T.E.N.A your thoughts???

[TalNLnky]

ok, Mike.... and Mike, a while back i told you guys that i stumbled across a site in which a guy designed what he claimed to be the best tube amp ever, and that he had posted the schematics for the thing.

ok... here's the link... might have to look around on that site to find all the different schematics. I know he shows a few on the first page...

http://www.normankoren.com/Audio/TENA.html

EDIT: he also talks a lot about using a program called SPICE to help model tube amp characteristics.

[95Honda]

Doesn't look to crazy, I only glanced at it, but a pretty straight forward design. Has regulated supplies like we built at Audioprism. It's actually not a very complicated circuit. If you saw the schematics of your Sony, you would realize how much simpler the tube stuff is.

Spice or Pspice is a good design simulator. I have a copy of it somewhere.... It will help you get in the right direction, but you still would need to do a lot of testing/adjusting when you get done.

[TalNLnky]

yeah... Pspice is the one he used i believe.... he made it sound like there were a million different variants of the Spice program

[MikeS]

ok, Mike.... and Mike, a while back i told you guys that i stumbled across a site in which a guy designed what he claimed to be the best tube amp ever, and that he had posted the schematics for the thing.

ok... here's the link... might have to look around on that site to find all the different schematics. I know he shows a few on the first page...

http://www.normankoren.com/Audio/TENA.html

EDIT: he also talks a lot about using a program called SPICE to help model tube amp characteristics.


Best tube amp ever.......ok.....
There is quite a few tube amplifier topologies out there, and most the newer commercial amplifier topologies are pretty much just re-hashed designs from the 30's through the '50's.
With modern day passive parts, output transformers and fixed bias schemes, constant current sources, etc....
I guess I'm trying to say that in modern times there are silcon devices such as diodes and regulators to incorporate in older vacuum tube audio designs to give them better measured linearity for these times, same with capacitors, resistors, and iron to a point.

But then tubes aren't all that tight a tolerance to begin with....a matched pair? Yeah, right......

Tubes circuits are really simple.
Mike mentions that this Koren 6550 amp is a rather simple circuit compared to most modern day SS amplifiers.

IME, the schematics pointed out are rather complex compared to just your simple AC heated SET amp or a pentode push-pull, with the fixed bias scheme using the sensor circuit.

Which is interesting how he is using the cathode of one output tube for the sensor to monitor the cathode voltage/current, and the sensor circuit bias's the other tubes kind of automatically. Somethin' like that.

That 100 watt output transformer could be a spendy piece.
I wish I had the knowledge to incorporate silcon devices in vacuum tubes circuits with regards to regulation and CCS's.
I'm trying to get a breadboard set-up for tube circuits, and can noodle with silicon which is something I should do anyway.

Tube amp topologies: Single-ended-pentode, triode-strapped pentodes, Ultra-linear connected, Single-ended triodes, Push-Pull, Parallel Push-Pull, OTL, Parafeed, on and on.....more flavors of tube circuits than we have time to experience.

Then there is the Purist camp that clings on to their favored topology.
Some like SS rectification, some like Tube rectifiers.....I never listened to a SS rectified tube amp so I dunno.

I got break down and follow through on this EL-34 mono PP project, I just need some PS chokes. 35 watts per side should plenty of power for my needs.

I'd like to hear a Tenor OTL for some odd reason.......

Mike.