The Ultimate Tone Books by Kevin O'Connor

[sabredude]

What are your thoughts on these books? I'm not sure if they are a god send or a scam! Looks like good info in the ads but then you read that they are a low budget production. Not sure what to think and since there are enough of them to offset the cost of a build, I want to make sure I'm making a good investment.

[LeftyStrat]

What are your thoughts on these books? I'm not sure if they are a god send or a scam! Looks like good info in the ads but then you read that they are a low budget production. Not sure what to think and since there are enough of them to offset the cost of a build, I want to make sure I'm making a good investment.

I have TUT1 and TUT3. Lot's of great info, but probably could be distilled down to a single book. He has a tendency to ramble, and I don't find the organization that great. But I don't regret the purchase.

My incredible wife bought these for me for Christmas, but they haven't arrived yet:

http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard/

[timford]

+1 on Merlins books. I've also wondered about the Oconner books but haven't gone there yet.

[Lynxtrap]

They are certainly no "scam"! Lots of great info. I think he repeats some content in case you don't have all the books.
On the other hand, he often refers to the other books...
The schematics are handdrawn, which is not great. The editing overall is kind of low budget.
But O'Connor seems to know what he is talking about. I find him more trustworthy than certain other well known "gurus".

[leadfootdriver]

I bought the Wizards Preamp book last year. It's pretty informative, with a lot of info that I'll probably never need. I just got the Power Supply book last week. It's pretty complicated, with a lot of math. It too has a lot of info that I'll probably never need. But if you want a modern theory book on amp design, the Wizard books are a safe bet I think.

Although I don't aspire to be a designer, the more I learn along the way, the more things sink in. So it's good to have the info at your finger tips to reinforce what you've learned as a cross reference.

I have another book called The Guitar Amp Handbook. It's more of a general information book. I haven't read it in a while. But I just picked it back up recently, and some of the info had new meaning to me now that I know a bit more on the subject.

Books are good.

[John_P_WI]

I have all of them and they do build and expand the ideas presented in previous books. I bought TUT when it was first released - in the mid-90's- and every other book upon its' publication.

They are great books, although more so for the technical technical savvy types or those willing to learn (opposed to the paint by numbers type). KOC is a great guy and is willing answer questions too. Generally, many options are presented to achieve the end sonic goal.

[fishy]

The KOC books can be expensive and the spiral binding is a big let down for me. I have a couple of them. That said, they do contain some great information.

I think Merlins books cover a great deal minus the rambling and are well worth the asking price.

[pablogt]

I have all of them except TUT2. There is a lot of info there, and I think they are best used as reference material. I keep going back to them all the time. On the other hand, KOC is very opinionated and more or less rules out non-master volume amps, Celestion speakers, EL34s, EL84s among other things, all which I happen to like. So, as someone said here at TAG, you have to take KOC's books with a grain of salt. Merlins books are much more systematic and well organized, but cover less ground than KOC's.

Pablo

[Gaz]

I dunno, I like reading his opinion, or anyone's for that matter, which is why I frequent message boards so much. TUT3 and 5 are the ones I'm really glad I bought, especially 3 if I had to pick one.

[Kagliostro]

I've never read a book from KOC, but all people seems tell that those are interesting and good books

He has a tendency to ramble, and I don't find the organization that great

many people has this opinion

from my part I can say that Merlin Blencowe books are very very useful, he wrote (till now) only two, one about Preamps and one about Power Supply (he say that the Power Amp book will be out in 3/4 years)

those books aren't very expensive but REALLY useful

go to the Valve Wizard site and read part of it, you'll be glad

Kagliostro

[mumford]

Just got my first one in the mail today, TUT3. I have read the Merlin books several times and heartily recommend them.

[sharkboy]

I recently bought the Merlin books (from Chris at Doberman/ax84) after freeloading from Merlin's site for years. Merlin tells the what, the how and the why very well.

I own all of the TUTs and learn something new quite regularly with them. I like tubes he doesn't, but the whole collection is the best resource of which I know ( maybe until Merlin gets out a few more).

I'm very grateful that there are quality people writing helpful books for a crazy niche market in which I have interest.

[M Fowler]

All the books mentioned are very good I have both of Merlin's books, two TUT books, 4 of Tino Zottola's amp project books, 2 TUT books, 2 Blencowe books, a Slyvania tube manual, and a old hard cover tube circuit testing book I discovered but nothing replaces learning from building amps or repairing amps.

[sharkboy]

For clarity, the Merlin and Blencowe books are the same books . Also, hanging out on the right fora will provide the greatest amount of help- the people have walked the same pathways and struggled with the same issues on the same amps.

[M Fowler]

Ah yes they are the same person I was thinking about two other books the analogy of a 5f6 and JTM45 but can't remember the dudes name and I am not at home to look at the books.

Colossal has the same two books maybe he can refresh my poor memory, something I struggle with way too often these days.

Mark