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  • #91
    I clearly mentioned SS power amps (muscle) which of course excludes Music Man (although they also did a couple full SS power amp models, maybe you also prefer these? )

    And you seem to center the hybrid meaning on obsolete amps out of production for 30 years (including their Peavey copies) while I mention the zillion others, being still made today.

    There must be some reason those hybrids fell out of favor while both full tube, full SS and "12AX7" hybrids continue being made

    It might be an age problem, I very much doubt anybody under 30 remembers them.

    In this latter case, a 12AX7 hybrid and a Nutube hybrid are not that far apart from each other.

    The real problem is that Nutubes are not available (except for Korg, that is) ; much worse, no datasheets are available (so it's impossible to design with them) and no price was announced.

    Which to make them useful should be no more than $5 or $10 per double triode; any higher and you buy a 12A*7 , with 12AU7 being excellent for lower voltage work (and maybe superior or at least equal to what any Nutube can do)

    As of soldering for service work, no big deal if they are reliable and last , say, at least 5 or 10 years.

    FWIW fluo displays are soldered in place and last for ages, while normal tubes were always socketed precisely because of short or unpredictable life, to make owners able to replace them on their own.
    I still remember "free use" tube testers in shops, and people with brown bags full of tubes testing them.

    Of course, I guess nothing of this will happen, because I suspect this is not much more than a sales/marketing gimmick.

    Korg might even make them "available" at crazy prices, say $30 to $60 each, not to actually sell them but to make them desirable.

    Oh well, let's see where this leads to, there's so many novelties that didn't last more than one NAAMM edition.

    Anybody remembers those weird tube amps (say, 3 12AX7 and 4 EL34) where the designer lifted the chassis with his pinky finger?
    Just a couple years ago.

    They were even patented, and the patent was shown to anybody .
    Juan Manuel Fahey

    Comment


    • #92
      Sort of related to some of the earlier discussions on clipping transistors; there has been some cool stuff done with the LND150 over on ssguitar where a guy has pretty much nailed a FET based jcm800.
      Fet version of the JCM800

      Comment


      • #93
        S'all good, I'm just trying to have fun!
        I do think part of the reason you don't see tube power hybrids is cost and weight... though, I guess the Fender Super Champ XD & Vibro Champ XD come close, eh? IIRC the VCXD had as unused triode section, that for the price of about $1 worth of parts coulda been used to make a separate all-tube Champ that bypasses the FX... but looking at the schem, it's SS-pre & tube output. Though it prolly doesn't count much for "muscle," as you put it... So, hey, there's <ONE> vestigial Music Man still being made!

        And all in good fun,

        Justin
        "Wow it's red! That doesn't look like the standard Marshall red. It's more like hooker lipstick/clown nose/poodle pecker red." - Chuck H. -
        "Of course that means playing **LOUD** , best but useless solution to modern sissy snowflake players." - J.M. Fahey -
        "All I ever managed to do with that amp was... kill small rodents within a 50 yard radius of my practice building." - Tone Meister -

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        • #94
          Originally posted by J M Fahey View Post
          I clearly mentioned SS power amps (muscle) which of course excludes Music Man (although they also did a couple full SS power amp models, maybe you also prefer these? )

          The real problem is that Nutubes are not available (except for Korg, that is) ; much worse, no datasheets are available (so it's impossible to design with them) and no price was announced.

          Which to make them useful should be no more than $5 or $10 per double triode; any higher and you buy a 12A*7 , with 12AU7 being excellent for lower voltage work (and maybe superior or at least equal to what any Nutube can do)

          As of soldering for service work, no big deal if they are reliable and last , say, at least 5 or 10 years.

          FWIW fluo displays are soldered in place and last for ages, while normal tubes were always socketed precisely because of short or unpredictable life, to make owners able to replace them on their own.
          I still remember "free use" tube testers in shops, and people with brown bags full of tubes testing them.

          Of course, I guess nothing of this will happen, because I suspect this is not much more than a sales/marketing gimmick.

          Korg might even make them "available" at crazy prices, say $30 to $60 each, not to actually sell them but to make them desirable.

          Oh well, let's see where this leads to, there's so many novelties that didn't last more than one NAAMM edition.

          .
          Just to give you a heads up, I have a datasheet for the Nutube 6P1. They are readily available for download, and I think Nutubes are available for purchase now as well (but, I may be mistaken).
          Korg has a webpage up with the info, FAQ, datasheet, etc. Here is the link, in case you are interested:
          Nutube ? English | korgnutube.com ? English

          Personally, I think its refreshing that they created a new footprint for packaging this design. These may offer some flexibility for using vacuum technology in projects where physical real estate has real practical limitations, such as stomp boxes, rack effects, portable amps, etc. These are some of the reasons nuvistors are so appealing (to me). But Nuvistors aren't going back into production any time soon, so any commercial products using nuvistors can only be done in limited availability. I hold out a little hope that the market was underestimated and sales exceed expectations. You can be sure that if they can sell them, they will make them. Then maybe real advancements can be made using the far superior tooling equipment used today compared to what was available 30 years ago!.... But, I'm not that optimistic.
          If I have a 50% chance of guessing the right answer, I guess wrong 80% of the time.

