New book: Designing Tube Preamps for Guitar and Bass

Merlinb · 07-29-2009, 09:47 PM

Hmm, looks like AES is out. They require a minimum of 40% discount off the RRP when buying books, and Lulu charge more than that to print it!

Enzo · 07-30-2009, 01:33 AM

Oh well, it was an idea. Too bad.

Then again, maybe the Audio Engineering Society.....

soundmasterg · 07-30-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlinb

You bet! I have been trawling the library basement for articles on power supplies. Some real treasure down there.

I'll bare that in mind LOL!
I didn't know you were writing a book, I'll keep my internet-eyes open for it!

Thanks everyone for your kind words!

If you're going to be doing power supplies, don't forget doublers as they are used in lots of guitar amps! I haven't seen doublers on your site yet, so maybe you don't like them or something?

Greg

Merlinb · 07-30-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundmasterg

If you're going to be doing power supplies, don't forget doublers as they are used in lots of guitar amps! I haven't seen doublers on your site yet, so maybe you don't like them or something?

Greg

I love doublers! I use 'em all the time since you can generate over 300Vdc fro a cheap 70-0,70-0 tranny intended for SS use! Don't worry, the next book will include doublers, triplers, quadruplers, cap multipliers, tube shunt regs, VVSs, VVRs, power scaling,... the works!

Enzo · 07-30-2009, 12:36 PM

Waiting for the book on VTSP.

Vacuum tube signal processing.

roughcut studios · 08-03-2009, 06:10 PM

My copy arrived about 2 weeks before I thought it would.
Looks like I've got some serious reading to do while on vacation!
After skimming the book, and reading the first chapter, I must say that I am impressed, and it looks like this book was exactly what I needed to bump my understanding to the next level.
Thank you very much Merlin for your good work!

tubeswell · 08-04-2009, 06:07 AM

Yay - Got my copy today. Serious reading to do

Where is the section on reverb circuits? (buried in one of the other chapters maybe? Edit - I see on a quick skim that the section on FX loops has some applicability in terms of recovery stages. How do I deal with tube characteristics for pre-amp tubes driving reverb transformers?)

soundmasterg · 08-04-2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlinb

I love doublers! I use 'em all the time since you can generate over 300Vdc fro a cheap 70-0,70-0 tranny intended for SS use! Don't worry, the next book will include doublers, triplers, quadruplers, cap multipliers, tube shunt regs, VVSs, VVRs, power scaling,... the works!

Great! Looking forward to it already. I love doublers too. You can make them kind of sag like a tube rectifier, yet since they're using solid state diodes, they don't change or go bad.....and the regulation isn't as bad as some make them out to be.

Greg

Omn · 08-04-2009, 12:13 PM

A very good book!

Elsewhere I have found subjective ideas. Great amount of information but sidetracked by an agenda of selling own products. This book is an unbiased - well ballanced gathering of information (knowledge). Well written. For the first time I just sit down and read the whole book.
Truly objective and to the point of giving me some base of understanding.

Excellent work!!!
Thank you, Merlin!

Merlinb · 08-04-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubeswell

Yay - Got my copy today. Serious reading to do

Where is the section on reverb circuits?

Reverb is not included in my book. I intend to write one in the furute on special effects, which will cover Reverb, Tremolo, Vibrato and so on.

There is a page on my site about driving reverb tanks, however: The Valve Wizard

mooreamps · 08-11-2009, 07:31 AM

So, on your web page, where you write about mounting leds on the front panel ; where have you seen this ?

-g

Merlinb · 08-11-2009, 09:27 AM

I'm not sure I understand the question? The amplifier I use regularly has such an LED mounted on the panel.

tubeswell · 08-11-2009, 12:19 PM

Hi Merlin, on P41 (in relation to Equation X) you talk about 'the total resistance formed by R1...' in relation to Fig 2.5. Do you mean "Rg" in Fig 2.5?

