Tube boost + overdrive running off a 9 volt battery

waky · March 14, 2009, 10:41:36 PM

Guys i have been following this thread for a while and i really want to make my own valvecaster, but over here a tube is like 60$ a single tube T_T .... Is it really worth it?

if so, i'll build one

!!!

PD: 1000 Posts on this thread

kurtlives · March 14, 2009, 11:10:41 PM

Its a cool unit, I would never pay $60 for a new stock tube though. Well fro a generic 12AU7...

Why not order from another coutntry or a cheaper source?

waky · March 14, 2009, 11:34:45 PM

its almost impossible to order anything from outside in venezuela

.... the sources ive found are these ....

http://www.audiopormenos.com/tubos-de-vacio.html... it reads for a 6l6 "179 bs." the ratio to a dollar is 2,15... so 179/2,15 is 80$!! i realize its a power tube and probably preamp tubes are cheaper. But still is way too expensive =/ thats the only sourve ive found here

Edit: Just so you see how big of an overprice here... a big muff for around 200$

Jered · March 15, 2009, 04:51:02 AM

Waky, send me your address in a PM

Renegadrian · March 15, 2009, 05:27:34 AM

Quote from: Jered on March 15, 2009, 04:51:02 AM
Waky, send me your address in a PM

Jered, you're a saint...you know why...

Renegadrian · March 15, 2009, 10:08:13 AM

Just found this on istructables, seems interesting...thought it should have its place in this topic...

The ValveLiTzer: Low-voltage Tube Booster

archaon13 · March 15, 2009, 04:12:42 PM

Quote from: frequencycentral on March 14, 2009, 07:11:13 PM
If the chassis is plastic and just the nut is metal then thats fine.

fixed! i used a new power supply and it works!
thanks for your help
has soon has i put it in the case i'l post some pics
just one thing the overdrive kinda fries how can i make it less fried?

waky · March 15, 2009, 06:48:22 PM

Quote from: Jered on March 15, 2009, 04:51:02 AM
Waky, send me your address in a PM

Pm sent!!, Are ya from venezuela too?

Renegadrian: Did you build that Valvelitzer?, How does it sound?.

Renegadrian · March 15, 2009, 07:19:02 PM

No, I didn't build it, just found it googling around...

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I have to report my breadboard experiment with the Valvy...I used the voltage multiplier I built (I got up to 56V with an unregulated 12V wall wart)
Let me tell you that this simple circuit just breathes a new life with the added voltage...I'd reccomend everyone the voltage mult. I built, it's so easy and so useful with those tube project (as I started my own experiment, the TUBE STAR being my first creation!) - Also it's even cheaper than the 1044 circuit...

waky · March 16, 2009, 12:05:24 AM

does that voltage doubler works well with tubes supplying so little current? (probably a noob question but iv'e never built anything tubey

)

Renegadrian · March 16, 2009, 02:52:06 AM

It provides enough current to make a tube work good...(actually it is a multiplier, not just a doubler...)
I built some tube stuff, and that VM gave me good results on every of them I tried it on...(Valvy, Tube Star, Pentaboost...)

Altec · March 17, 2009, 06:37:11 AM

OMG! Two nights, a lot of coke, a bunch of tree branching into other articles, schematics, random links, and material price searching later and I'm done reading through pretty much every post in this thread! Learned a bunch of stuff! I think I may have to give one of these a shot! I'm thinking the Pentabooster up front, the Twin-Caster setup, and maybe a diode clipping setup at the end with a toggle for a boost switch.

You guys think a booster after the 'Caster section would be needed for the clipping? I read in the thread somewhere about it being needed because of the clipping lowering the signal, but would the Penta, and Twins be enough to not need it (Just a little volume tweaking)?

Also, if anyone is interested, I have a text file with what I considered to be the good info from the thread. I can copy, and paste it if wanted. It's a bit long though lol.

frequencycentral · March 17, 2009, 01:27:03 PM

Quote from: Altec on March 17, 2009, 06:37:11 AM
OMG! Two nights, a lot of coke, a bunch of tree branching into other articles, schematics, random links, and material price searching later and I'm done reading through pretty much every post in this thread! Learned a bunch of stuff! I think I may have to give one of these a shot! I'm thinking the Pentabooster up front, the Twin-Caster setup, and maybe a diode clipping setup at the end with a toggle for a boost switch.