          Comment


          • #95
            Originally posted by SoulFetish View Post
            Just to give you a heads up, I have a datasheet for the Nutube 6P1. They are readily available for download, and I think Nutubes are available for purchase now as well (but, I may be mistaken)..
            *After a quick look at the FAQ, it l like samples are scheduled to made available sometime this spring, while commercial availability is slated for summer 2016.
            If I have a 50% chance of guessing the right answer, I guess wrong 80% of the time.

            Comment


            • #96
              According to the FAQ they are not immune to microphonics, so, not sure if that is an issue during the 30,000 hr. life (and not being socketed for easy replacement of microphonic nutubes ).

              "We are also planning on offering accessories that can be used to suppress any microphonic effect." ka-ching! $$$
              Originally posted by Enzo
              I have a sign in my shop that says, "Never think up reasons not to check something."


              Comment


              • #97
                I'm not impressed. 1.7mW plate dissipation? No real cathode? With B+ 80V and a 1Meg plate resistor you can get a gain of 10.
                WARNING! Musical Instrument amplifiers contain lethal voltages and can retain them even when unplugged. Refer service to qualified personnel.
                REMEMBER: Everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school !

                Comment


                • #98
                  Anybody remembers those weird tube amps (say, 3 12AX7 and 4 EL34) where the designer lifted the chassis with his pinky finger?
                  Just a couple years ago.
                  Yep. They were "tube amps" that happened to have high power switching MOSFET output stage as impedance matching system in place of a conventional transformer. HiFi guys probably love the idea more than guitarists who many still believe to fairy tales like acquiring great distortion tones from transformer saturation... Or that vacuum tubes are needed to process basic audio signal in certain ways.

                  Comment


                  • #99
                    Or maybe just great distortion tones due to poor fidelity of guitar amp output transformers?
                    Though the reason may be misunderstood, it does not necessarily negate the effect.
                    Originally posted by Enzo
                    I have a sign in my shop that says, "Never think up reasons not to check something."


                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by g1 View Post
                      According to the FAQ they are not immune to microphonics, so, not sure if that is an issue during the 30,000 hr. life (and not being socketed for easy replacement of microphonic nutubes ).

                      "We are also planning on offering accessories that can be used to suppress any microphonic effect." ka-ching! $$$
                      By going the VFD route instead for starting with a clean slate I wonder if they have missed an opportunity?
                      Experience is something you get, just after you really needed it.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by teemuk View Post
                        Yep. They were "tube amps" that happened to have high power switching MOSFET output stage as impedance matching system in place of a conventional transformer. HiFi guys probably love the idea more than guitarists who many still believe to fairy tales like acquiring great distortion tones from transformer saturation... Or that vacuum tubes are needed to process basic audio signal in certain ways.
                        David Berning's patents
                        5,612,646 Output Transformerless Amplifier Impedance Matching Apparatus
                        4,163,198 Audio Amplifier
                        3,995,226 Audio Amplifier

                        hifi
                        Tube amplifiers for high-end audio by The David Berning Company

                        they make a 25lb 30w tube car amp (!)

                        guitar ($2500-3500)
                        Milbert, the Most Musical Amplifiers

                        only audio file available of Milbert
                        http://milbert.com/Files/GAGA/Shows/...6NYAmpShow.mp3
                        Last edited by tedmich; 03-09-2016, 06:26 PM.

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by teemuk View Post
                          guitarists who many still believe to fairy tales like acquiring great distortion tones from transformer saturation... Or that vacuum tubes are needed to process basic audio signal in certain ways.
                          ...and we all lived happily ever after. The End.
                          If I have a 50% chance of guessing the right answer, I guess wrong 80% of the time.

                          Comment


                          • I thought I would revive this thread because of something I read and the increased availability of the NewTube. You can buy them on ebay and other places I expect. I missed a demo of an evaluation board that is available. I'm kicking myself.

                            Nelson Pass has contracted the bug and gives some of the details and methodology in this thread:

                            http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-...rg-triode.html
                            WARNING! Musical Instrument amplifiers contain lethal voltages and can retain them even when unplugged. Refer service to qualified personnel.
                            REMEMBER: Everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school !

                            Comment


                            • You can buy them from RS
                              https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/doubl...alves/1449016/

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