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04 November 2006

The Tube Scream

Oh, the irony of it all.

In the October 22nd blog, I mentioned how I fear schematic typos. And then, in
the October 31st blog, I made a big one. At least it was a big one in my eyes,
though many will never have spotted it.

Let me explain. The 6BQ5-based OTL headphone amplifier circuit I originally

drew up left out a key Aikido-like touch to enhance the amplifier’s PSRR figure. I
didn’t spot it, because I didn’t go through the usual step-by-step explanation of Kit User Guide PDFs
how the circuit works; instead, I only offered a link to an article that I had written Click image to download
that had explicated the circuit. Oops.

And while I bemoaned the e-mail burden with which I daily struggle, I didn't
explain that I had fallen particularly far behind of late because two weeks ago, my
son’s teacher and one of his classmates drowned. A week spent trying to explain to
a three-and-a-half-year-old how something like this could happen and what it
means, along with attending various funeral-related events, put me far behind in
work in general and answering e-mail in particular.

I reasoned that in just a little more time than it would have taken me to answer
the original lost e-mail, I could write a blog entry addressing the same issue.  But I
didn't have time to do it complete justice last week.  So I decided to write a second
part; and when I gave the original entry a second reading, I spotted the schematic
typo. (October 31’s blog now holds the corrected schematics.)

Okay, now in greater detail.

6BQ5-based OTL headphone amplifier circuit revisited

In spite of the little time spent writing the blog entry, the 6BQ5-based headphone
amplifier was actually carefully designed, with the part values not casually chosen.
The result is that the headphone amplifier acknowledges and anticipates the
power supply’s failings, presenting the requisite amount of injected power-supply
noise into the output stage to cancel the power-supply noise from the output.
noise into the output stage to cancel the power-supply noise from the output.
Below is the bad schematic that I had posted.

Notice the parts in red. This capacitor serves as a power supply decoupler,
filtering away much of the 510-volt power supply rail’s noise. So what’s wrong?
Isn’t this what 99% of tube gurus would do? (I was tempted to write 99.9% of tube
gurus, but upon some reflection, I realize that percentage would imply that the
world holds at least 1,000 tube gurus, a number I doubt.) The problem is that if
this decoupling capacitor terminates into ground, the negative power supply rail
noise will be superimposed upon the top output triode’s grid signal. How’s that?
The differential amplifier’s common cathode resistor attaches to the negative
power supply rail and any current variations through this resistor that result from
the resistor seeing a varying voltage potential will be relayed to the plate resistors,
as they all fall on the same current path.
But in the correct schematic below, we see the decoupling capacitor terminated
into the positive-power-supply rail, not ground.

Now the negative power-supply-rail noise will meet and cancel with the positive
power-supply-rail noise, as the cathode and plate resistors values were chosen to
ensure a noise null at the output. If the cathode resistor were larger, then the
output would see positive power-supply-rail noise leaking out; if the resistor were
smaller, then the output would see negative power-supply-rail noise leaking out
instead. (Ideally, we want injected negative power supply rail noise to equal the
positive power-supply-rail noise, so that cancellation is complete.)
How does this trick work? Both the positive and negative power supply rails
deviate from being pure DC sources, carrying the rectification noise residue.
Fortunately, the noise on each rail is nicely related, equal in magnitude, differing
only in being 180 degrees out of phase to each other. (This only holds true when
both rails see the same current load, as they do in this amplifier.)

The complete headphone amplifier is shown above. By the way, speaking of noise
reduction, I just reread something that I had written in the second issue of the
Tube CAD Journal, which is worth repeating every seven years:

Noise, its causes and elimination, will continue to be explored in

future issues. The motive is not hard to find.

Noise constitutes a large part of what is condemned as the "tube

sound," by those who favor solid-state electronics. Few tube
supporters would defend hiss or hum as being euphonic. Noise stands
guilty as charged, as it robs the musical experience of subtle nuances.
Much of what is magical in a great recording is the air, minute details,
and weak hall reverberations that make the recording come alive in
our living rooms.

By masking these subtleties, noise reminds us that what we are

hearing is not live, but only electronically reproduced. Of course, live
performances are often marred by coughing, hacking, talking, creaking
chairs, and glass clinking. But this noise is random and sharp, unlike
the continuous and dull drone of power supply hum; no one in the
audience imagines that he is hearing a reproduced musical event in his
living room because of this live noise. (In fact, a few rare recordings so
perfectly capture this live noise that its reproduction actually helps to
convince us that what we are hearing is live.)

Given the choice between low distortion and low noise, choose low
 Given the choice between low distortion and low noise, choose low
noise. The difference between .1% distortion and .01% distortion
cannot be heard; a reduction of noise from -60 dB to -80 dB can. If
you want to improve the sound of your tube equipment, lower the
noise. Of course, low noise and low distortion are not mutually
exclusive and it would definitely be better to have both.

