For your amusement: WE 141-A preamp clone

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emrr

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
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Location
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Here's an example of the Western Electric 141-A preamp circuit I hacked into a recipe box years ago. Wish I had better pics of it. No WE 618-B here; using a 1960's era Gates Radio / Triad input transformer. I went with a pot for fully variable NFB gain control, versus the original (3) 10 dB steps, and added an input pad. Pretty nice high gain circuit that more people should try, given the low parts count and cathode follower output stage.


2627875831_a2669ec905_o.jpg
 
mmm.... Do you have schematics? I have some of those gates input transformers... How does it sound in this circuit?
 
Don't remember; I sold this 5-6 years ago.  Any standard mic to grid input will work.  The lack of output transformer definitely makes the bottom tighter.   Having a NFB based volume control, the tonal color does shift dramatically with adjustment end to end.    

circuit
 
Hi, :grin:

Yes ,it's an interesting schemo but it's seem to be very difficult to find information about the WE 618 transformer that is used in this preamp.did you have some information about it or what kind of transformer ratio could I used
instead of the WE 618?? It's seem to be a high gain preamp 40dB to 70dB,may be nice for ribbon mics :thumb: !

Best Regards,Bruno. :thumb:
 
'Mic to grid' is really all one needs to know. The sec is 30K, which no one makes anymore. Very little difference in practice from either 15K or 50K.
 
Hi, :grin:

Thank's for the reply,I was in this idea cause I've got interesting oep transformer from radiospares (x187b)which is done for 600/200 to 47k,so I m building with and in my local old electronics store I've found 4 6j7 ,I've got 12sn7 instead of 6, but.. :thumb:

Good caps+tubes+ glass of red wine and all this gone right :green:


Best regards,Bruno :thumb:
 
Wow , lush thats what I call DIY.....also would love to see the feedback path would like to knock one of these up, thanks for posting.
 
Interesting stuff here

http://www.butterylicious.com/Schematics/Western-Electric.htm

http://www.butterylicious.com/Schematics/Langevin.htm
 
What's going on with pins 7+8 on the 6SN7? Havent seen anything like that before.
Does pin 1 of the 6J7 go to ground?
What's the note on R15?

Your box looks awesome!
 
I would love to know what the comment on r15 says I'm guessing some type of gain setting. As for 7&8 of the 6sn7 thats just some fancy-ass heater artwork. 
 
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