First Dumble type build, 183 or D'Lite?

[Herzog]

Hi to all, I'm hoping for a little bit of guidance from you good folks here.

A couple of months or so ago I got interested in the D'Lite, which led me here and to some serious reading/listening.

I've built a good number of amps, tube mics, tube compressors, tube reverb, pedals etc and reckon I'm good to go on a more complex amp build.

I love the sound of the 183 but was steering towards the D'Lite, simply because of the lower wattage (this will mostly be a studio amp/home amp).

I guess my big question is how toneful the 100w 183 will be at the lower volumes I'd use for recording/home use or whether I'm better building a lower power iteration or the D'Lite.

I'm a single coil guy, tele and a rebuilt Airline stratotone, although I'm jonesing for a P90 guitar...

TBH I'm pretty sold on building 183 so I'm hoping to find that the master volume will give me the tone at lower volumes

Any advice or opinion gratefully accepted!

Jim

[torben3000]

http://brownnote.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1965

[Herzog]

Thanks Torben3000, I've read through that thread (and others). If I were to go with the D'Lite it'd be a scratch build from one of the tweaked layouts, I'd source all the bits myself.

[torben3000]

Okay, Then you are good to go.
I built one with the tweaked layout and it is a great amp.
The cleans are a little sterile on mine but the drive is just awesome.

[ToneMerc]

I've built just about all of the Dumble topologies and a few D'Lite configs. The D'lite has it's origins back to time when public documentation and chassis to build an ODS were nonexistent. In last 4-5 years there's been an influx of info and parts and now one can readily built a full function ODS amp.Therefore, IMHO, I don't see much reason to build a gelded version of an ODS.

Personally, I prefer these circuits when they move a little air. If you are really set on a 183 and considering your needs here's what I would do. I would build a 4 power tube amp and install a 50W Marshall OT. Setting it this way you can run a quad of 6V6's, a pair of EL34's or even a single 6V6 pair, this gives you lots flexibility. Down the road you could simply swap the output transformer with no other changes. The caveat is that the JJ 6V6 is the only common tube that I would continuously run around 440-460 volts or so. I choose PT's than which ran the plates in the 390-410 volt range though.

A low plate skyliner or low plate classic with a good OD pedal is an option as well.

TM

[Chris Brown]

If you search around I think you'll find that most people prefer 100 over 50 even at lower volumes.

[Teleguy61]

I've built just about all of the Dumble topologies and a few D'Lite configs. The D'lite has it's origins back to time when public documentation and chassis to build an ODS were nonexistent. In last 4-5 years there's been an influx of info and parts and now one can readily built a full function ODS amp.Therefore, IMHO, I don't see much reason to build a gelded version of an ODS.

Personally, I prefer these circuits when they move a little air. If you are really set on a 183 and considering your needs here's what I would do. I would build a 4 power tube amp and install a 50W Marshall OT. Setting it this way you can run a quad of 6V6's, a pair of EL34's or even a single 6V6 pair, this gives you lots flexibility. Down the road you could simply swap the output transformer with no other changes. The caveat is that the JJ 6V6 is the only common tube that I would continuously run around 440-460 volts or so. I choose PT's than which ran the plates in the 390-410 volt range though.

A low plate skyliner or low plate classic with a good OD pedal is an option as well.

TM

Excellent advice here.
Build a real one, the D'Lite will not satisfy compared to the real thing.
Versatility in tube and output options gives a lot of use flexibility.
Even a 100 watt one plays very well at low volumes.
Good luck-enjoy!

[Herzog]

I've built just about all of the Dumble topologies and a few D'Lite configs. The D'lite has it's origins back to time when public documentation and chassis to build an ODS were nonexistent. In last 4-5 years there's been an influx of info and parts and now one can readily built a full function ODS amp.Therefore, IMHO, I don't see much reason to build a gelded version of an ODS.

Personally, I prefer these circuits when they move a little air. If you are really set on a 183 and considering your needs here's what I would do. I would build a 4 power tube amp and install a 50W Marshall OT. Setting it this way you can run a quad of 6V6's, a pair of EL34's or even a single 6V6 pair, this gives you lots flexibility. Down the road you could simply swap the output transformer with no other changes. The caveat is that the JJ 6V6 is the only common tube that I would continuously run around 440-460 volts or so. I choose PT's than which ran the plates in the 390-410 volt range though.

A low plate skyliner or low plate classic with a good OD pedal is an option as well.

TM

Excellent advice here.
Build a real one, the D'Lite will not satisfy compared to the real thing.
Versatility in tube and output options gives a lot of use flexibility.
Even a 100 watt one plays very well at low volumes.
Good luck-enjoy!

Thanks guys, this helps a lot. I did think that I'd ultimately build the real thing and the D'Lite would prove to be a stepping stone.

