Which is the best tube preamp for me?

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ctechdx

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
45
Location
Brazil
Hello folks,

I´m looking for a stereo tube preamp to build. I know theres a lot of projects in the internet and here on this forum, but I´m newbie on this and need some help to decide which one will be the best choice for me.

I gonna use this for audio recording. Will feed it with line signal, and go back to an AD converter to record the audio with the tube color.

What I need:

*Balanced inputs and outputs (it´s not a must, but would be great to have it)
*stereo preamp (or dual mono well matched)
*I want the tube sound but it has to be as clean as possible. (Lowest possible noise)
*I´m looking for fat low end and smooth highs sound
*I´m and experienced audio engineer but newbie on electronics. Better if there´s a kit avaible or some instructions to build.

Hope you guys can help me

Thank u so much!
 
Maybe something like the One Bottle.....

There's a revised schematic with feedback altered in this thread somewhere as well....

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=32566.0

Transformers will do some cool stuff too I'd imagine......
 
scott2000 said:
Maybe something like the One Bottle.....

There's a revised schematic with feedback altered in this thread somewhere as well....

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=32566.0

Transformers will do some cool stuff too I'd imagine......

Great, thanks! I gonna check!
Yes i Heard a lot about Transformers and their color. I know i Will need Transformers to have balanced ins and outs. Those Transformers can give me some coloring, or are the Power Transformers who does It? Thanks!
 
While waiting for others to chime in,

You can use the search function here or, as I find works well, type groupdiy and whatever you maybe looking for after, in the web....

for instance....try a web search using:
groupdiy transformers for color

etc....

Whatever has been talked about here before should reveal itself.
 
Whilst not a mic preamp (although people have used it as such) you could think about using a Gates STA Level as a line amplifier. Since you only seem to be interested in line level application this could be a good way to go. There is a stereo kit available.
 
ctechdx said:
Yes i Heard a lot about Transformers and their color. I know i Will need Transformers to have balanced ins and outs. Those Transformers can give me some coloring, or are the Power Transformers who does It? Thanks!
The worse the transformer, more colour it has...
Listen to Elvis; do you think the colour is in the transformers or in Elvis' throat?
 
Gates M5215 preamps are nice, either the EF86 version or the 5879 version.    If you can't find the original transformers, a UTC A11 will work for input and a UTC A24 for output.  According to the schematic, there is no DC in the  output transformer primary.  You can also source some Lundahl or Sowter iron.  You will need a DC power source delivering 275 to 300 volts for the HT and 6.3 volts DC for the heaters.
 
I finished a Pete Millet tube preamp last year. He sells it is a mono board but I bought two and did a dual channel preamp and put it in a rack box. It's not a beginner project, but it sounds great.

I did a build thread on it.

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=72268.0
 
This is a very complex question since your taste may vary a lot from others...

Perhaps go clean and fatten the sound with help from other equipment?

If your looking for tube circuits there are a ton of them on the internet... get good transformers... some of the brands have been mentioned already.

Are you looking for PCB or are you going p2p or with home made turret boards?

Two channels in the same bow will require some thoughts concerning the layout and power supply as well...

But go clean and with full band width for sure...

Best regards

// John
 

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