Poor Man's Tube Gain Make Up Stage

[MrZpliff]

Thank's again 

For gain make up for a passive mix bus you can certainly go straight in across the 1M from grid to 0V. I often put the master level control here too. So your mix bus is connected to the top of the master level pot and its wiper goes the grid/1M as before.

At first I thought I wouldn't need a master level control but it's probably a very good idea to have a master fader.
Farnell has Alps faders, they're 10K.
Edit: I see now that they have Bourns aswell, but they're all 10K

 

[ruffrecords]

At first I thought I wouldn't need a master level control but it's probably a very good idea to have a master fader.
Farnell has Alps faders, they're 10K.
Edit: I see now that they have Bourns aswell, but they're all 10K

A 10k log pot should work fine. If you are doing the balanced mix (as per earlier posts) with a 10K:10K transformer then you can just connect the 10K pot across the secondary and connect the wiper to the grid/1M.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MrZpliff]

The power transformer from Tube-town arrived yesterday so I tested the PSU.

I wonder if the 1K, 1W resistors should be a little beefier, say 5W ?
At least the first resistor.  It gets really really hot (smoke) when you turn the power on.
I suppose this is because of the high current(inrush) when the caps get loaded ?
After the first few seconds it seems to get stable though...

I get approx. 270 V AC (for the HT) and 360V DC unloaded. I haven't connected the pcb with the tubes yet.
Should be safe to do so to measure the voltage when loaded ?

 

[CJ]

make it a 10 watt, standard value for a sandblock type resistor, you know the white square ones,

only use the 100 percent safety factor for 1/4 watt resistors and less,
ie 1/8 watt calculated power would use a 1/4 watt,
1/16 th watt you would use a 1/8th watt,

but after that, you need 5 to 10 times the heat handling just to be safe and to allow for restricted air flow, over voltage due to power line fluctuations,

only reason to use a resistor that gets real hot would be to keep the inside of a electronics device warm so as to provide a stable temp so the device does not drift, to keep it dry in a wet enviro, or to act as a fuse if a tube shorts out, etc.

maybe some old ham radio guy might tell you they used 2 watt carbon comp to regulate the voltage, as it gets warmer, the resistance goes up, current goes down, but that is way old school,

no reason not to check voltage with your supply hooked up to the board,

as a precaution, ohm out the pc board and make sure you do not have zero ohms from ground to the B+ lead, not a great check but better than nothing,

 

[MrZpliff]

Thank's CJ  8)

I'll hook it up and check. See if I have som 10w resistors left.
Will be back and report.

 

[ruffrecords]

Thank's CJ  8)

I'll hook it up and check. See if I have som 10w resistors left.
Will be back and report.

That should do it. A lot depends on the rating of the transformer and the better ones have a quite low output resistance which can make the inrush current into the first resistor quite high when you first switch on. The dissipation is very much lower after that. I have have the odd first resistor smoke and had to replace them with 5W or 10W types. The exact value is not critical so if you have anything between say 470 ohms and 1.5K it should be OK.

Cheers

Ian

 

[CJ]

OT

there is an scr circuit that switches 120/240 vac, it uses two 10 ohm resistors across 120/240,

this would mean 240/10 = 24  amps = 5760 watts thru a 1/4 watt resistor,

however, the voltage across the resistor is used to trigger the gate of the SCR which happens very fast, after the scr is tripped, no current flows thru the resistor,

so the duty cycle is so small that the resistor does not even get warm,

this is the only case i know of where you can get away with a grossly underrated resistor, interesting, ehh?

or not.

carry on...

 

[MrZpliff]

Fired it up tonight. Everything's running smooth. I rolled my own power resistor out of a couple of two watts and a couple of one watts.. Series/parallell... Well 1k 6w for the first resistor. The voltages are a little high though. 6,6 V heaters and 330 V ht. I'm using the primary for 240 V so I can't lower it that way. I guess you can live with it but I'd like to lower the heater voltage. A resistor in series with the heater dropping 0.3 V at 1.2 A gives 0.25 ohm... ? Hmmm can't be right can I ?

