Asdains DIY Single Ended Amp Build (free beer and hot babes)

[Cygnus X1]

Cool news!
"Tweaking" takes forever it seems, but worth the effort.

[Asdain]

it is doomed to suffer the smae fate as my last 4 builds.. i'll tweak it until it breaks completely and i'll scrap the usable parts for yet another build xD
but hey, they get better and better everytime.. this baby i am quite happy with already..
just some very minor details that might be worth changing

[Cygnus X1]

Trick is to stay with "one change at a time" rule.
I'm bad about that though.
Changing three things all at once and losing track of what...did what.

[Asdain]

grrr,.. i can't wait to get that cab done and continue tweaking
i already have ideas for my next builds too :P
but i think before i start a new build i will do some mods to my Bugera V22.
that little bugger needs some improvements,.. though it was a great buy for the money i have to say...

[Asdain]

So i am waiting for the cab to arrive before i continue messing around. otherwise i don't have any speaker cab at hand to test the amp with

[Asdain]

still nothing on the cab.. : /

[Asdain]

The cab arrived today. too bad i am very busy right now and probably can't go on with the build until february the 18th or so...

[Asdain]

So i asked my brother to take some pictures of the cab and send them to me so i have something to post here before long

so here it is, i will cut out a little bit for the control panels and change both the rear panels to fit my likings,.. then the decorative work will start


(pictures links to a slideshow)

[Asdain]

So i have been going over Lyles alternative switching method again and altered it a little bit.
Skipping the second stage is a good idea, because this way i can cold bias it for the mean mode and still have the fuller warmer sound in the clean mode.

when i was messing around, removing those nasty voltage deviders, cold biasing the second stage, higher anode loads for the first two stages, some higher voltages. lower coupling cap value for mean mode... and HEY!
i have seen this somewhere!
the preamp of my new design now looks very close to Randy Fays' 18W Daisycutter from AX84.
well that can't be a bad thing, can it ?
so i adjusted some more values how i think it will work in my SE design and voilà!
Here is a new schematic that i can use to make things messy in that amp



the modded SEL sounded pretty good already, very balanced and thick overdrive. but i want to get just a little bit more into that SLO territory, so i am confident that this will be an improvement! + the clean mode will have a more natural sound as well,.. i might add a bright cap on the clean pot.

[Asdain]

huh ? where did the last two posts go ?
anyway, here are the updated schematics
with Zobel and some minor changes and the Tonestack mod suggested by Randy 1.0c:

[Cygnus X1]

[rjwilson37]

Originally Posted by Asdain

huh ? where did the last two posts go ?
anyway, here are the updated schematics
with Zobel and some minor changes and the Tonestack mod suggested by Randy 1.0c:

Yea, I responded to a couple of threads and my posts never made it either. It is like a 50/50 shot right now for your posts to make it, something is going on with the MLP website.

[Cygnus X1]

Maximus made it.
I'm happy.



Not posting much but I'm watching!
Busy!

[Asdain]

Originally Posted by Cygnus X1

Maximus made it.
I'm happy.



Not posting much but I'm watching!
Busy!

haha, nice!

i completely forgot about that lately,.. we need more boobs and beer here ^^

i am very busy too. i hardly get to even play guitar right now.

[Asdain]

Update:

Randy let me in on some changes he made to the newer Daisycutters and i spent some more time adjusting and tweaking the schematic and am now fairly happy with it,.. i guess it's time to build this.. i even adjusted the layout.
too bad i am in the middle of a really stressful time with work and uni.. soon i will build it! i promise! : )


new schematic:


layout:


the layout is still missing the conjunctive Filter in the Output stage. but i know where to put it

[hipofutura]

How do you make those beautiful layout diagrams?? I do mine with Visio and a pencil, and they look a Rub Goldberg project.

