PMillett Tube Preamp Build

[Ricardus]

Old thread, but my thread. 

I finally ordered a nice panel for this, so it should look cool when I get it.

This is the final step in the build process.

 

[peterc]

Great build, missed it the first time around...

 

[Ricardus]

Great build, missed it the first time around...

Thanks!

I'm going to build another down the road, but I have a few projects ahead of this in line.

I'll post a pic of that panel when I get it installed.

 

[fazer]

Nice build Ricardus. I enjoyed reading through your documentation.  It is definitely a learning experience and using lundahl input transformers are a snare no expense but well worth it.    Have you done some more recording now?    What have you used it on so far.   

 

[Ricardus]

Nice build Ricardus. I enjoyed reading through your documentation.  It is definitely a learning experience and using lundahl input transformers are a snare no expense but well worth it.    Have you done some more recording now?    What have you used it on so far. 

I've used this on vox, acoustic and electric guitars, and bass so far. Sounds great.

I've even brought it to live sound gigs just for fun when I was working with a singer songwriter person who only needed 2 inputs (voice and guitar) and it sounds great there too.

 

[Ricardus]

This is the final design for the panel. I came to the color choice (gold) over time.

I've been working on building 12 of the SSL 9000, 500-series preamps (I've got 8 done) and I settled on gold panels with cool blue knobs. So I ended up settling on gold with blue as a color scheme for a lot of the things I'm building.

 

[Ricardus]

Bow chicka wow wow...

Panel courtesy of Frank Rollen.

Looks amazing. Can't wait to get it so I can install it!

 

[Ricardus]

OK, she is finally DONE!

Panel from Frank Rollen came today, and I installed it.

I took the photo in the house tonight, but will take better glamour shots tomorrow with better lighting.

 

[scott2000]

Nice build! Thanks for the thread...

 

[rp]

Very nice! The blue knobs look great against the gold panel.

 

[Ricardus]

Nice build! Thanks for the thread...

Thanks!

 

[Ricardus]

Very nice! The blue knobs look great against the gold panel.

Thanks!

It's a color scheme I also used on some 500 series SSL 9000 preamps I made.

 

[Ricardus]

Took a pic in better light. Faster exposure, less blur.

 

[Ricardus]

I'm putting the band back together.

Also, I decided to build another two channels of this using CAPI's T-Pad output attenuator to be able to drive the tubes hard if you wanted to, and gain down the signal. I also ordered two of those EIZZ 24 step precision attenuators to use on the gain instead of pots.

Should be fun,

 

[dmas645]

I'm putting the band back together.

Also, I decided to build another two channels of this using CAPI's T-Pad output attenuator to be able to drive the tubes hard if you wanted to, and gain down the signal. I also ordered two of those EIZZ 24 step precision attenuators to use on the gain instead of pots.

Should be fun,

Did you ever do these modifications on the second pair? I’m almost finished mine haha just waiting on the plates to be cut out. Trying to figure out where I can wire in an indicator light off the board.lol

 

[Ricardus]

Did you ever do these modifications on the second pair? I’m almost finished mine haha just waiting on the plates to be cut out. Trying to figure out where I can wire in an indicator light off the board.lol

I have all of the stuff, and the PCB's are done. I just need to order the rack case to finish it up, but money is tight. The last 4 months have been hell.

I used a 120 volt indicator light and just powered it off the mains.

 

[thomasdf]

Curious about these EIZZ, what do you think of them ? Do they click / detent from steps to steps ?

 

[dmas645]

I have all of the stuff, and the PCB's are done. I just need to order the rack case to finish it up, but money is tight. The last 4 months have been hell.

I used a 120 volt indicator light and just powered it off the mains.

I tried that but interestingly enough, the light comes on the moment I plug in the power supply, no matter if the switch is on or off. I’m perplexed by it.

 

[dmas645]

Curious about these EIZZ, what do you think of them ? Do they click / detent from steps to steps ?

Yes they do! They seem to be built very well. The clicks need a bit of use to wear in evenly, but I really like mine.

 

[Ricardus]

Curious about these EIZZ, what do you think of them ? Do they click / detent from steps to steps ?

As he ^ said, yes they do. The click isn't loud like on a Grayhill, but they are detented and click a little.

I also agree the build quality seems excellent. They should last a really long time.

Can't wait to finish my 2nd PMillett preamp up.