 

[CJ]

the heater voltage is fine, i bought a huge hammond pwr trans with 10 amps of heater and it runs at about 6.7 volts, why? because it is a hammond, probably a canadian plot to make the us use more energy, the guy who plays the bass amp i built with it says it is the best amp he has heard, and thats what all his friends say too, so maybe the better thermionic emission creates and edison effect of audio nirvana due the increased space charge, it is a Ampeg Portaflex that i built with a western electric 1940's output that i hope hangs in there,
you get better glow off the chassis at night with the healthy heaters, even the 5u4 i used is running at 5,6 volts because all i had for hv iso fil trans was a utc 6.3 volts that i knocked down with resistors on both the pri and sec to distribute the heat evenly, not good for global warming, best to use a 5 voltt trans for the rect.

so if the average human lives to be 70, and the first 18 years of that is you trapped in a prison we call school, then you might get 30 years of good audio under your belt before you croak, if your average, and lucky,
so at worst, if the tubes burn out in 10 years, you only need three sets of tubes to get you through your audio life, if you keep at it the whole time and do not get sidetracked by other stuff,

me? i leave the radio on all night, the radio is on in the car and the music never stops because it is a necessity just like toilet paper,

here is my listening schedul for the month of may,

Specials and Events
Always all kinds of stuff happening Planetary Sounds from Cleveland-The Music of Dan Curtin Part 2
Friday Mayhem 11 10M to 2:AM
Hosted by Goodwrench

This special will chronicle the musical output of electronic producer Dan Curtin, whose Cleveland ?based label Metamorphic gained world-wide attention in the early 90's resulting in outstanding releases on Sublime, Peacefrog and many others.
Bay Area masters of the "lap piano"
Saturday Mayhem 12 12M to 3M
Hosted by Page of Wands
Long before the electronic age when not every home could afford a piano, many COULD afford a guitar, which was sometimes called "the lap piano." Hear local masters play jazz on theirs ("Oh, Baby, Baby Baby...").

Don't Just Dream It, Scream It!: The Dion McGregor Special
Saturday Mayhem 12 3M to 6M
Hosted by Curtis Kimby

You think YOU talk in your sleep? Pack your pillow, pull on your PJ's and pop over to Dion McGregor's pad for a hysterically deranged dip into dreamland.
Sax on the Beach
Saturday Mayhem 12 7M to 9M
Hosted by Cousin Mary

Fans usually think of the guitar as the dominant instrument in Surf Music, but in the early days the saxophone shared the limelight. We'll take a trip back to the 1960's and also explore how the sax continues to ride the waves of Reverb.
Return to the HOUSE OF GAMES, Part 2
Sunday Mayhem 13 9:AM to 12M
Hosted by Nancy Reagan, Roland Blunt and others

To commemorate the late KFJC DJ JACK DIAMOND, we will play selections from the new Jack Diamond library and play excerpts from his radio show.
Give Me Immortality Or Give Me Death
Sunday Mayhem 13 12M to 7M
Hosted by Nancy Reagan, Uncle Al, Max Level, Kevin O'Dante and others

Playing the best of the Firesign Theater albums and excerpts from the radio show.
Arithmetic Lessons
Sunday Mayhem 13 10M to 2:AM
Hosted by Surfer Rosa and abacus finch

4 hours of mathematical inconsistencies, rhythmic asymmetries, and structural unpredictability. Anything but four (well maybe a little bit).
The Monday Beatdown
Monday Mayhem 14 10:AM to 2M
Hosted by Japanic

