View Single Post
  #10   Report Post  
Posted to sci.electronics.repair
Baron Baron is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Tube Audio Amp question

wrote:

Back in the 60's I built a pair of amplifiers using four 6L6 output
tubes in push pull parallel mode. These were actually designed using
schematics from guitar amplifiers, and I used the output transformers
made for guitar amps. I ran these tubes to their limits by running
the highest power supply voltage as these tubes could handle. I ended
up with an extremely loud stereo, and was putting out enough power
that I once blew the glass out of a window. The sound was clear as a
bell too. I used some of the best and largest speakers I could get.

Well, these days I am old, retired now, and have had the urge to
design some tube amplifiers again. To me, they always sounded better
than semiconductor amps.

The 6L6 tubes were always my favorite tube. They were easy to get,
powerful and had a nice sound. But here's my question. Is it
possible to run EIGHT, or TWELVE, SIXTEEN of them together? I'd
assume the circuit would be to push pull parallel / Series. In other
words, run 2, 3, or more tubes in series TIMES FOUR (the push pull
parallel part of it). Is this possible?

I once figured that I was getting 140 watts RMS out of those four
6L6s, running everything at it's maximum. This time I'd like to go
for 280 watts or maybe 560 watts.......
Yeah, I already know getting an output transformer will be tough.
Probably need something custom made.

I might be old, but I still want to see if I can blow ALL the windows
out of the house, just to do it !!!!
I guess those of us who became adults during the 60's will never quite
give up the dreams. Somehow, a 1200 watt RMS system powered by a
total of 32 6L6 tubes and a wall of 18" woofers and horns just seems
groovy. (After I add another 200 Amp Breaker panel in the house), I
should be able to power these amps, along with a full spectrum, 10KW
color organ, strobes, blacklights, lava lamps, mirored balls, and of
course the original floating colored oil film kaleidoscope projection
system, while listening to the Woodstock soundtrack album on 12"
vinyl.

This could just be way farout, heavy, trippin, and totally groovy.

Mark


Trix used to make a cinema amplifier in the 50's. A pair of 813's with
nearly a Kv on the plate. If I recall they produced about 600 watts
into 100 volt line. The output trany was a toroid about 9 or 10 inches
in diameter, potted in a cast alloy case.

--
Baron: