Any good DIY tube preamps?

[MattAnonymous]

I have a Peavey Deuce 120 Watt amp with 4 6L6 power tubes, but a solid state preamp.  Are there any decent, but simple DIY preamp circuits out there so I can get the tube sound?  BTW does a tube power amp change the sound?  Seems like this was odd of Peavey to make this amp tubed, but with a solid state preamp.

[Brian Marshall]

tube poweramps contribute much to tube tone.  Arguably more so than preamps.  tubes in preamps act (basically) the same way jfet's do.  

I am not familiar with your amp, but i own a peavey ranger (which eventually replaced the duce as i understand)  it is all (well mostly) tube.  i think the tremelo, and reverb are SS.

From what i understand there are actually power jfets that are used to replace some old tube designs (i've been told but have no idea of aplication stereos, radios??!?!?!) that are used in power amps.  of course you are not really interested in the power side, as you have that covered.

Tubes sound as far as preamps go is more a myth IMHO  (well i shouldnt say myth... but there are better ways to try to simulate it)  if a fet preamp is designed right (most SSamps dont use fets they use bipolar trannys, or opamps) it can sound much like a tube preamp.

with preamps it is not so much harmonics that everyone talks about. but more pick attack and muliple gain stages.

When tubes or jfets amplify their DC output gets "pushed" arround, especially if it is high gain.  my theory is that it is this pushing motion effecting the next gain stage, and reacting with the output capacitor that gives tube preamps (and fets) their subtle tone differences.

I am not an authority, and most of this is from observation, not education.  I could be totally wrong, but some i have been working on a 2 stage and 4 stage jfet circuit, and they sound damn good to me.

[Mike Burgundy]

I tend to agree on the pre vs post statement by Brian. That said, yes, there are very good sounding tube pre's available.
Do a search in the archives on "Tube preamp" and read all the threads about it. This will a) give you a very good idea of something you want, and b) take you a day or two

[petemoore]

A nice Fet Pre-amp sounds like something I'd be very interested in.
 I need another pre-amp. I'm like one short, compared to my output amp collection.
 Plus, if I could find something great sounding, lightweight, not too hard to build, that would drive the Dyna ST70, I'd be doing good.
 I have many opamps laying around...how does a preamp differ from a booster...I've just been doin pretty DG with the boosters [up to a certain volume level].

[Lonestarjohnny]

I use a Peavey Classic in the living room, It's a 50 watt version of power tube's and a solid state pre, to get some warmth back in the pre I run a Real Tube Pre into it, give's this amp more of a Tube Sound and Feel when your playing it, I also retubed the Real Tube with Mullard tube's, gave it a smoother tone and less edgy distortion.
JD