The plan for this Mayhem special is to recreate an episode of the legendary Hip-Hop radio show "The Monday Beatdown" - which was hosted by Spiderman and aired on KFJC Mondays, 10am - 2pm (ca. '95-00). During its time, The Monday Beatdown (and Spiderman) garnered much respect and a dedicated following - both in the Hip-Hop Community & the Independent Music Community in general. The Monday Beatdown was definitely a unique listening experience. For those that tuned in, they definitely got their fix of Hardcore Underground Hip-Hop, but it wasn't uncommon to hear the likes of Voivod dropped in a set with Non Phixion, Third Sight & El Stew or Godstomper in the mix with Pharaohs of Funk, Organized Confusion & The Derelicts. So, tune-in for some rough & rugged sounds, along with a few surprises, that will make this special reminiscent of a classic Beatdown episode.
Give Me Immortality Or Give Me Death
Monday Mayhem 14 6M to Midnight
Hosted by Nancy Reagan, Uncle Al, Max Level, Kevin O'Dante and others

Playing the best of the Firesign Theater albums and excerpts from the radio show.
Summertime time time
Tuesday Mayhem 15 8:AM to 10:AM
Hosted by Surfer Rosa.

Two hours of songs about the summertime to help you ease into summer and bathe in the sunshine.
Back and Forth
Tuesday Mayhem 15 12M to 4M
Hosted by Mickey Slim and abacus finch

An amalgamation of Slim's blues and Abacus' sounds into a cut-and-paste four hour long segment (taken from two hours of each of the DJs shows). Expect Mississippi Delta Skronk, Post-War Chicago Noise, Experimental Hokum Improv, Rhythm and Thrash, and Death Metal Zydeco, Minimalist Harmonica Jams, Acid Boogie, and Freegrass.
You Talkin' to Me? Spoken Interludes in American Popular Music
Tuesday Mayhem 15 6M to 8M
Hosted by Art Crimes

Nothing seals the deal in a pop song better than to hear the voice of the singer as he or she stops for a moment and launches into a monologue that conveys the true dimensions of their misery, as they open to that good friend... the one who's always there when it counts. (That's you, dear listener.) We'll hear some of the saddest (and jaw-droppingly ridiculous) recitations ever, sampling from a smorgasboard of genres: country, soul, blues, and the saddest of all... disco.
CHRIS JOSS: Bombay By Bus and All After
Wednesday Mayhem 16 8:AM to 10:AM
Hosted by Ann Arbor

Originally from France, Christophe Josse, now known as Chris Joss, lives, produces and plays music in the U.K. In addition to his own releases, his work has been featured in movies, movie trailers, commercials, media software, games and compilation albums. Ann Arbor first heard "Bombay by Bus" when it was released in 1999 and has been following Chris Joss' work ever since. Join Ann as she interviews Chris Joss and showcases his music.
Jewelled Antler Collective
Wednesday Mayhem 16 2M to 6M
Hosted by abacus finch

A complete immersion into the earthly tones emanating from artists associated with the mythological Jewelled Antler Collective that emerged out of the San Francisco area in 1999.
Futurist Music and the First 100 Years of Noise
Thursday Mayhem 17 7M to 10M
Hosted by Pete Dixon and Anoush Ella

Futurism besieged the Italian cultural scene of the early twentieth century, advancing on a number of artistic fronts from literature to gastronomy. The movement launched scores of manifestos, including an initial treatise on music by composer Francesco Balilla Pratella in 1910. It was the painter Luigi Russolo, however, who turned his mind to sound with "The Art of Noises" (1913) and created a new Futurist music. With his uniquely engineered 'intonarumori' (noise-makers), Russolo brought the sound of noise into composition and performance. A subject of recent research publications, this special will trace Russolo's influence from Europe of a century ago to the noise heard around the world today.
Time for more Vitamin B-3
Friday Mayhem 18 10:AM to 2M
Hosted by Cousin Mary

In Mayhem of 2009, Cousin Mary did a special show called "Get your vitamin B-3" featuring all jazz and blues organ as played on the Hammond B-3. It's time to get back to some fundamental funk nutrition!
From the Ashes-The Revival of 100% Pure Part 1
Friday Mayhem 18 10M to 2:AM
Hosted by Goodwrench

