Will two 12AU7's fit into a 1590BB?

[Freekmagnet]

I'm gearing up to build a tube pedal. I don't want the tubes to be mounted on the exterior of the enclosure. Will two 12AU7's fit inside of a 1590BB along with 4 pots and a minimal perf board? Or should I just step up to a 1790NS?

Anyone have any pictures?

Thanks!

[SirBlend12]

You could probably pull it off, especially if the sockets are PCB mounted. You would need a good way to cushion everything, though. Perhaps mounting the board with a standoff and then using some rubber foam to cover the tubes.

If you keep most things small and tidy, you could probably get away with it.

[frequencycentral]

Why not use two 6111 submini tube instead, they sound great, operate in a similar way to 12AU7, they're tiny enough to fit small enclosures, and are available from Small Bear.

[SirBlend12]

Freq, you just ruined my day with how neat that box is! I should start using those wire strips or whatever you call them... might help the disarray in some of my boxes.

[Freekmagnet]

Thanks for your responses -

I am leaning toward the 6111's. The original circuit called for 12AU7's and I just want to consider all the options.

Do the 6111's get hot?

PS: That is a superb wiring job. Inspirational, in fact.

[frequencycentral]

Thank you gentlemen, I do my best.  And sorry for ruining anyone's day. The gut shot is of my Vintage Vibe submini tube vibrato.

6111's do get hot, but not melty hot. I usually file a couple of air vents into the side of the enclosure - just visible in the photo.

What circuit are you planning to build? I've used 6111's in place of 12U7/12AU7 in a couple of circuits - Vibracaster and Pepper Shredder. They worked out great.

[Freekmagnet]

Well, Freq,

Let it be known that I have been studying your posts here very carefully, and our input has been tremendous!

I'm looking to build this:

http://www.tube-town.net/diy/lov/lov04-sugar_box.html

I used google translate to read through the Tube Town forums and from what was able to glean, it's more of a bass preamp as opposed to an all out overdrive. Since I'm a bass player, building a tube driven bass preamp would be great! So, seeing how my tube experience is absolutely non-existent, I was thinking I might be better off just going with the proven 12AU7's as opposed to mucking around with the untried 6111's (i.e. untried in this particular circuit). That being said, I'd be happier with a smaller and more compact enclosure, so going with the 6111's would be more favorable.

I suppose I could just go for it and do it with th 6111's, but since I've never built anything with a tube in it before, I'm finding myself hesitant and uncertain.

[frequencycentral]

It would be pretty simple to translate the Sugar Box into a 6111 circuit. Firstly, run the two 6111 heaters in series from 12 volts. Then just a matter of changing the pinouts on the schematic to suit the pinouts of the 6111, as 6111 pinout differs from 12AU7. I would imagine that would be all. If you decide to go the submini route I'll offer you any help you need. 

[petemoore]

  The smaller tubes look like they'd dissipate less heat.
  Looking at the current consumption [data sheet] and comparing the two tube types of course would give some indication also.
  Consider the plate voltage while choosing tube type for the project. 

[sean k]

I looked at the circuit and if all you want to do is warm up the sound then there are far simpler ways to do it. A lot of the effort in that schematic is to be able to drive the tone controls what with the first tube paralleled up and the second as amp and follower so whats lost in the tone controls is regained. I think you might be better with one tube, a dual triode, in conjunction with a baxandall type tone control. Theres one in the back of the RCA manual plus a few in the AX84 amps. Plus with a bax you get boost as well as cut.

If it were my little project I'd do a bax with opamps then just have one dual triode following it with regular stages of gain to get the extra warmth that tubes give us.

Dare I say it but the schematic seems decidedly German 

[Freekmagnet]

Thanks guys, thanks for your help and suggestions.

I am still leaning toward the smaller tubes in the prefab circuit. I am admittedly still a paint by numbers pedal builder at this point, and designing my own pedal with tube gain stages and all that is a little beyond me. But we'll see. I'm still researching and trying something I can successfully build with a verified schematic and layout to refer to.

I'll probably get to ordering some tubes in the next week or two. In the meantime, I still have a couple of circuits on my desk to finish up, so I'm not in a huge hurry.

Thanks again!