
Valve Amplifiers
Description
Key Features
- The practical guide to analysis, modification, design, construction and maintenance of valve amplifiers
- The fully up-to-date approach to valve electronics
- Essential reading for audio designers and music and electronics enthusiasts alike
Readership
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Circuit Analysis
- Publisher Summary
- Mathematical Symbols
- Electrons and Definitions
- Potential Dividers
- Alternating Current (AC)
- Active Devices
- Silicon Diodes
- Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
- General Observations on BJTs
- Feedback
- The Operational Amplifier
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Chapter 2. Basic Building Blocks
- Publisher Summary
- The Common Cathode Triode Amplifier
- The Tetrode
- The Beam Tetrode and the Pentode
- The Cascode
- The Charge Amplifier
- The Cathode Follower
- Sources and Sinks: Definitions
- The Common Cathode Amplifier as a Constant Current Sink (CCS)
- The Cathode Follower with Active Load
- The White Cathode Follower
- The μ-Follower
- The Shunt-Regulated Push–Pull Amplifier (SRPP)
- The β-Follower
- The Cathode-Coupled Amplifier
- The Differential Pair
- Semiconductor Constant Current Sinks
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Chapter 3. Dynamic Range: Distortion and Noise
- Publisher Summary
- Distortion
- Digital Concepts
- The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
- Designing for Low Distortion
- Signal Amplitude
- Grid Current
- Distortion Reduction by Parameter Restriction
- Distortion Reduction by Cancellation
- DC Bias Problems
- Individual Valve Choice
- Coupling from One Stage to the Next
- Distortion and Negative Feedback
- Carbon Resistors and Distortion
- Noise
- Noise from Resistances
- Noise from Amplifying Devices
- Noise in DC references
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Chapter 4. Component Technology
- Publisher Summary
- Resistors
- General Considerations on Choosing Resistors
- Capacitors
- Different Types of Capacitors
- General Considerations in Choosing Capacitors
- Magnetic Components
- Inductors
- Transformers
- Why Should I Use a Transformer?
- General Considerations in Choosing Transformers
- Uses and Abuses of Audio Transformers
- Thermionic Valves
- Individual Elements of the Valve Structure
- Thoriated Tungsten Filament Fragility
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Chapter 5. Power Supplies
- Publisher Summary
- The Major Blocks
- Rectification and Smoothing
- Regulators
- Common-Mode Interference
- Practical Issues
- A Practical Design
- Adapting the Power Supply to the EC8010 RIAA Stage
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Chapter 6. The Power Amplifier
- Publisher Summary
- The Output Stage
- Classes of Amplifiers
- The Push–Pull Output Stage and the Output Transformer
- Output Transformer-Less (OTL) Amplifiers
- The Entire Amplifier
- The Driver Stage
- The Phase Splitter
- The Input Stage
- Stability
- Classic Power Amplifiers
- New Designs
- Single-Ended Madness
- The Scrapbox Challenge Single-Ended Amplifier
- Obtaining more than Single Digit Output Power
- Driving Higher Power Output Stages
- The Crystal Palace Amplifier
- The Bulwer-Lytton Scalable Parallel Push–Pull Amplifier
- References
- Further Reading
Chapter 7. The Pre-Amplifier
- Publisher Summary
- Input Selection
- Volume Control
- Balance Control
- Cable Driver
- Tone Control
- Obtaining a Clean Signal from Analogue Disc
- RIAA Stage Design
- A Simplified Example RIAA Stage
- 3180 μs and 318 μs Equalisation
- The EC8010 RIAA Stage
- The Balanced Hybrid RIAA Stage
- References
- Recommended Further Reading
Appendix
- Valve Data
- Standard Component Values
- Resistor Colour Code
- Plastic Capacitor Coding
- Cable
- Square Wave Sag and Low Frequency f−3 dB
- Playing 78s
- Equalisation
- Sourcing Components: Bargains and Dealing Directly
- References
Product details
- No. of pages: 700
- Language: English
- Copyright: © Newnes 2011
- Published: October 14, 2011
- Imprint: Newnes
- eBook ISBN: 9780080966410
- Paperback ISBN: 9780080966403
About the Author
Morgan Jones
Ratings and Reviews
Latest reviews
(Total rating for all reviews)
EdgardoSan J. Sat Jul 06 2019
Back to Valve Amps
Best info for learning valve amps! All subjects presented well. Students will love this book!
DieterBeckmann Sat May 11 2019
Valve Amplifiers
Very helpful. I loved to read it. Never read a better book about valve amplifiers before.