In the 90's the 100% Pure Label, based in Amsterdam was a standard-bearer for quality Dutch Techno. They sadly ceased operations after 1998, but sprang to life again in 2004. This special will look at the prolific output of this label since that time, including releases from Shindoe, 2000 and One, DJ Madskillz, and others.
DJ Female Convict Scorpion
Saturday Mayhem 19 12M to 3M
Hosted by Thom Ankhs

DJ Female Convict Scorpion live in the pit.
Touchy Me Here!: The Luie Luie Special
Saturday Mayhem 19 3M to 5M
Hosted by Curtis Kimby

It is very important to get together and touch! Luie Luie is the one man band providing the far out soundtrack for fun physical contact!
Music from the Bay Area Improviser's Network
Saturday Mayhem 19 6M to 9M
Hosted by Page of Wands

Musicians committing extreme improvisation. An artistic collective with a connection to the Free Jazz movement.
Return to the HOUSE OF GAMES, Part 3
Sunday Mayhem 20 9:AM to 12M
Hosted by Nancy Reagan, Roland Blunt and others

To commemorate the late KFJC DJ JACK DIAMOND, we will play selections from the new Jack Diamond library and play excerpts from his radio show.
Fiesta Patronales
Sunday Mayhem 20 12M to 3M
Hosted by eveningly infinitely wipes

A recording of a patronage festival held in January 2012 in the town of La Laha, Mexico, celebrating and held in the honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe will be presented, a day of parade, community, music, dance, and mass, locally known as a day to hold dear those of the Mexican-American Diaspora.
Buried Alive Under Six feet of Sludge
Sunday Mayhem 20 10M to 2:AM
Hosted by Surfer Rosa

Four painful hours of Doom and Sludge, exploring the genre in its many incarnations and applications. We will also dabble into closely related sub and sub sub genres. Music will be arranged in order of its historical and timely appearance on the sonic timeline, that is, by year. So do your neck stretches and take out your filthy black trenchcoat.
Hank Williams
Monday Mayhem 21 10:AM to 2M
Hosted by Sally Goodin

Despite his short life, Hank Williams has had a major influence on country music. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists, in pop, blues, soul, jazz, cajun, gospel and rock styles. Join Sally Goodin for a program of his songs, sung by Hank and others.
Space Is The Place
Tuesday Mayhem 22 starting Monday 10M to Wednesday 2:AM
Hosted by Spliff Skankin', Nancy Reagan, eveningly infinitely wipes, Jazz Collective and others

A 28 hour birthday tribute to Sun Ra and his Arkestra with live recordings, rare tracks, artist interviews and profiles, poetry, lectures, astrology and a fashion show. The full spectrum of the Sun Ra omniverse will be explored from doo-wop to space-pop.
TONY ALLEN: On Beyond Fela
Wednesday Mayhem 23 8:AM to 10:AM
Hosted by Ann Arbor

Tony Oladipo Allen is best known as the music director of Fela Anikulapo Kuti's band Africa 70 from 1968 to 1979. Fela once stated that, "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat." Brian Eno called him "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived." Ann Arbor will look at his work after 1979 when he left Fela's band and went out on his own.
Get it on with MC Mabon from A_Zed!
Wednesday Mayhem 23 2M to 7M
Hosted by Shark Starr I

Highlighting the career of the 'Serge Gainsbourg' of Wales! Playing all 9 albums plus singles, Radio Cymru sessions and his proto rap group Tystion.
With Malice Aforethought, Part 2
Wednesday Mayhem 23 7M to 10M
Hosted by Goodwrench and Greta Clue

