Good (more or less) introductory vacuum tube information references

mhardy6647
mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
edited March 2018 in Electronics
This kind of, sort of came up in another discussion recently.

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/181256/50-watt-amp-with-5-distortion-only-149-000-interested

In the above mentioned thread, I mentioned a short primer called A Taste of Tubes. Tis is an excellent place to start, especially if all one knows about tubes is that they're... umm... tubular. Maybe one also knows they're called "valves" in the UK, too ;)
Here's a link to a copy of this primer: http://ken-gilbert.com/images/pdf/taste_of_tubes.pdf

I felt like I'd hijacked that thread enough, so I figured I'd start another one :)

This thread is meant for anyone who is interested in the nuts and bolts of how vacuum tubes do what they do and how they're applied - traditionally - in hifi audio circuits.



ok, now... first and foremost: kudos to pro hifi designer Pete Millett, who also shares much of his skill with the DIY crowd, too, at his wonderful site http://www.pmillett.com

Pete also has gone to great length to scan scads of books and other reference material that is invaluable to DIYers and folks generally interested in audio circuit design and construction, particularly in the realm of the aforementioned vacuum tubes.

That site is www.tubebooks.org

Now -- to the subject of this post!

Here are a few suggestions of sort of basic books on vacuum tubes that you can download from Pete's site. I am going to provide links to the tables of contents to the books; the descriptions are from www.tubebooks.org
Basic Theory and Applications of Electron Tubes, Departments of the Army and Air Force, 1952, 215 pages

This is an excellent, relatively modern (1952) text on vacuum tubes. Very practical, not too much math, and it has some very nice illustrations. Very specific to tubes, discusses how they work, how they're built, and circuits.
link to TOC: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/intro_army_theory.pdf
link to whole PDF: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/army_theory.pdf
Inside the Vacuum Tube, John F, Rider, 1945, 407 pages- Courtesy of Earles McCaul

One of my new favorites - this is a fabulous book on how tubes work and how to design tube circuits. this is NOT a college text; rather this is written more at the level of an advanced technician, with not so much math and lots of diagrams that make visualizing what's going on easy. It even has some 3-D drawings - you'll need anaglyph (red/blue) 3-D glasses to view them.

link to TOC: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/intro_rider_inside.pdf
link to whole PDF file: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/rider_inside.pdf
Radio Receiving and Television Tubes, James Moyer, 1936, 645 pages - Courtesy of Walter Welch, AI4SP!

A comprehensive text on tubes, how they're made, how they work, and applications circuits. Covers tube testers in some detail, as well as early television circuits.

link to TOC: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/intro_moyer_radiotubes.pdf
link to PDF: http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/moyer_radiotubes.pdf

Pete's site doesn't have a huge amount of bandwidth, so it'll take a while to d/l the files, but this is an incredible resource for -- well, folks who are interested in stuff like this!

:)



Comments

  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Very cool gesture doc @mhardy6647 ! Tubes 101. I look forward to this semester! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    Thanks for the good info, much appreciated. I'm an electrician (more a civilian trapped in an electricians body) but the tube is not something we studied much in class, and, definitely not in the work environment. There is a learning curve with valve, but, it's been enjoyable. For me, nothing has changed my love for audio equipment more than tubes. The difference in sound is dramatic.

    I'm interested in any educational material you can provide.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited March 2018
    Educational material ??

    Here's all ya need to know pal.....

    Buy lots of tubes....listen, buy more....repeat.

    What else ya need to know ?? :):)

    Brock has that system down pat. ;)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    You know man, like, I want to know what the electrons are doing you know, man.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    kharp1 wrote: »
    You know man, like, I want to know what the electrons are doing you know, man.

    https://youtu.be/JUOGxePBs50
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    tonyb wrote: »
    Educational material ??

    Here's all ya need to know pal.....

    Buy lots of tubes....listen, buy more....repeat.

    What else ya need to know ?? :):)

    Brock has that system down pat. ;)

    True dat lol
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    kharp1 wrote: »
    You know man, like, I want to know what the electrons are doing you know, man.

    They flow what more is there to know :p
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Thank you @mhardy6647, that's fantastic. Just the type of info to really get my learn on.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    kharp1 wrote: »
    You know man, like, I want to know what the electrons are doing you know, man.

    They flow what more is there to know :p

    Does this have anything to do with the Fluid Dynamics course discussed in another thread?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    16187805777_995bec7279_h.jpgDSC_0128 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    ;)

    That's perdy :*
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    16187805777_995bec7279_h.jpgDSC_0128 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    ;)

    Awesome! What kind of material is used for the plate? Why the holes? To modify the shape of the space charge? Or heat dissapation?

    Ahem, yes up to chapter 3! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    Perforated metal -- sort of a cheap (relatively speaking) way of doing a mesh plate.
    I really don't know why mesh plates have a certain -- cachet, to tell you the truth.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Perforated metal -- sort of a cheap (relatively speaking) way of doing a mesh plate.
    I really don't know why mesh plates have a certain -- cachet, to tell you the truth.

    Bling factor! Unintended consequence at the time of industry application I'm sure! :smiley:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    that perforated plate "Sofia" (Chinese-made) branded "2A3" (actually more like a 300B with a 2.5 v filament) is certainly bling-y; sort of the 1974 Eldorado of DHTs.

    I prefer the vintage 2A3 look -- but those goofy looking things do sound good.

    oh, for anyone not used to playing in this sandbox -- "DHT" = direct heated triode. The filament and cathode are one in the same. Most "modern" (it's all relative!) tubes have a separate heater and an indirectly heated cathode.

    The 2A3, as best I know, has been around since the 1930s -- and also as far as I know has been in production continuously since it was introduced.

    :)

    Here's a more typical, vintage double-plate 2A3.

    fsbog89u40wa.png


    The earliest 2A3s were single-plates. Reputed to be the sweetest-sounding of all 2A3s, but not terribly common and pretty darned expensive. I do have one.

    24124910010_97f058e655_b.jpg2A3sp n box by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Hard to tell from the pic of the double plate 2A3 @mhardy6647, but what kind of grids are in there? Oval Helix? What are the advantages of a double plate? Are they interchangeable with the single plate?
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    Dual plate 2A3 can dissipate twice the power of a single plate tube. The single plate has a more magical presentation, though.


    ... and then there's the famous 45 DHT. Only 2.2 watts of output, but arguably the most soulful of all the DHTs.

    The 46, an interesting dual-grid tube (so technically not quite a triode, although also DHT) is only capable of about 1.3 watts, but also quite sublime -- and cheaper than a 45 on today's market.

  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    4jxeafghtuu0.png
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    I've been wanting a tube amplifier for a while, anyone know of good models to get me started? I have never looked at tubes before other than the monoprice, so I don't know much about them.
    Thanks @mhardy6647 for this, I will read it later when I have more time :smile:
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2018
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    I've been wanting a tube amplifier for a while, anyone know of good models to get me started? I have never looked at tubes before other than the monoprice, so I don't know much about them.
    Thanks @mhardy6647 for this, I will read it later when I have more time :smile:

    Where do you live (regionally speaking)? :)
    If you're anywhere near northern New England, I have a "lending library" of things that might be worth a try ;) There are probably other like-minded enablers hanging around here, looking for new converts!

    It's a harder question to answer than you might think.
    Do you want current production or vintage? In the latter case, any interest in doing restoration yourself? I am guessing "no".

    What speakers do you want to use it with and how much money do you want to spend?

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    I welcome anyone looking at tube amps to drop by my place and give them a listen.s29pb4coxctt.jpg
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861