Merlinb · 08-11-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubeswell

Hi Merlin, on P41 (in relation to Equation X) you talk about 'the total resistance formed by R1...' in relation to Fig 2.5. Do you mean "Rg" in Fig 2.5?

Oops! Yes, R1 should be Rg. I'll have to fix that in the second edition. Thanks!

silentrage · 08-11-2009, 10:37 PM

Any plans to release more freebies?

eri77 · 08-19-2009, 10:33 AM

Hello all, longtime lurker first time poster here, Merlin, I went onto Lulu today to order your book, and for insured delivery they wanted 127 dollars, uninsured was 19 dollars, with the ominous warning that the book might not turn up, I live in Australia, where else can I get the book for a reasonable postage outlay with some assurance that it will turn up.

I am really looking forward too this book, and thanks for going too the effort of writing it and of course putting together your website.

-Eri

jmaf · 08-19-2009, 04:32 PM

For those of you who, like me, are outside the US, the book can also be found at Amazon.com, maybe you'd like to compare shipping rates.

Amazon.com: Designing Valve Preamps for Guitar and Bass (9780956154507): Merlin Blencowe: Books

tubeswell · 08-19-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eri77

Hello all, longtime lurker first time poster here, Merlin, I went onto Lulu today to order your book, and for insured delivery they wanted 127 dollars, uninsured was 19 dollars, with the ominous warning that the book might not turn up, I live in Australia, where else can I get the book for a reasonable postage outlay with some assurance that it will turn up.

I am really looking forward too this book, and thanks for going too the effort of writing it and of course putting together your website.

-Eri

Hi and welcome to the forum

FWIW Me and another fellow k1w1 got uninsured copies sent to NZ and they eventually turned up (if that's any comfort).

eri77 · 08-20-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubeswell

Hi and welcome to the forum

FWIW Me and another fellow k1w1 got uninsured copies sent to NZ and they eventually turned up (if that's any comfort).

Thanks for the welcome, Tubeswell, Merlin sent me a pm with some options

black_labb · 09-14-2009, 10:59 PM

ordered the book and had a good read of it (i had 28hrs of flying and stopovers from montreal to sydney after a good holiday of seeing family and sightseeing).
i think that it is an excellent book that seems to describe the more technical side of designing a preamp in easy to understand ways.
thanks alot merlin

by the way, i accidentally got 2 copies, so if anyone in australia or nearby would like a copy i can sell the second copy to you. it is in perfect condition and has only been slid out of the box to make sure it was in good order. pm me if anyone is interested

jimboyogi · 09-15-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by black_labb

ordered the book and had a good read of it (i had 28hrs of flying and stopovers from montreal to sydney after a good holiday of seeing family and sightseeing).
i think that it is an excellent book that seems to describe the more technical side of designing a preamp in easy to understand ways.
thanks alot merlin

by the way, i accidentally got 2 copies, so if anyone in australia or nearby would like a copy i can sell the second copy to you. it is in perfect condition and has only been slid out of the box to make sure it was in good order. pm me if anyone is interested

Please check your PM's black_labb

eri77 · 09-15-2009, 08:24 AM

Pm sent, black_labb

jimboyogi · 09-22-2009, 01:03 AM

Just got my copy yesterday, spent a couple of hours with it last night, and i am already feeling significantly smarter!

Excellent book Merlin

For anyone debating whether to buy a copy or merely work through Merlin's Valve Wizard site, I highly recommend getting the book. So much more detail, and a lot easier/quicker to navigate back and forth in hard copy.

Merlin b - I have seen a couple of posts on this thread questioning a couple of typos in the book. Have you thought about collating them up in a thread so that any book owners can work through and ammend them?

Once again - very impressive book, looking forward to the matching output section book.

Tom Phillips · 09-22-2009, 04:32 AM

Good reviews.
I'd like to add the book to my library.
The LuLu site just kept running me around in circles.

