gyrator board – Bartola® Valves

2P29L DHT Preamp – final build

Finally I managed to build a stable version of the 2P29L preamp. The wooden modular version inspired on DHTRob designs paid off. Here it is:

The result is fantastic. The 2P29L is a superb DHT, quiet and it sounds amazing. The circuit is similar to the original one but with a slightly different operating point due to the valves themselves:

I’m still running them at 20mA. This time the anode voltage has to be increased to 150V to achieve this. Consistent across the 2 valves used.

C2 was modified to fit a gift I received from my friend Vyacheslav. Instead of the usual 220nF, I fit a bigger 470nF FT-3 version which improves the LF response.

The frequency response is very good, as I published before. For the curious ones, here are some further pictures of the build:

I can’t say more than what I said before. This is a fantastic DHT, it provides a great detailed sound and is quiet. No microphonic noise and the dynamics are great. One of my favourite clearly.

2Ж27Л / 2Z27L DHT Preamp

Back in 2012 I did some experiments with this Russian valve. The 2Ж27Л / 2Z27L is a fantastic valve. I discovered that if I run it hot, it’s extremely linear and non-microphonic. Bingo! With its highish μ of about 16, it’s ideal as preamp stage or driver.

Continue reading “2Ж27Л / 2Z27L DHT Preamp”

6Ж49П-ДР/6J49P-DR High Gain Stage

Time ago I wrote about this sterling Russian valve. It’s extremely linear in triode mode, sounds superb and isn’t microphonic. My friend Paul LeClerq has used it as first stage of his guitar amplifier and is delighted. A real dormer one. I hope it doesn’t disappear when valve hoarders go out and grab every big lot of valve that exists. Anyhow, I have more than I need myself, so I’m not worried.

The triode driver

Continue reading “6Ж49П-ДР/6J49P-DR High Gain Stage”

2P29L DHT Preamp

The Mule saga continues and it was time to modify the 3B7 preamp and to test the 2P29L valve. This was quite easy as they both have loctal sockets. I had to modify the Rod Coleman filament regulator to set the filament current down to 120mA. Then a bit of wiring work, and in less than an hour a new preamp was ready. Job done, this is why I built the Mule:

The circuit is quite close to my original design time ago. I modified the filament resistor to use an existing Russian NOS wirewound part I had in stock and suit this preamp quite well. Added grid and screen stoppers as well:

Continue reading “2P29L DHT Preamp”

C-299/CX-299 DHT Preamplifier

The start of a different DHT experience with the Mule

I built the “Mule” to provide enough flexibility to test other DHTs as pre-amplifier / line stage. Using the gyrator board, the flexibility is fantastic. Can share same HT and dial the right anode voltage. The LT supply can also be shared amongst many DHTs and Rod Coleman provided me with a set of different resistors to test the list of 9 or 10 DHTs I have in mind which haven’t listed carefully on this design.

The C-299

Continue reading “C-299/CX-299 DHT Preamplifier”

Gyrator FET options (More!)

Someone had to invest and sacrifice some gyrator boards to test various lower FETs (either depletion or enhancement devices as well as TO-92 or SMD options). That was me.

Why? Because I want to push this circuit further and find the best options as well as provide to the builders out there some other device alternatives when they can’t solder SMD components.

So let me present you the abused test mule and the various boards under the mercy of my tests:

Continue reading “Gyrator FET options (More!)”

Russian PSE in Steroids (6E5P into 4P1L) – Part II

Well, it was obvious I couldn’t leave last post as it was. There is an option to change the driver for a different valve. You can use a C3m (low gain in triode mode which is ideal here), a C3g, E180F/E280F. 6S45P or my loved 6E5P (or 6E6P) as the driver. Not longer a 100% DHT, but a nice option for sure. The 6E5P is extremely linear, good driver, with a nice gain (μ=30) in triode – perhaps more than enough for a 4P1L stage and would help in avoiding additional filament supplies.

The 6E5P has curves not dissimilar to the 4P1L as no further distortion cancelation can be seen. Here is the updated schematic if you’re interested in playing with:

Again, the gyrator PCB can be easily used to simplify the build of this amp. The 6E5P is not driven hard, but at a nice current of 20mA which makes the driver operate in a linear region (and with good sound) with just a pair of red LEDs. The nearly 30dB of gain will make this amp to be very sensitive. The 5W can be easily achieved with 1Vpp, so you will need to have an attenuator, no preamp needed clearly. The 6E5P will drive an 300B nicely here which needs the voltage gain, not like the 4P1L.

As you can see, there are plenty of option to try on this 4P1L PSE amplifier.