DIY tube amp pros needed

[JordanD]

Okay guy, first off thank you for stopping by to lend your input/wisdom.

I myself am a college student and is looking to build a could DIY tube mono-blocks.

Partly because I am on a strict budget and this will allow me to get the sound I want, and partly because I am a Physics student so this is awesome practice, and also I kind of like the whole "labor-of-love" aspect of really owning something I built.

I have found quite a few kits floating around and I am really wanting thoughts and opinions.

I first found out about this from

www.decware.com

and they offer a few kits that are very nicely priced (w/o tubes and enclosure) and a very extensive video tutorial on youtube about how to build amps.

I also found

http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/tubes.htm

and they offer a lot of kits and little personal stories.



I just want so thoughts. Maybe personal stories? Things to look for? Potenial upgrades and locations to purchase such upgrades.

I really just want to know what I am getting into and if its even worth looking into it.

Decware even offers a tube mono for under $800 which is not out of the question for me, I would however just have to save up a bit.

Also I noticed that most of these little tube amps "like" to have a a higher sensitivity in order to work in larger spaces (96db is recommended or so they say), can someone explain this?

I am a tube novice and thought this might be a good starting point, what do you think?

Also these will be used for standard TV, Movie, Video Game, and Music usage pretty much all equally, and I will be running a set of ML Theos.

 

[staticjunky]

Higher sensitivity means less power output required for a given spl. Sensitivity is normally rated as: xdbl at 1meter with 1v input.
Use ohms' law to determine ballpark requirements.

 

[tsv_1]

Be careful... sounds like maybe you haven't yet had an electronics 101 course(?) Tubes require high voltage rails and you can get "thumped" pretty easily.
Also, don't under-estimate the importance of good soldering technique .
There are many decent tutorials on-line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOdnGUMi7lQ

Good luck

 

[Tosh]

Perhaps you could dip your toes with a tube headphone amp?
http://www.glassjaraudio.com/category.sc?categoryId=6
You could email Jeff for advice.

Have you checked diyaudio.com?