Adding an extra gain stage

[EETStudent]

As you can see in the schematic, there are two preamp gain stages. Simply for experimentation, where would be a good place for a third stage? I tried putting a third after the second, just before the phase inverter. I got some unpleasant distortion and a huge volume drop. It was plate loaded, so maybe it would have worked as a cathode follower? Wherever it should go, what should i do with the cathode, grid and plate?

[cbarrow7625]

If you are going to add an extra gain stage, you will likely need to add a Master Volume before the PI as well. If you are hitting the PI & Power amp with too much voltage it will just sound flabby, bad & nasty.

Tre just addin a gain stage in front of the first stage, followed by a volume control between the added stage and the 1st stage (100k-1M, whatever sounds right to you). Then, add a master volume after the last stage, before the PI, that switches in at the same time as the extra gain stage.

No guarantees it will sound great but it seems like a good place to start.

Chris