A super versatile preamp

[bouipoz]

This is my first post on this forum but I have been lurking around for some time and so decided this would be a good place to post this preamp design ive been working on.

The whole point of this is to be as versatile as possible with controls for things that many amps will not have. I am fairly new to the whole field though and could do with some expert opinions. It all seems ok as far as I know but I just wanted to check...

...hey u might even get to save my life!

sorry for the poor image quality but the program i used saved the file as .emf which this site wont allow so i had to screengrab it into fireworks but you can still make it out ok.

Thanks

[Tubenit]

With 6 gain stages using 12Ax7 triodes and the values that you selected, I think you can expect severe oscillation and an unuseable preamp. Look at Dumble type preamps and BadCat preamps to study what they have done.

With respect, Tubenit

[bouipoz]

Thanks for the comment Tubenit, i am fairly unexperienced with amp design and i may have jumped in the deep end here so any help is greatly appreciated. I think i just got carried away looking for places to include all these functions and just kept on adding stages without considering any detremental effect this would have.

When it comes to bulding this i think i will begin with quite a simple basis and slowly add to that.

Thanks again, Anthony

[Chuck H]

What's wrong with the amount of gain or quality of the square wave clipping of some of the popular amps? Like the Soldano or Peavey 5150??? With layouts available that will guarantee a stabile amp I don't know why you would venture such an ambitious project as a beginner.

OTOH there are many amps that use fewer gain stages in the preamp and generate ample clipping. One example is the Trainwreck amps. Most of the clipping occures in the PI and power tubes and they are some of the most revered amps EVER. So the way I see it a good squaring of the signal is all that is needed. If you want to do this entirely with the pre amp there will be senitivity issues that may make the amp unstable. Using a known design is the easiest way to do this. Having really extreme amp building chops would be another way. Trial and error is the long way.