[Asdain]

Originally Posted by hipofutura

How do you make those beautiful layout diagrams?? I do mine with Visio and a pencil, and they look a Rub Goldberg project.

i use sPlan 7.0 with a custom library (from various forums and selfdrawn)
it takes forever to draw these though : /

[Asdain]

I really can't wait to get back home and spend all weekend in the basement with some beer, AC DC and my tools and get this baby finished up!

the modified SEL sounded pretty great already, not the "clean" sound i was going for though, and a little too muddy on higher gain.

i have an exam in numeric mathematics friday afternoon and training after that, so i will be back in the crammy little workshop late at night an probably spend all weekend in there

i have pretty much finallized the schematic an layout from what i can do just by theory.
Most significant changes:
-removed the third stage cathode bypass to give it a more raw and crunchy overdrive
-switched from split load to voltage divider after the second stage as this gives me better AC Load and a better charging-/discharging- resistance ratio to help prevent blocking distortion
-fixed naming, cleaned everything up a little etc etc etc...

here is the newest and theoretically final Verion:

Schematic:

Layout:

NOW TO SOMETHING WHERE I REALLY WANT IN ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEGE (Don )

SPEAKER!

the Jensen C12Q i got for the original "Princeton'ish" build now is in my Bugera V22 and it will stay there, as it really is a huge improvement in articulation and definition.

So, what Speaker should i get for this Baby ? i think it's time for something British. Celestion G12H30 (75Hz), G12M (Greenback) ? maybe some WGS speakers ? the Eminence Wizard, Governor and Private Jack also seem to be nice options.

i basically like the round balanced sound of the C12Q, but this amp could use a little more high end sparkle, a bit more mid-bite, and a more solid bottom end i guess (my OT is not the best).. basically more everything!
the Vintage 30 i have lots of experience with, but i think it might be a little too.. well too much Vintage 30
Scumbacks are quite hard to get here and also very expensive, so those won't be an option for me, unfortunately.

so now it's your turn guys! Speakers is where i really don't have much experience! help me out please

[motivational Boobs]

[/motivational Boobs]

[hipofutura]

Are you able to get Weber Speakers? I don't know if they ship international.

[Asdain]

Originally Posted by hipofutura

Are you able to get Weber Speakers? I don't know if they ship international.

they do ship internationally, but it will add quite a bit of extra cost.
there are some resellers here in germany that sell the signature series for less than 100€s though, which would be at the upper end of my price range.
the vintage series is from 180€ to 250€

EDIT: which is ridiculus!!!
the signature series is like 35$. why does it have to be 130$ here ?

[hipofutura]

Originally Posted by Asdain

they do ship internationally, but it will add quite a bit of extra cost.
there are some resellers here in germany that sell the signature series for less than 100€s though, which would be at the upper end of my price range.
the vintage series is from 180€ to 250€

The Signature series are absolute junk. Don't give them a second thought. The Vintage Series are the wrong voicing for your amp. A nice pairing would be a Blue Dog ceramic and Silver Bell Ceramic. Both are part of the British Series. They cost $110USD each. The Legacy Series would also be great, but I believe the $99 sale ended yesterday.

[Asdain]

Originally Posted by hipofutura

The Signature series are absolute junk. Don't give them a second thought. The Vintage Series are the wrong voicing for your amp. A nice pairing would be a Blue Dog ceramic and Silver Bell Ceramic. Both are part of the British Series. They cost $110USD each. The Legacy Series would also be great, but I believe the $99 sale ended yesterday.

yeah i heard the Silver Bell Ceramics are supposed to be great.
i sent Weber a Mail and asked for a rough estimate for shipping cost of oe or two 12" Speakers.

i will only use a single 12" for this combo, however i might build a 2x12" cab sometime and then build a nice Juicy head to go with it who knows...

i hear the Eminence British series is pretty good too. Any experience with those ?

[hipofutura]

Originally Posted by Asdain

yeah i heard the Silver Bell Ceramics are supposed to be great.
i sent Weber a Mail and asked for a rough estimate for shipping cost of oe or two 12" Speakers.

i will only use a single 12" for this combo, however i might build a 2x12" cab sometime and then build a nice Juicy head to go with it who knows...

i hear the Eminence British series is pretty good too. Any experience with those ?