Why do these sites want you to join their member system?
Just let me order the book!

I'll try again later.

Regards,
Tom

eri77 · 09-23-2009, 11:30 AM

Received the book yesterday, Merlin you are a gifted writer, it is a great well written text, really what I have been looking for

clyde1 · 09-24-2009, 03:36 PM

Thanks for a knowledgeable and in-depth treatment of a large and diverse field. I haven't had time to really "dig" in but am liking immensely what I've managed to read.

TransLucid · 09-24-2009, 04:49 PM

I've visited Merlin's site (The Valve Wizard) and found it to be very informative (even though he does call them valves...).

I have also recently published a book on the subject ("Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers") which I will describe in a separate thread.

Bob

TransLucid · 09-24-2009, 04:55 PM

Merlin -

Would you be interested in trading copies?

Bob

Merlinb · 09-24-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransLucid

Merlin -

Would you be interested in trading copies?

Bob

Possibly... I look forward to seeing your thread

Merlinb · 09-30-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enzo

Been readin, I like your book.

You might consider having AES sell the book, and their wholesale wing CEDist. They sell the O'Connor books, and lots of others.

Antique Electronic Supply

AES now stock my book.
(Loss leader for me, but it seems to be reviving interest via Lulu too, so swings and roundabouts...)

Enzo · 10-01-2009, 12:44 AM

Cool.

Patrick M · 10-07-2009, 03:47 PM

I couldn't resist and ordered the book, after looking at some of the material on your website. Being a EE myself, I really like the more in-depth information.

Most other tube amp books/sites leave me begging for more

For reference, I am myself an analog IC designer - kind of ironical that I am getting into tube amps - I play guitar - so it is natural! I guess I am finding myself working with both extremes of the electronic world, but actually, designing with tubes is very much like IC design, because it is all about working with the actual DEVICES themselves, where the real analog design is (IMHO

)

07-30-2009, 01:33 AM	#37
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,366	Oh well, it was an idea. Too bad. Then again, maybe the Audio Engineering Society..... __________________ Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

07-30-2009, 12:36 PM	#40
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,366	Waiting for the book on VTSP. Vacuum tube signal processing. __________________ Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

08-03-2009, 06:10 PM	#41
roughcut studios Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: boston Posts: 16	book arrived My copy arrived about 2 weeks before I thought it would. Looks like I've got some serious reading to do while on vacation! After skimming the book, and reading the first chapter, I must say that I am impressed, and it looks like this book was exactly what I needed to bump my understanding to the next level. Thank you very much Merlin for your good work!

08-04-2009, 06:07 AM	#42
tubeswell Supporting Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wellington NZ Posts: 2,662	Yay - Got my copy today. Serious reading to do Where is the section on reverb circuits? (buried in one of the other chapters maybe? Edit - I see on a quick skim that the section on FX loops has some applicability in terms of recovery stages. How do I deal with tube characteristics for pre-amp tubes driving reverb transformers?) __________________ Building a better world (one tube amp at a time) Last edited by tubeswell; 08-04-2009 at 08:29 AM.

08-11-2009, 07:31 AM	#46
mooreamps Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Silicon Valley ; USA Posts: 453	Preamp Fixed Bias So, on your web page, where you write about mounting leds on the front panel ; where have you seen this ? -g

07-29-2009, 09:47 PM	#36
Merlinb Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 255	Hmm, looks like AES is out. They require a minimum of 40% discount off the RRP when buying books, and Lulu charge more than that to print it!

08-04-2009, 12:13 PM	#44
Omn Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3	A very good book! Elsewhere I have found subjective ideas. Great amount of information but sidetracked by an agenda of selling own products. This book is an unbiased - well ballanced gathering of information (knowledge). Well written. For the first time I just sit down and read the whole book. Truly objective and to the point of giving me some base of understanding. Excellent work!!! Thank you, Merlin!

