NAD: The smallest one yet ... all valve subminiature valve amplifier.

4114Effects

Following on from my OR120 clone, I thought I'd go completely the other direction and make a subminiature tube amp. Always fancied building one of these. 

It's built into a 1590B pedal enclosure. Uses a standard 12v power supply and ramps the voltage up to HT level of about 180v to run the valves. Kicks out about 1/2 watt - not much clean headroom but plenty of lovely crunch. Loud through a decent 1x12. Gain, volume and bias switch to ramp up the headroom slightly.

I love noodling through it with a telecaster, seems like a perfect match.

Pictured here with a business card for scale ...

Bridgehouse

Can you do a bass version?

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Bridgehouse said:

Can you do a bass version?

You could probably use this for bass. No idea how it would sound though. Might try it and let you know lol

Wazmeister

Wow, Dan, Ive said it many times... best screen printing ever on your stuff - looks great !

Bridgehouse

4114Effects said:

Bridgehouse said:

Can you do a bass version?

You could probably use this for bass. No idea how it would sound though. Might try it and let you know lol

Just wondered if you’d have to do some sort of magic to cope with bass tones..

mli3

Wow nice. Where do you find valves that small? 

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mli3 said:

Wow nice. Where do you find valves that small? 

Subminiature tubes they're called. Used for cool stuff like old Russian missiles and equipment.

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Bridgehouse said:

4114Effects said:

Bridgehouse said:

Can you do a bass version?

You could probably use this for bass. No idea how it would sound though. Might try it and let you know lol

Just wondered if you’d have to do some sort of magic to cope with bass tones..

I doubt it would have the umph and headroom to deal with a bass to be honest, normally need a lot more power than the guitar amp equivalents. I'll try it anyway lol

Bridgehouse

4114Effects said:

Bridgehouse said:

4114Effects said:

Bridgehouse said:

Can you do a bass version?

You could probably use this for bass. No idea how it would sound though. Might try it and let you know lol

Just wondered if you’d have to do some sort of magic to cope with bass tones..

I doubt it would have the umph and headroom to deal with a bass to be honest, normally need a lot more power than the guitar amp equivalents. I'll try it anyway lol

Let us know! There’s no submini bass amps on the market (maybe your answer is why)

simonk

That’s superb and I want one immediately.

NPP

this looks great!

In the end, though, if you want any sound out of it, you need a speaker and your setup will include pedals and a box at least the size of a Tweed Champ, whether your amp is a pedal or a combo. 

Doesn't mean I don't like it ...

JezWynd

Sweet!

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NPP said:

this looks great!

In the end, though, if you want any sound out of it, you need a speaker and your setup will include pedals and a box at least the size of a Tweed Champ, whether your amp is a pedal or a combo. 

Doesn't mean I don't like it ...

Yeah, it's more of a "build it just because I can" thing rather than being a practical thing lol

ICBM

4114Effects said:

Subminiature tubes they're called. Used for cool stuff like old Russian missiles and equipment.

ICBMs.




ZVex might not be too amused!

Have you avoided a cooling fan for the high-voltage supply? That was the annoying thing about the ZVex Nano.

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simonk said:

That’s superb and I want one immediately.

Feel free to make me an offer

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ICBM said:

4114Effects said:

Subminiature tubes they're called. Used for cool stuff like old Russian missiles and equipment.

ICBMs.




ZVex might not be too amused!

Have you avoided a cooling fan for the high-voltage supply? That was the annoying thing about the ZVex Nano.

Yeah, I've run this one for a while and it doesn't seem to need one. Not sure if the Zvex uses a different supply. 

olafgarten

That looks great, it would probably work well as a practice amp if you could also find a small speaker to go with it. 

ecc83

Sweet! I have often wondered about using the old portable radio valves? DL96, 1.4V heater and 90V HT. The radios were quite loud back in the day and much better sound quality than the early transistor jobs!

I am not sure now however if there is a reliable source of the valves?

Love the type numbers to look up?

Cooling fan for the HT converter IC?  "Our" HT pedals use 300V at about a watt and the MOSFET in the converter does not have or need a heatsink and I never had one fail.

Dave.

mart

Looks gorgeous!

If you can make enough of these then we can all sing along with the Beatles “we all live with a yellow submini amp”.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

Cooling fan for the HT converter IC?  "Our" HT pedals use 300V at about a watt and the MOSFET in the converter does not have or need a heatsink and I never had one fail.

The ZVex Nano amp has one. I assume he wouldn’t have fitted it if it wasn’t necessary... although that doesn’t prove it!

It was by far the worst feature of the amp, and mostly why I sold it - even after a mod to quieten it, it was still too noisy for home playing.

Branshen

Looks very cool.. Sound clips please!!