I've never been a fan of Eminence. My only experience was MANY years ago when I swapped a set of JBL D120 speakers in a 2x12 Bandmaster cab with Eminence drivers. I was so disappointed I junked the speakers. Sorry, but it wasn't a very scientific test. But since then I've avoided Eminence. 99% of the speakers I use are alnico and I've never considered Eminence a serious alnico speaker. Again, just my bias.

Keep in mind the Blue Dog and Silver Bell have very different voicing. One is bright and the other warm. I'm not a fan of either one when used separately. They need to be balanced.

[Asdain]

Originally Posted by hipofutura

I've never been a fan of Eminence. My only experience was MANY years ago when I swapped a set of JBL D120 speakers in a 2x12 Bandmaster cab with Eminence drivers. I was so disappointed I junked the speakers. Sorry, but it wasn't a very scientific test. But since then I've avoided Eminence. 99% of the speakers I use are alnico and I've never considered Eminence a serious alnico speaker. Again, just my bias.

Keep in mind the Blue Dog and Silver Bell have very different voicing. One is bright and the other warm. I'm not a fan of either one when used separately. They need to be balanced.

i guess i will keep that in mind for a nice 2x12" cab to build sometime.

so far i think i will either go for the Celestion G21H30 (70th anniversary) or the Eminence Wizard, governor or Private Jack.. if i don't like one i can still resell it and get something else i guess... i'll look aroudn for used ones on the bay,.. lets see what i can find

any other Suggestions, maybe on Celestions or WGS ?

[Asdain]

ok,.. screw eminence and celestion...

i just now found some love for a WGS Reaper. i guess the 30W or 50W version both would do nicely.
unfortunately i only found one place in germany that sells them (didn't find anything used on the bay or my usual marketplaces either) and they only have the 50W Version.
i think the 30W Version would be perfect though. i like the Speaker to be a little bit more Pushed. but it's so tempting,.. if i order the 50W Version now i might have it on the Weekend : )

[Asdain]

ok, i hooked up the currently still SEL amp to the cabinet with the old bugera Speaker and hell yeah, the cab really works great, just the Speaker is pretty crappy, and the SEL circuit is a little muddy too, so bad combination,.. i am checking if i am missing any parts and will order these together with a new speaker.


the bad news:
i don't seem to have the skill for woodworks.. i tried on a spare piece and really messed up, even though i worked carefully. so the cutout for the controls will be cut by a friend who is a carpenter. this might still take a while....

[Asdain]

so,...
i was checking what parts i have available and what i still need to order..
i figured.. i can change the power supply already and do some other minor changes towards the new design. It's still basically an SEL, but higher voltages and i changed a few minor things.

now heres the intersting bit. The elektrolyte cap on the second gain stage was bad!, way bad! the voltages there are fine, seems it was just bad luck. i exchanged the cap for a 1uF Poly-Film cap and now the amp really comes to life again!
i will still do the rest of the changes, i don't like the overdrive that much, it's too unarticulated and fizzy.

i will continue (and finish) the electronics part next weekend. By then i will have the remaining parts (including a WGS Reaper), maybe my friend will have time to do the cut in the cabinet by then too,.. fingers crossed!

[Asdain]

So much for having the Parts by the weekend,..
the DPD doesnt deliver on saturdays.. while waiting for the parts i did even more messing with the schematic and adapted it for parts i'd rather use and updated the estimated voltages with what i actually measured as B+ on my SEL last weekend.
i might take the day off on Monday just so i can finish this build right when the parts arrive.



I will give the Cabinet to a friend of mine (female carpenter,.. not something ysou see everyday) and she will make the cutout for the control panel much smoother and better than i could with the few crappy tools i have. i will be really busy next week and up to the 15th of march,..
but then! then finally it shall be done!

[Asdain]

Finally got the Packet from my supplier!

some small parts i need for the amp and other things


Speaker Grill Cloth


aaaaaaand......

[Cygnus X1]

The waiting is the hardest part...