Hi all,
Wiring heaters is a known bummer. That got me thinking about the idea of a small breakout PCB that would simply make wiring heaters easier (a little like the 3PDT PCBs for making wiring up pedal switching easier/simpler). Just having 4 and 5 pins, with a trace going over to the 9 would be so handy. You could still twist your wiring, but not having to run a connection to the 9 pin would make things so much tidier and easier. I would still use chassis mounted sockets, and the thing would just solder to the socket pins. Has anyone done something like this before?
A quick search led me to these:
[img:640:480]http://www.dhresource.com/albu_42874664 ... Socket.jpg[/img]
Not exactly what I'm thinking as you'd still have to run a connection to the 9 pin, but the general idea is there. You could even have specific cathode follower boards to make those super easy. If you took it a step further, you could do an entire harness of preamp sockets where all you'd need to do is run from the 1st power tube to the +/- pads on the board.
Thoughts? Is this crazy? Blasphemy? Anyone know of an existing product?
Cheers!
- Bryce
Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
Aaaaaah, yeah that's a bit more than I was thinking. lol
I'm thinking this would still be used in turret/eyelet board construction, but would just make wiring the sockets a bit easier.
Like this, but for sockets:
[img:800:800]http://pcb.delyk.com/71-thickbox_default/3pdt-pcb.jpg[/img]
Cheers,
- B
I'm thinking this would still be used in turret/eyelet board construction, but would just make wiring the sockets a bit easier.
Like this, but for sockets:
[img:800:800]http://pcb.delyk.com/71-thickbox_default/3pdt-pcb.jpg[/img]
Cheers,
- B
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
Blasphemy of the highest order.
'Tis a slippery slope to circuit board tryanny!
They will reproduce, and the next thing you know they will have lured the sockets off the chassis.
'Tis a slippery slope to circuit board tryanny!
They will reproduce, and the next thing you know they will have lured the sockets off the chassis.
Tube junkie that aspires to become a tri-state bidirectional buss driver.
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
I know, this is like asking if you'll chew on some tin foil. 
But (speaking hypothetically, of course) what IF, one were able to exercise some self control and keep the traces contained to just the tube socket region? Wires would run to and from their usual turreted locations.
The main things I'm considering here B+ trace requirements, as well as filament noise in high gain applications.
Cheers,
- Bryce
But (speaking hypothetically, of course) what IF, one were able to exercise some self control and keep the traces contained to just the tube socket region? Wires would run to and from their usual turreted locations.
The main things I'm considering here B+ trace requirements, as well as filament noise in high gain applications.
Cheers,
- Bryce
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
I have lots of soldering experience so i dont mind wiring sockets, i can see an advantage to giving more room for those that may be uncomfortable with sockets though.
I don't know if there will be an advantage in high gain builds, as mine are low to medium gain, tweedish, Dumbleish and Trainwrecky at the most, and I have no noise issues...well related to sockets anyway
Try it and see I guess. Make allowances for the most common socket pin diameters (some are not as standard as they should be).
I don't know if there will be an advantage in high gain builds, as mine are low to medium gain, tweedish, Dumbleish and Trainwrecky at the most, and I have no noise issues...well related to sockets anyway
Try it and see I guess. Make allowances for the most common socket pin diameters (some are not as standard as they should be).
Tube junkie that aspires to become a tri-state bidirectional buss driver.
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
Not trying to troll, but the idea of fabricating a printed circuit board not to have to run two wires over a socket seems ridiculous to me. Think about how many wires you are stripping and soldering in a single handwired amp. The only reason these are any different is purely in your mind.
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
I like it. Not for every build but it's always nice to have choices, unless it's modern speakers where too many choices...
Issue is if you make it for bases w/ pins then there is no chassis mount flanges or option, that I know of, so these aren't impracticable they are impossible. I wonder what the ones in the images are intended for? If you make them sit over the bases we use w/ lugs it's an odd fit and sloppy to solder, I see blobs which could pour out under the hole. Would sit high too so heaters would have to run up a bit, as would everything else too. But I still like it.
Issue is if you make it for bases w/ pins then there is no chassis mount flanges or option, that I know of, so these aren't impracticable they are impossible. I wonder what the ones in the images are intended for? If you make them sit over the bases we use w/ lugs it's an odd fit and sloppy to solder, I see blobs which could pour out under the hole. Would sit high too so heaters would have to run up a bit, as would everything else too. But I still like it.
Re: Tube Socket breakout PCB boards?
Hey guys,
Thanks for the great comments! I will admit that of all the connections in an amp, wiring across the socket to pin 9 and back is probably my least favorite. It might be that I just haven't done it enough to discover the right method yet.
The other reason I like the idea of PCBs is that you could have a cleaner looking run of sockets (at least in my builds. lol). I generally get a nice uniform twist on the filament wires, and try to keep it tight all the way up to the connection. The close proximity of the twist, combined with the thicker gauge of wire makes getting it all in there with a good solder joint a bit tricky. I've never had a mis-wire, but I always come away from the process feeling a big leery and not very proud of it.
One thing I've been wanting to try (that I've mentioned before around here) is to make a wooden "jig" for wiring sockets outside of the amp. You could just put a piece of wood underneath the chassis, and drill matching holes into the wood. Then you'd set the sockets in, and wire them up in a more ideal environment (leaving enough length of wire to reach the filament supply). From there, you would just drop the entire assembly into the chassis. I'll probably give that a try before exploring PCB options. Still, though, the idea is intriguing to me.
Cheers!
- Bryce
Thanks for the great comments! I will admit that of all the connections in an amp, wiring across the socket to pin 9 and back is probably my least favorite. It might be that I just haven't done it enough to discover the right method yet.
The other reason I like the idea of PCBs is that you could have a cleaner looking run of sockets (at least in my builds. lol). I generally get a nice uniform twist on the filament wires, and try to keep it tight all the way up to the connection. The close proximity of the twist, combined with the thicker gauge of wire makes getting it all in there with a good solder joint a bit tricky. I've never had a mis-wire, but I always come away from the process feeling a big leery and not very proud of it.
One thing I've been wanting to try (that I've mentioned before around here) is to make a wooden "jig" for wiring sockets outside of the amp. You could just put a piece of wood underneath the chassis, and drill matching holes into the wood. Then you'd set the sockets in, and wire them up in a more ideal environment (leaving enough length of wire to reach the filament supply). From there, you would just drop the entire assembly into the chassis. I'll probably give that a try before exploring PCB options. Still, though, the idea is intriguing to me.
Cheers!
- Bryce