Tubes for your computer? Huh?

rnp614
rnp614 Posts: 598
edited April 2024 in Clubhouse Archives
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20051013/index.html
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    The don't actually say whether or not it made a difference in sound.

    BTW- this isn't the first time tubes were implemented in a PC device. Aopen made a motherboard a while back that had a tube on the output stage of the soundcard. They didn't make very many, and I've never seen them in use or for sale anywhere. There are some reviews out there, though.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2005
    nadams wrote:
    BTW- this isn't the first time tubes were implemented in a PC device.

    Drrrr. I believe the first PCs were nothing but tubes. :rolleyes:
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
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    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    I meant in the audio sense there, audiobliss... When those computers were all vacuum tubes, there wasn't much in the way of audio!
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • Mazeroth
    Mazeroth Posts: 1,585
    edited October 2005
    Talk about cool!

    Really going to debate whether or not to get one.
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  • rnp614
    rnp614 Posts: 598
    edited October 2005
    haha thought some people would want it ;)
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited October 2005
    audiobliss wrote:
    Drrrr. I believe the first PCs were nothing but tubes. :rolleyes:

    lol. Thats what I was thinking.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,957
    edited October 2005
    Drrrr. I believe the first PCs were nothing but tubes.

    Fortunately, the state of the art in vacuum tube computing is still impressive ;-)
    http://www.ominous-valve.com/vtsc.html
    vtscplan.gif
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  • hellohello
    hellohello Posts: 428
    edited October 2005
    the tube it uses loks like a 12ax7, but no where do they mention what it is
    Picking ones nose signifies a strong sense of self discovery :)

    System in the works: ;)
    PP 6V6 with 12ax7 pre ~ 20 watts
    15" Jensen MOD 8ohm ~ 97db SPL
    DiMarzio HS3 and/or Tone Zone S
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited October 2005
    audiobliss wrote:
    Drrrr. I believe the first PCs were nothing but tubes. :rolleyes:

    Uh, no PC's used tubes (except in these weird cases we're talking about). Tube computers were too large and expensive to be bought/stored by indivduals. PC's came about once silicon chips could make computers small and cheap enough for the mass market. drrrrr... :D
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,957
    edited October 2005
    Probably... I suspect the circuit's similar to PAIA's "Tube Head", a more or less plate-starved 12AX7 to warm up cold, sterile digitally-derived source.

    http://www.paia.com/tubestuf.htm

    tubehcas.jpg
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,957
    edited October 2005
    Uh, no PC's used tubes (except in these weird cases we're talking about). Tube computers were too large and expensive to be bought/stored by indivduals. PC's came about once silicon chips could make computers small and cheap enough for the mass market. drrrrr...

    Well, that's true IF one is speaking of digital personal computers. But computer don'ts gots to be digital!

    Heathkit, for one, made several different models of analog personal computer kits with vacuum tube op-amps. I actually owned one of these, briefly. Should've kept it, as they're quite collectable today.

    http://www.heathkit-museum.com/computers/ec-1.shtml
    ec-1.gif

    FWIW, this isn't the one I had. The one I had was wedge shaped, with the op-amps in back on the top. It was about the size of a roll-top desktop. :-)

    vs-heathkit-h-1-analog-computer.jpg
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  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited October 2005
    I read a review, the computer audio thing takes a 12au7 tube.. soldered in, so a socket would need be installed to change it and the website doesnt even mention what tube it takes.. it's top secret because no article or specs mentions the tube. weird

    I already want one to put inline with my SI/passive integrated i just made. 12volts to power it and it has 1/8" jacks for in/out put remove that stupid meter and tube display and just use the board inside and the tube board
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited October 2005
    Tube on a mobo

    http://www.techwarelabs.com/reviews/motherboard/ax4ge_tube-g/index_2.shtml
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  • hellohello
    hellohello Posts: 428
    edited October 2005
    why would u solder in a tube, theyre meant to be changed over time....
    Picking ones nose signifies a strong sense of self discovery :)

    System in the works: ;)
    PP 6V6 with 12ax7 pre ~ 20 watts
    15" Jensen MOD 8ohm ~ 97db SPL
    DiMarzio HS3 and/or Tone Zone S
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,957
    edited October 2005
    a signal tube like this will last a long, long time (assuming it's a good quality tube to start with)... soldering a tube in isn't really any different than soldering in a transistor or an IC.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    Yes, remember, this is only to add color to the sound. This isn't to actually drive anything. Power tubes have a much shorter lifespan... and besides, we're talking about low power levels going through it, period. Your soundcard doesn't put out much power :)

    They probably don't make mention of what tube it is, because the average consumer wouldn't give a crap...
    Ludicrous gibs!
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