Here is the irony of the situation. Most solid-state gear is very quiet,
because of the low distortion race among stereo manufacturers. In
order to please the total harmonic distortion meter, an amplifier must
be both clean and quiet, as the meter cannot distinguish between
distortion and noise. Whereas, the tube audio designer, having no faith
in total harmonic distortion measurements, holding to his belief that
no meter can beat his ears, forgoes the requirement of extremely low
noise operation.

Some tube audio designers are very pessimistic about the noise given
off by their designs. They tell us that the vacuum tube is an inherently
noisy device and that it is simply not possible to match the solid-state
gear in low noise operation. We might believe them, if it were not for
counterexample offered by some of the best tube gear: tube
microphones, preamps, and amplifiers that do not hum along with the
music or hiss like tea kettles. (I built a direct coupled electrostatic
headphone amplifier that is so quiet that a friend used to borrow it to
evaluate the noise of hand picked transistors for an ultra-low noise
preamp he was building. The headphones and amplifier revealed more
information about the amount and quality of the noise than did
looking into an oscilloscope.) There is simply no excuse for one tenth
of a volt of hum from the output of a tube power amplifier.

We are not saying that the tube is just as quiet as the transistor or FET,
as, ultimately, it is not; only that much of what is built with tubes
could be much quieter.

Amplifying low output MC cartridges reveals the absolute noise floor

of a tube. The quietest tube is much noisier than the quietest FET. The
2SK147 FET is eerily quiet; after spending years looking at the 6DJ8's
hash noise on an oscilloscope, the flat thin line of noise from the
2SK147 makes one check to see if it is actually connected to the probe.
This praise for the FET's low noise does not constitute a wholesale
 
endorsement of the FET's use for all audio circuits, only a
recommendation for this limited use: amplifying the micro-volts out of
an MC phono cartridge sufficiently to give the vacuum tube a chance to
take over.

Making tube equipment quieter requires a solid grasp of where and

how the noise is interjected into the output signal.

  The TCJ Stepped Attenuator

This specially designed stereo attenuator uses
6BQ5 issues three rotary switches and 32 resistors to yield 36
John Atwood has set me straight about the old Svetlana SV83. They are relabeled volume positions. This hybrid attenuator uses a
6P15P pentodes, a Russian equivalent of an EL83, whereas the 6P14Ps are the combination of both ladder- and series-stepped
attenuators. In the first six positions, the attenuator
Russian equivalent to the EL84. In John’s own words:
is just a ladder attenuator, with no more than two
resistors in the signal path; thereafter, the
I was looking at your latest Tube Cad Journal posting, and I noticed that you implied
attenuator uses both a ladder and series
that the SV83 is equivalent to the EL84. It isn't. It is really a Russian version of the
configurations, with never more than eight resistors
EL83, the 6P15P, which is a video pentode, more similar to a 6CL6 or 6AG7. It may
in the signal path. With -2dB decrements, a
work in a 6BQ5 socket, but the bias points are somewhat different. The pin-outs are
maximum of -70dB of attenuation is possible; with
also somewhat different, but if one was aware of both pinouts, the sockets could be
-1dB decrements, a maximum of -35dB of
wired to be compatible with both.
attenuation.
I have used both the conventional (i.e. consumer-grade) and mil-spec versions of the
The center knob controls both channels, and offers
Russian 6P14P (the mil-spec version has the suffix "EB" in Cyrillic), and both are
six large decrements; the flanking knobs offer six
good, although I especially like the EB version. They sound good, and last a long,
fine decrements for each channel, creating a
long time. I had a quad in my old Heathkit SA-2 amplifier, which I used as my
volume control and balance control in one easy-to-
computer sound amp, which ran every day. Before these, I used US-made
use stepped attenuator.
6BQ5/7189s and they would last a year or two at the most before one "went critical"
and the others were loosing gm. I had the 6P14P-EB tubes in for over 2-1/2 years
before I took the amp out of service, and they all tested perfect! These tubes are
 before I took the amp out of service, and they all tested perfect! These tubes are
available on Ebay for about $2.50 each from Russian and Ukrainian sellers. I have
gotten some from these sources and have had essentially no problems with the
purchases.
And here is an interesting link SV83 Output tube warning! Below is the pinout for
the 6P14P and 6P15P pentodes.
This clever attenuator uses fewer resistors (only 32)
than would be expected from a conventional 32-
position stepped attenuator, as two series
attenuators would need a total of 72 resistors; and
two ladder attenuators would require 140 resistors.
In addition, the PCB holds dual sets of resistor
pads, one wide and one narrow, so that axial
(composition, wire-wound, and film) and radial
(thick-film and bulk-foil) resistors can be used
without extra lead bending.

Although designed to go with the Aikido amplifier, it

can be used anywhere a high-quality attenuator is
needed, whether passive or active. For example, it
would make a first-rate foundation to an excellent
passive line box.

Designed by John Broskie & Made in USA

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Speaking of small, 9-pin power pentodes, I love the 6CW5/EL86, which is a

powerful, low-voltage pentode. (The EI version cost only $5 and I am sure that
you can still pick up NOS American 6CW5s for just a little more.)

