P2P/PCB hybrid ramblings

[fossilshark]

While I did manage to squeeze a very high gain point to point preamp into a 1U rackmount chassis and get fairly low noise levels, I am considering doing future 1U rackmount builds on circuit boards.

I was wondering what you more experienced folk thought about circuit board designs that use turrets instead of soldering components right to the board, or other hybrid p2p/PCB styles. Is there any actual benefit to this as far as maintenance (not having to take the whole board out to replace components)?

In my mind you could go crazy with it and have a triple layer board where all the signal lines are sandwiched between 2 ground planes for ultimate shielding.

Am I thinking too hard?

[sluckey]

Am I thinking too hard?

yes

[acheld]

You may be overthinking it, but I'd love to see such an animal!

[tdvt]

I was wondering what you more experienced folk thought about circuit board designs that use turrets instead of soldering components right to the board, or other hybrid p2p/PCB styles.

I do not qualify as experienced folk, but I have been working on hybrid tube module designs (w/board mounted tubes) for a month or two. I haven't posted anything about it yet, as I was hoping to have one or two up & running before I posted, but this is the second instance in current threads that sort of flirt with this idea, so I will share what I have done so far.


I initially started out drawing up Tubenit's one tube reverb on a stand-alone board to add to an existing 5F2A, but that morphed into a bigger project as I decided to rebuild that amp entirely.


But with that seed, I then drew up module designs for an entire 5F2A (all on one board), then all the individual sections of an AB763; the AB763 Preamp/TS, the AB763 PI section & Fender 2-tube reverb. I also drew up a board for Sluckey's Trem-O-Nator, to have all the sections for a complete amp.

The Fender designs are so sectional that it seemed like it would be possible to build the board-mounted tube sections to near-completion, install them in a chassis, link them up, then add the control & power connections to the modules. Using turrets for mounting components on the individual boards keeps things as serviceable as something with a monolithic board.


I have no idea how the short wire jumpers/lead dress will play out, but we will see.
 

The strength of the G10/FR4 board makes board-mounting the sockets feasible. With 1/2" standoffs, a regular 9-pin socket is roughly an 1/8th" proud on the chassis & the shield/cover will fit though the same sized hole used for an octal socket.


The only board I have built to-date is the one-tube reverb (for the 5F2A) but it hasn't yet been installed in anything. (still missing a couple of components)

[fossilshark]

TDVT I really really like that idea. I was also looking at the thread showing components mounted directly to the tube socket. Maybe I can do everything point to point if I just get a little bit more creative 

Please be sure to post any more work you do using those boards I would love to see it.