There are covers that equal or better the original song. Then again, there are covers that butcher the original, sometimes with an extra twist of knife for good measure. There are also those covers (however earnest) that make you rear back and exclaim, "what the **** were they thinking?" At any rate, there was a special in 2008 offering up 7 hours of said covers. Sad to say, there's a lot of malice and misplaced zeal about in the world, and a lot of audio butchery yet to be revealed. Mark your calendars for three more hours of audio comeuppance, along with clueless individuals (sometimes it's a group thang) getting it hilariously wrong.
Lord of the Dance
Thursday Mayhem 24 7:AM to 8:AM
Hosted by Pax Humana

What do English songwriter Sydney Carter, Shiva, Jesus, and the Quaker song "Simple Gifts" have to do with "Lord of the Dance"? Tune in for this hour of a mini-lesson on this hymn made popular by Irish-American dancer and choreographer Michael Flatley.
2012 Eurovision Song Mayhem Special
Thursday Mayhem 24 10:AM to 2M
Hosted by Sir Cumference

A presentation of the various entries to this year's Eurovision Song Contest being held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Along the way, we'll be also hear some the past participants from the contest's 57 year history. We'll hear the good, the bad and cheesy pop songs from all over Europe.
From the Ashes-The Revival of 100% Pure Part 2
Friday Mayhem 25 10M to 2:AM
Hosted by Goodwrench

In the 90's the 100% Pure Label, based in Amsterdam was a standard-bearer for quality Dutch Techno. They sadly ceased operations after 1998, but sprang to life again in 2004. This special will look at the prolific output of this label since that time, including releases from Shindoe, 2000 and One, DJ Madskillz, and others.
120'00
Saturday Mayhem 26 6M to 8M
Hosted by Cousin Mary

Tune in for two hours of exploration of John Cage's work. Exhilarating or maddening? You decide. Alex Ross in The New Yorker, October 4, 2010: "John Cage held that an artist can work as freely with sound as with paint: he changed what it meant to be a composer, and every kid manipulating music on a laptop is in his debt."
Day of the Dead
Sunday Mayhem 27 12:AM to 2:AM Monday
Hosted by Goodwrench and others

"They're Dead, that's all".
24 HOURS of FELA KUTI
Monday Mayhem 28 2:AM to 2:AM Tuesday
Hosted by Ann Arbor w/ DJ Bobo Z and others

Fela Anikulapo Kuti saw no distinction between his art and his life. He drew from a lifetime of experiences both in his home country and abroad, as Western influences -- funk and Black Power -- merged with ancestral Yoruba traditions and music from Nigeria and Ghana. The eventual results were Afrobeat, and his development of a communal nation-state, the Kalakuta Republic. We'll look at Fela's development beginning with the transitional highlife-jazz of Koola Lobitos, and then add large doses of political activism and James Brown-style funk for his big bands Nigeria '70, Africa '70 and Egypt '80, often powered by his drummer of choice for 20 years, Tony Allen. We'll follow up with where Afrobeat has gone in the post-Fela era.
Catch the Weasel!
Tuesday Mayhem 29 2M to 6M
Hosted by abacus finch

For over 2 decades Weasel Walter has been a prolific figure in the underground/experimental music scene with projects ranging from the Flying Luttenbachers to various jazz ensembles and collaborations with the likes of Jim O'Rourke, Terrie Ex, Glenn Branca and Henry Kaiser. For four hours we will explore this massive output of musical creation and destruction. Abandon all preconceptions...
Cariad Cymru
Wednesday Mayhem 30 2M to 7M
Hosted by Shark Starr I

Translates to Welsh Love! Playing all Welsh music from the sixties to present with emphasis on the Super Furry Animals!!!!
Tip Toe Thru' the Tulips With Me: A Tribute to Tiny Tim
Thursday Mayhem 31 7:AM to 10:AM
Hosted by Pax Humana

Did you ever stop to consider the wide vocal range of Tiny Tim? Probably not. Many view him as simply a laughable character, but this Mayhem special will examine his life as recorded in his music.
Rova Saxophone Quartet
Friday June 1 10:AM to 2M
Hosted by Goodwrench

Bay Area based Rova Saxophone Quartet has been a nucleus of creativity since 1977, with a host of albums under their own name, as well as many side projects. This special will attempt to untangle some of their prodigious output. Expect challenge.

