for around $6-8 ea. are a bargain.

--ISO

6BG6B's are still cheap and are basicaly a 6L6 with a plate cap

[DummyLoad]

http://www.schematicsunlimited.com/

have fun!   
6L6GB are still available for respectable $$, and if not in your price range, then the russian mil. 6p3s-e coin base (5881 equiv) are plentiful and for around $6-8 ea. are a bargain.

--ISO

6BG6B's are still cheap and are basicaly a 6L6 with a plate cap

yup - buttery built an amp with those things. i was in on the design, but bailed when the pre-amp became problematic and we discovered the output tubes "sing" under high volume. i turned mine ito a trainwreck with reverb - it ended up being a trainwreck - it was built into a combo. i use it for just for the speaker now. someday i'm going overhaul it into something worthwhile... someday...  IIRC macintosh used them in one of their early designs.

[66merc]

Old jukebox amps can be fun to gut and mod into ipod players.  My profile pic is one that I did a couple of years ago.  Started gutting another one last week.  Sometimes they can be had at reasonable prices on ebay.  I bought a stack of stereo and mono chassis from a nice old retired jukebox service guy.  You get to start with the chassis, transformers and any other parts you can salvage.  I usually strip them back to the transformers and start there.  Sometimes I can save the tube sockets.  Ipods happily play with only one gain stage.

66merc

[RicharD]

6BG6 = the suck

They might be OK in a tame amp but if you overdrive their grids, the bottles sing.  This can created a gnarly sound quite similar to a ring modulator.  I had super disappointing results.  Furthermore, plate caps look cool but are inherently dangerous.

[dynaman1]

Thanks for the tips. My eyeballs are burning from skimming schematics but I think I'm gonna start gathering parts for this circuit found at Angela. I've found lots of good feedback about this amp.

http://angela.com/stereosingle-endedel34hi-fiamplifier.aspx