Tube Headphone amp for guitar?

[lexluthier72]

Hey Folks,
I am currently looking for a plan/schematic/diagram for a Compact Tube Headphone Amp for guitar. I have done some "googling" and came up with a guy in Korea that designs/builds Micro tube amps. (sijosae) All of his stuff tho, is aimed at Hi-Fi. I have built a few amps from Fender diagrams, and I suppose gotten lucky that all my builds have worked right out of the gate....Really my only criteria for this amp is size. Id like it to fit on/in an MXR stomp box pedal case. Single volume/1 or 2 tubes/input/output/Run off a wall wart power supply. Pretty simple (I think) Anybody seen/designed this? I am not to the knowledge point of being able to design my own stuff yet. Any Help would be great. Hopefully I put this in the right forum....
-Erin

p.s.- Ive seen the zvex "nano" and Id rather build than buy.

[tedmich]

man the headphone dudes have done pretty much everything, including this:
tube guitar headphone amp - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

better:
HeadWize Library - Projects
therein:
HeadWize - Project: A Fender-Tone Tube Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli
you could just build whatever flavor ax84.com preamp (gain from mild->insane) and then add a cap coupled headphone transformer like this: Sowter Type 8650 Headphone Output transformer

someone at ax84.com has likely done this cheap and simple.

[lexluthier72]

Tedmich,
Thanks for the info. Ive seen all of these. Most of them are too big physically. The Cavelli amp is way too big. The sijosae stuff at headwize is the perfect size, but the headwize forums are down (permanently?!?) and after speaking to webmaster, he could not give me any info on when it would be back up again. Also, the sijosae stuff is modeled for hi-fi, and I dont really have the skills to "mod" the circuit for guitar. (still consider myself a noob) Size really is my only criteria.
-Erin

p.s.- Something along the lines of the zvex "nano" is really what im after

[lexluthier72]

wow...I think I found it!

ecp.cc

[tedmich]

that's a nice simple design. It looks to NOT be a gain monster but to each there own; If I have to add a pedal to a tube amp I consider it pointless.

You could build up the zvex from the Briggs schematic eh?

[lexluthier72]

Thats kinda what I thought. Briggs? Im not familiar. I did find someone elses loose interpretation of the zvex...I may slowly build up to that. Thanks again. I found the schematic at the very end of one of the threads you posted.
-E.

p.s.- I think I can cram all the components into a MXR sized case! (at least up for the challenge)

[tedmich]

I love the tiny tube amps! there are some very nice drawn transformer potting cans for sale on the Ebay that I think would make nice microchassis. They are among a few things being sold by Andy Marshall at THD in Seattle:
eBay Seller: andymarshall: Business Industrial, Electronics items on eBay.com.

(If you like round Antek has nice cans too)

[lexluthier72]

So, Ive decided to go with a "kit" of sorts. Buying the board, and supplying my own components....Tube Cricket....

Officially Licensed Circuits - Quality Kits For The DIYer

Thanks for all the info. I will post again when I have gathered all the components.
-Erin

[ozzybui]

hi, I'm trying to build a tube headphone amp for guitar too and this is my idea:

- preamp is like an jcm800 2203;

- poweramp is mini push-pull amp with an 12AX7 as power tube;

- an cab. simulator to provide a true guitar sound through headphone; This is the hardest thing. Do you have any idea for this ?

[Koreth]

- an cab. simulator to provide a true guitar sound through headphone; This is the hardest thing. Do you have any idea for this ?

Though it is solid state, the Condor Cab Simulator from Runoffgroove.com seems to be a fairly simple solution. If you're dead set on not tainting the holy purity of a tube amp with the unworthy evil that is solid state, you could probably get a simliar effect with some careful filter careful fliter design when putting your amp together.

[GibsonLover]

Cab Simulator

An example of 'careful filter design' can be copied from the Lexicon 284 Record Out schematic. It is a passive design, so you should expect some loss like any other passive tone stack, just follow it with a gain stage. It will simulate a 4x12 or 2x10 with the 'smooth' switch, but depending on the rest of your circuit and what you are driving with it, you can say it sounds like whatever you want. This circuit would best come after a cathode follower (low-Z) stage per the original design.