08-11-2009, 09:27 AM	#47
Merlinb Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 255	I'm not sure I understand the question? The amplifier I use regularly has such an LED mounted on the panel.

08-11-2009, 12:19 PM	#48
tubeswell Supporting Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wellington NZ Posts: 2,662	Hi Merlin, on P41 (in relation to Equation X) you talk about 'the total resistance formed by R1...' in relation to Fig 2.5. Do you mean "Rg" in Fig 2.5? __________________ Building a better world (one tube amp at a time)

08-11-2009, 10:37 PM	#50
silentrage Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 25	Any plans to release more freebies?

08-19-2009, 10:33 AM	#51
eri77 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 4	Hello all, longtime lurker first time poster here, Merlin, I went onto Lulu today to order your book, and for insured delivery they wanted 127 dollars, uninsured was 19 dollars, with the ominous warning that the book might not turn up, I live in Australia, where else can I get the book for a reasonable postage outlay with some assurance that it will turn up. I am really looking forward too this book, and thanks for going too the effort of writing it and of course putting together your website. -Eri

09-14-2009, 10:59 PM	#55
black_labb Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: sydney australia Posts: 777	ordered the book and had a good read of it (i had 28hrs of flying and stopovers from montreal to sydney after a good holiday of seeing family and sightseeing). i think that it is an excellent book that seems to describe the more technical side of designing a preamp in easy to understand ways. thanks alot merlin by the way, i accidentally got 2 copies, so if anyone in australia or nearby would like a copy i can sell the second copy to you. it is in perfect condition and has only been slid out of the box to make sure it was in good order. pm me if anyone is interested

09-15-2009, 08:24 AM	#57
eri77 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 4	Pm sent, black_labb

09-22-2009, 01:03 AM	#58
jimboyogi Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17	Just got my copy yesterday, spent a couple of hours with it last night, and i am already feeling significantly smarter! Excellent book Merlin For anyone debating whether to buy a copy or merely work through Merlin's Valve Wizard site, I highly recommend getting the book. So much more detail, and a lot easier/quicker to navigate back and forth in hard copy. Merlin b - I have seen a couple of posts on this thread questioning a couple of typos in the book. Have you thought about collating them up in a thread so that any book owners can work through and ammend them? Once again - very impressive book, looking forward to the matching output section book.

09-22-2009, 04:32 AM	#59
Tom Phillips Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: California, USA Posts: 676	Good reviews. I'd like to add the book to my library. The LuLu site just kept running me around in circles. Why do these sites want you to join their member system? Just let me order the book! I'll try again later. Regards, Tom

09-23-2009, 11:30 AM	#60
eri77 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 4	Received the book yesterday, Merlin you are a gifted writer, it is a great well written text, really what I have been looking for

09-24-2009, 03:36 PM	#61
clyde1 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 82	Thanks for a knowledgeable and in-depth treatment of a large and diverse field. I haven't had time to really "dig" in but am liking immensely what I've managed to read.

09-24-2009, 04:49 PM	#62
TransLucid Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10	Valve Wizard Site I've visited Merlin's site (The Valve Wizard) and found it to be very informative (even though he does call them valves...). I have also recently published a book on the subject ("Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers") which I will describe in a separate thread. Bob

09-24-2009, 04:55 PM	#63
TransLucid Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10	Merlin - Would you be interested in trading copies? Bob

10-01-2009, 12:44 AM	#66
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,366	Cool. __________________ Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

10-07-2009, 03:47 PM	#67
Patrick M Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7	I couldn't resist and ordered the book, after looking at some of the material on your website. Being a EE myself, I really like the more in-depth information. Most other tube amp books/sites leave me begging for more For reference, I am myself an analog IC designer - kind of ironical that I am getting into tube amps - I play guitar - so it is natural! I guess I am finding myself working with both extremes of the electronic world, but actually, designing with tubes is very much like IC design, because it is all about working with the actual DEVICES themselves, where the real analog design is (IMHO )

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