   ET-T3021

POWER-AMPLIFIER PENTODE

DESCRIPTION AND RATING

FOR AF POWER AMPLIFIER APPLICATIONS

The 6CW5 is a power-amplifier pentode designed for use in the audio-
frequency power-output stage of television and radio receivers and in
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ELECTRICAL plated-through holes, dual sets of resistor pads and
Cathode—Coated Unipotential pads for two coupling capacitors. Stereo and mono,
Heater Voltage, AC or DC 6 3 Volts octal and 9-pin printed circuit boards available.
Heater Current 0.76 Amperes
Designed by John Broskie & Made in USA
Direct Interelectrode Capacitances*
Grid Number 1 to Plate 0.6 pf
Grid Number 1 to All 12 pf
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MAXIMUM RATINGS

DESIGN-CENTER VALUES
Plate Voltage 250 Volts
Screen Voltage 200 Volts
Plate Dissipation 12 Watts
Screen Dissipation 1.75 Watts
Peak Screen Dissipation 6.0 Watts
DC Cathode Current 100 Milliamperes

Heater-Cathode Voltage
Heater Positive with Respect to Cathode 100 Volts
Heater Negative with Respect to Cathode
DC Component 150 Volts
Total DC and Peak 300 Volts
Grid-Number 1 Circuit Resistance
With Cathode Bias 1.0 Megohms

    

TERMINAL CONNECTIONS
Pin 1—Internal Connection
Pin 2—Grid Number 1
Pin 3—Cathode and Grid Number 3 (Suppressor)
Pin 4—Heater
Pin 5—Heater
Pin 6—Internal Connection
Pin 7—Plate
Pin 8—Internal Connection

CHARACTERISTICS AND TYPICAL OPERATION

AVERAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Plate Voltage 170 Volts
Screen Voltage 170 Volts
Grid-Number 1 Voltage -12.5 Volts
Plate Resistance, approximate 23000 Ohms
Transconductance 10000 Micromhos
Plate Current 70 Milliamperes
Screen Current 5.0 Milliamperes

CLASS A1 AMPLIFIER
Plate Voltage 170 Volts
Screen Voltage 170 Volts
Grid-Number 1 Voltage -12.5 Volts
Peak AF Grid-Number 1 Voltage 9 9 Volts
Zero-Signal Plate Current 70 Milliamperes
Maximum-Signal Plate Current 70 Milliamperes
Zero-Signal Screen Current 5.0 Milliamperes
Maximum-Signal Screen Current 22 Milliamperes
Load Resistance 2400 Ohms
Total Harmonic Distortion,approximate 10 Percent
Maximum-Signal Power Output 5 6 Watts
 

6N1P input tube

One reader asked if the 6N1P could be used instead of the 12AX7. It can, but at a
price. First of all, it will offer less gain, which means less feedback will be
available, which might be important to those seeking the lowest output impedance
and distortion. Second, the 6N1P should be run much hotter than a 12AX7, 5mA
per triode, not the 1mA that a 12AX7 can get away with. So what’s the big deal,
10mA versus 2mA? The big deal comes in the form of bigger decoupling
capacitors. Where the 12AX7-based headphone amplifier only needed 2µF
capacitors, the 6N1P version will require five times larger capacitors, 10µF
decoupling capacitors. In addition, the two bipolar power supplies may become
unbalanced, as the negative power supply rail will be taxed greater than the
positive rail, as the current through the differential amplifier starts at the negative
power supply rail and ends at the 510V rail. (The workaround might be to use
more capacitance on the negative power supply rail than the positive rail.)

In practice, this amplifier may work well enough that these added costs are worth
paying. Remember, the 6N1P can be much quieter than the 12AX7.

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For more information, please visit:
Another input tube that I would experiment with is the 12BZ7, which also holds a
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TCJ Filter Design

 The Tube CAD Journal's first companion
program, TCJ Filter Design lets you
design a filter or crossover (passive,
solid-state or tube) without having to
check out thick textbooks from the library
and without having to breakout the
scientific calculator. This program's goal
is to provide a quick and easy display
not only of the frequency response, but
also of the resistor and capacitor values
for a passive and active filters and
crossovers.

TCJ Filter Design is easy to use, but not

lightweight, holding over 60 different
filter topologies and up to four filter
alignments:

Bessel,
Butterworth,
Gaussian,
Linkwitz-Riley.
While the program’s main concern is
active filters, solid-state and tube, it also
does passive filters. In fact, it can be
used to calculate passive crossovers for
use with speakers by entering 8 ohms as
the terminating resistance. Click on the
image below to see the full screen
capture.

Tube crossovers are a major part of this

program; both buffered and un-buffered
tube based filters along with mono-polar
and bipolar power supply topologies are
covered. Available on a CD-ROM and a
downloadable version (4 Megabytes).

Download or CD ROM
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