Scott Hampton's 2002 Tape Op Tube Pre: Anyone built it?

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vizcities

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Jul 29, 2015
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As you can tell, I'm very curious about Scott Hampton's DIY-friendly designs - they seem like an inexpensive way to inject useful colors into my setup.  In the July/August 2002 issue of Tape Op, he outlined a solder jockey-friendly tube pre that, as he noted at the time, could produce two channels for ~$400 (though I'm sure inflation factors in here). Has anyone built the project? Is it roughly as easy as the FETBoy appears to be? Is it worth building? While the FETBoy seems to have many happy builders and some documentation floating around, this tube precursor seems to have gotten the short shrift.
 
i believe it is this one
http://www.tangible-technology.com/ipr/AE230/html/wk_6/hamptone_fet_scan.pdf
 
Here is amp schematic (think it was always 12AY7 input). Front end is typical 20dB pad and phantom. Psu HT has cap multiplier with FET and zeners, then there is FET into LM317 with some protection generating 50V for series heaters and phantom.
I would separate this part, not sure if it can make quiet preamp.
Built it with E182CC output and later changed for one revision of RCA BC-3C's mic amp. Can't really say now which was better because transformers were not the same and i wasn't experienced yet. RCA sounds very good for sure, Hamptone was simple build and quiet with different psu/separated heater winding.
 

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insideout said:
Hi,  Scott has asked that it not be revived, so to speak.

Strange since it was published in Tapeop.

http://tapeop.com/tutorials/30/build-tube-mic-pre/

I've purchased the back issue and here's the pdf.

Replace .jpg with .pdf

Mark
 

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The tube preamps I have been building for myself are based on the Hampton article, but I've also made several changes to it as well. Different PSU regulators, added low shelf, PIO caps, etc. Always wondered what it's based on. The Jensen schematics share some similarities.
 

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