Wednesday June 27: KFJC co-presents Quintron and Miss Pussycat @ The Blank Club

here is the link for the web cast

http://www.kfjc.org/netcast/kfjc_128.asx

 

[MrZpliff]

....maybe the better thermionic emission creates and edison effect of audio nirvana due the increased space charge...

so if the average human lives to be 70, and the first 18 years of that is you trapped in a prison we call school, then you might get 30 years of good audio under your belt before you croak, if your average, and lucky,
so at worst, if the tubes burn out in 10 years, you only need three sets of tubes to get you through your audio life, if you keep at it the whole time and do not get sidetracked by other stuff,

me? i leave the radio on all night, the radio is on in the car and the music never stops because it is a necessity just like toilet paper,

Ha ha  8) I hear ya CJ. I'm absolutely chasing after audio nirvana so i'll get some extra tubes just in case they've stopped making them in 2050  (i'll be 72 by then, if still alive and probably deaf as a post but anyway)

I'll leave the radio on tonight just to honor you sir.

 

[ruffrecords]

Fired it up tonight. Everything's running smooth. I rolled my own power resistor out of a couple of two watts and a couple of one watts.. Series/parallell... Well 1k 6w for the first resistor. The voltages are a little high though. 6,6 V heaters and 330 V ht. I'm using the primary for 240 V so I can't lower it that way. I guess you can live with it but I'd like to lower the heater voltage. A resistor in series with the heater dropping 0.3 V at 1.2 A gives 0.25 ohm... ? Hmmm can't be right can I ?

This heater voltage is normal and quite OK. Heaters are usually rated at 6.3V +-10% so they can be as high as 6.9V with no problems. The reason it is high is most likely that the transformer is rated for more heater current than you are actually drawing. If you were to add more tubes so the current takeing was equal to the transformer rating then the voltage would drop to close to 6.3V.

Your resistance calculation is correct.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MrZpliff]

Thank's for the explanation, that's what i suspected since the psu is unregulated. Was a bit worried about much shorter tubelife... Do you see any reaspn to lower the HT (330V) ?

 

[ruffrecords]

Thank's for the explanation, that's what i suspected since the psu is unregulated. Was a bit worried about much shorter tubelife... Do you see any reaspn to lower the HT (330V) ?

300V is usually more than enough but the 6CG7 will take 330V no problem. You can lower the HT by increasing the value of the 1K resistors in the power supply. Leave the first one as it is but you could try increasing the others to 3K3 which should drop the HT closer to 300V. All this will do is give you a little extra smoothing on the HT which is good. A single poor mas tube gain make up stage will consume about 5mA from the HT so every extra 1K you add will drop 5V.

Cheers

Ian

 

[CJ]

you can use a huge non polarized cap to knock down the pri voltage, but it has to be rated at 400 or above and be about,

1/6.28(60)C= 1/377C = 100 uf maybe?

were talkin a huge waste of a great cap, but there will be no heat,

don't even think about 2 ea. lytics back to back,

unless you wanna look like phil spector,  8)

where did i learn about this trick?

l ron hubbard,

he built an e meter with a nice wood case that had a charging circuit consisting of a a mylar cap feeding a rectifier that charged the ni cad batteries,
that way the heat does not make the ni cads leak and thus throw off the calibration on the e meter which means that the pre clear will jump out the window because she/he thought they had a f/n = floating needle, just when they thought the 20 grand they spent was gonna get them to OT 7 and nirvana, wtf, over?
and whats up with travolta?  ok lets not get OT, what was the question?

hey those old e meters have hecka cool vu meters if you change the label, super sensitive, just break into your nearest scientology center and have a lookskie,  8)

travolta, now he would have made a great electronics teacher with a name like that, eh?


hey teach, do you like gladiator movies?

ever seen a grown man nekid, punk?