You guys think a booster after the 'Caster section would be needed for the clipping? I read in the thread somewhere about it being needed because of the clipping lowering the signal, but would the Penta, and Twins be enough to not need it (Just a little volume tweaking)?

Also, if anyone is interested, I have a text file with what I considered to be the good info from the thread. I can copy, and paste it if wanted. It's a bit long though lol.

So how many litres of cola did you get through? I think diode clipping would be a bit of a shame, the Valvecaster has plenty of gain and crunch anyway, good tube clipping - so why add clipping diodes? Having said that, you could make it a switchable option for more tones. Try some Ge diodes, they will clip sooner and smoother, or have switchable Ge/Si. There should be enough volume/boost available for you not to need any booster after the diodes. Build a Pentaboost as a seperate pedal, then you can use it where you want - does sound good before the Valvecaster though.

Altec · March 17, 2009, 01:58:30 PM

Quote from: frequencycentral on March 17, 2009, 01:27:03 PM
Quote from: Altec on March 17, 2009, 06:37:11 AM
OMG! Two nights, a lot of coke, a bunch of tree branching into other articles, schematics, random links, and material price searching later and I'm done reading through pretty much every post in this thread! Learned a bunch of stuff! I think I may have to give one of these a shot! I'm thinking the Pentabooster up front, the Twin-Caster setup, and maybe a diode clipping setup at the end with a toggle for a boost switch.

You guys think a booster after the 'Caster section would be needed for the clipping? I read in the thread somewhere about it being needed because of the clipping lowering the signal, but would the Penta, and Twins be enough to not need it (Just a little volume tweaking)?

Also, if anyone is interested, I have a text file with what I considered to be the good info from the thread. I can copy, and paste it if wanted. It's a bit long though lol.

So how many litres of cola did you get through? I think diode clipping would be a bit of a shame, the Valvecaster has plenty of gain and crunch anyway, good tube clipping - so why add clipping diodes? Having said that, you could make it a switchable option for more tones. Try some Ge diodes, they will clip sooner and smoother, or have switchable Ge/Si. There should be enough volume/boost available for you not to need any booster after the diodes. Build a Pentaboost as a seperate pedal, then you can use it where you want - does sound good before the Valvecaster though.

First, let me say: Thank you Rick! Your contributions to this thread have been great, and I love your tube designs!

If I had to guess, I'd say 2 liters a night. Wasn't as bad as I thought now that I think about it! The diode clipping was more of a "Why not" for me. I'm forever playing with different settings on my amp, and my parametric EQ, so more options the better!

Thanks for the info man! Guess I gotta put together a shopping list!

archaon13 · March 17, 2009, 05:01:50 PM

i'v heard that ceramic caps arent very good for sound is that true?

firethorn · March 18, 2009, 06:47:52 AM

I get hiss when I use them.. Supposed to take out the rf buzz but i get more.. bah...

Renegadrian · March 19, 2009, 06:09:35 PM

Don't rememner if I already posted it...
Jon Anderson Lonewolf

Anyway, as the sound clip was so interesting, I got this on my breadboard, and man, it's so good...I run it at more than 50V with my voltage multiplier and with some tweakings...
220 plate res.
47k instead of the 50k res
47k at the input
33µF at cathode cap
22nF instead of 10nF at the output

Also I like to put a pot to the cathode cap, I don't know if it can be conventionally done, but hey it just sets the gain!

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EDIT - I have to report another success in the submini field - I found those 6205 I bought some months ago on the bay soooooooo good in the above schematic, just mind the different pinout...
I am going to experiment a little with those little pentodes...Let's see...

dcd666 · March 20, 2009, 02:00:00 PM

here comes mine valvecaster:

works really nice.

big thanks goes to Adriano for his help.

Renegadrian · March 20, 2009, 09:12:30 PM

WOW Pavel, I love the way it turned out - I am glad if I helped you somehow...

Simple but nice to the eyes - I am sure it's good to the ears too, isn't it?!

dcd666 · March 21, 2009, 07:30:13 AM

don't be so humble Adriano

oh yeah it's very good.
i've had some problems with power supply but i coped with it.
all the parts used were recovered from old radio, stompboxes, etc.
i haven't spent even a penny

that's why it looks how it looks...

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Tube boost + overdrive running off a 9 volt battery