Right so, a 183 it is.

I think I've talked myself into a full blown 100watt build.

Somehow I don't think I'm going to be disappointed

[ToneMerc]

I've built just about all of the Dumble topologies and a few D'Lite configs. The D'lite has it's origins back to time when public documentation and chassis to build an ODS were nonexistent. In last 4-5 years there's been an influx of info and parts and now one can readily built a full function ODS amp.Therefore, IMHO, I don't see much reason to build a gelded version of an ODS.

Personally, I prefer these circuits when they move a little air. If you are really set on a 183 and considering your needs here's what I would do. I would build a 4 power tube amp and install a 50W Marshall OT. Setting it this way you can run a quad of 6V6's, a pair of EL34's or even a single 6V6 pair, this gives you lots flexibility. Down the road you could simply swap the output transformer with no other changes. The caveat is that the JJ 6V6 is the only common tube that I would continuously run around 440-460 volts or so. I choose PT's than which ran the plates in the 390-410 volt range though.

A low plate skyliner or low plate classic with a good OD pedal is an option as well.

TM

Excellent advice here.
Build a real one, the D'Lite will not satisfy compared to the real thing.
Versatility in tube and output options gives a lot of use flexibility.
Even a 100 watt one plays very well at low volumes.
Good luck-enjoy!

Thanks guys, this helps a lot. I did think that I'd ultimately build the real thing and the D'Lite would prove to be a stepping stone.

Right so, a 183 it is.

I think I've talked myself into a full blown 100watt build.

Somehow I don't think I'm going to be disappointed

Full blown 100 is a great start and you might as well as go full out and build a Dumblelator as well.

If for nothing more than the sake of stare and compare, I would keep it simple and use a legacy style PT aka.....320-50-0-320. You could use Twin or Bassman power transformer footprint, this will depend on what you will be using for a chassis.

My 183

https://tubeamparchive.com/download/file.php?id=17466

TM

[Structo]

I agree about building the 100w version.

I was told this time and again.

But I was a guy that spent a long time away from tubes and didn't get back into them until approx. 2007.

I built a BN 50w Dumble type kit amp.

I don't regret buying the amp kit because I learned so much from building the kit from a box of parts
to the final tweaking of the circuit.

Simply could not have done that without the good souls here offering advice.

Later on I built a 100w version that I'm happy with.

The Dumbleator is a very good piece of kit for the ODS amps.
It allows me to run the volumes on the amp up to the sweet spot (where it sounds good!)
and then control overall volume with input and output on the Dumbleator.

The Dumbleator is a very worth while project for the ODS amp.

As far as Brown Note, I wouldn't advice ordering from there.
There have been guys that have had orders in for 2 or 3 years and still no joy.

If you want a kit there are some other options.

[Herzog]

Thanks TM, that's a sweet build, very clean. What are the silver 'lytics you have on the preamp board?

I'm looking at this Twin PT. It's specced at 340-60-0-340. Overkill?

Simply could not have done that without the good souls here offering advice.

I have to say, the level of information sharing/expertise sharing here is quite stunning. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in, and will no doubt have many questions for the good souls as I work through the process

I'm going to go with the CE chassis when they restock (are there other options?), AG boards and was kind of thinking of sourcing components myself.

Structo, what kit options are there for a full 183? I love the challenge of Mouser's site but it is a looooooong process getting a substantial BOM together...

Peace

Jim

[Structo]

PM sent

[ToneMerc]

Thanks TM, that's a sweet build, very clean. What are the silver 'lytics you have on the preamp board?

I'm looking at this Twin PT. It's specced at 340-60-0-340. Overkill?

Simply could not have done that without the good souls here offering advice.

I have to say, the level of information sharing/expertise sharing here is quite stunning. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in, and will no doubt have many questions for the good souls as I work through the process

I'm going to go with the CE chassis when they restock (are there other options?), AG boards and was kind of thinking of sourcing components myself.

Structo, what kit options are there for a full 183? I love the challenge of Mouser's site but it is a looooooong process getting a substantial BOM together...

Peace

Jim

They are the high temp Sprague TE series. Yes, that PT will work. FWIW, I used a Dagnall C1998 clone for the OT, tubes are GoldLion KT77.

TM

[Herzog]

Thanks again TM, is the Dagnall C1998 you mention the Heyboer one?

Once again I'm looking at the TAD site at this one which seems to be a C1998 clone.

The choke should be 4H, 105 Ohm right?

[tele_player]

I played #183 (yes, the real one) recently - it sounded amazing at very reasonable volumes. I never played it loud, but I'm sure it holds up well. I loved it.

I've got a D'Lite 33 that I built 7 years ago, and another one that I never got around to building. The D'Lite is good, but it's no 183.

-Robert