 

[MrZpliff]

Wired the transformers, faders and some connectors and sent some music through it. Sounds Splendid 
No hum or buzz or anything. I'm still to wire the passive network but the amp works great.

 

[CJ]

so what is your next question?

 

[MrZpliff]

so what is your next question?

In the nineties we used to wonder and speculat whatever happend to Richey Edwards, guitarist in Manic Street Preachers. Nobody seems to care anymore.... He was officially presumed dead in 2008, but ... Was he kidnapped by the snowman ? CIA ? did he meet Elvis ?

the other question: Will it ever be as good as in the good old days or is just downhill from now on ?

 

[ruffrecords]

the other question: Will it ever be as good as in the good old days or is just downhill from now on ?

For someone, somewhere, right now is the good old days.

I think the thing about the good old days is there are aspects of them that are worth preserving - like decent sized studios with well controlled good sounding acoustics. Like a group playing in a room together and creating a track with real vibe rather than recording instruments one by one to a click track. Like using nothing more than 8 track analogue tape. Like vacuum tube consoles.

For me, the good old days are the 60s and 70s when I was in my teens and twenties. There was a 'can do' attitude about everything in the industry in those days. Today's money grabbing corporate monsters make it feel more like a 'f... you' attitude.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MrZpliff]

the other question: Will it ever be as good as in the good old days or is just downhill from now on ?

For someone, somewhere, right now is the good old days.

I think the thing about the good old days is there are aspects of them that are worth preserving - like decent sized studios with well controlled good sounding acoustics. Like a group playing in a room together and creating a track with real vibe rather than recording instruments one by one to a click track. Like using nothing more than 8 track analogue tape. Like vacuum tube consoles.

For me, the good old days are the 60s and 70s when I was in my teens and twenties. There was a 'can do' attitude about everything in the industry in those days. Today's money grabbing corporate monsters make it feel more like a 'f... you' attitude.

Cheers

Ian

The question(s) is very tongue in cheek  but i have to agree that MUSICALLY the 60s - early 70s is the good old days indeed.
Magic was created in a way and at a pace that probably will never be repeated (but tomorrow never knows ... )

For me personally it's the good old days right now. Because i'm here doing stuff and reasonably  healthy 

One serious question, though:

How is the best way to implement (correct word ?) monitoring. I can do it from my soundcard, but it would be very convenient to
be able to take the signal straight from the output to monitor speakers/headphones. I do hav a headphoneamp already so line level only.

I'm also thinking ahead as i'm very likely to turn this build into an Eez-mixer....

 

[ruffrecords]

How is the best way to implement (correct word ?) monitoring. I can do it from my soundcard, but it would be very convenient to
be able to take the signal straight from the output to monitor speakers/headphones. I do hav a headphoneamp already so line level only.

I'm also thinking ahead as i'm very likely to turn this build into an Eez-mixer....

Implement is the correct word but you would normally say 'What' is the best way rather than 'How'

Monitoring is a common function in a mixer. Most mixers provide separate outputs for monitoring that you can connect to a loudspeaker amplifier or a headphones amp. Some even include the headphones amp. Monitoring can usually be switched between a number of sources. Usually at least the mixer stereo outputs and a 2 track return from a master recorder are included. In your case the 2 track return would probably be the output from your sound card. Beyond that there are lots of other features you could add like a stereo/mono switch, access to AUX buses, solo so you can listen to a single channel and so on. Often meters are also connected to the monitor outputs for level checking.

Monitoring can get very complicated. On some of the Neve mixers I worked on in the 70s there was a separate monitor mixer just for the producer so he could play around as much as he liked without affecting the actual recording which was controlled by the engineer.

So, the best way really depends on exactly what you want it to do.

Cheers

Ian