Solid state Amp discussion allowed (of course!)

[modman]

Hi, I know this is a predominantly a stompboxes site, but theres a section for tube amps but none for SS amps. Why is this?

Not a rant, just wandering

Happy Stomping

[modman]

You are very right in bringing this up, I put an end to this discrimination, for which I alone am to blame... Indeed saw some SS amp post in this (café section), because of this very reason.

thanks!

If anybody sees SS amp discussion anywhere else than in the Amplifiers section, just report the post, and we mods will move it.

[Entrant_21]

You are very right in bringing this up, I put an end to this discrimination, for which I alone am to blame... Indeed saw some SS amp post in this (café section), because of this very reason.

thanks!

If anybody sees SS amp discussion anywhere else than in the Amplifiers section, just report the post, and we mods will move it.

Awesome thanks for the change, im always working on SS amps and never thought of making schematics as theres nowhere to post them

we are now an equal 'state' community

[modman]

It takes more time to draw a schematic than to rename the section.
Moving this as a sticky to the Amplifier section, then, so people know.

[kurotenshi]

Hi, i'm new on the forum (and on the DIY world).
I'm very interested in SS amps because I believe they provide a more, modular way of building your rig.
Explaining, with a TRANSPARENT power amp, such as an SS amp, one can build his own sound with preamps and FX so the power of the rig is completely independent.
Furthermore I believe that there is some way to emulate tube sound within human perception with SS components.

Some one care to comment?

[Broadcaster]

In case you didn't know already, there is http://www.ssguitar.com which is dedicated to solid state guitar amps (well, the name might implicate this). To be honest do not visit that site too often, the tubes-are-all mantra seems to be stronger than expected, even though I should know better .
Some folks from the other-other forum (yeah, I know...) seem to hang around there more regular.

[SPeter]

Hi,
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by a book about SS guitar amplifiers:
http://www.thatraymond.com/downloads/so ... a_v1.0.pdf
Enjoy!

[wildschwein]

Hi,
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by a book about SS guitar amplifiers:
http://www.thatraymond.com/downloads/so ... a_v1.0.pdf
Enjoy!

This is awesome - thanks for the link!

[KMG]

I want to offer you to look on this page on my website belonged to solid state power amplifiers
http://milas.spb.ru/~kmg/fetpa_en.html
This versions of amps have sound very close to tube ones.
Only one disadvantage - you have to build output transformer by your owm hands, because there are no standard transformers with matching primary coil impedance.
At the other pages of website you can find informatiom also about SS preamps having very close sound to tube prototypes
http://milas.spb.ru/~kmg/index_en.html

[Moander]

..... there is http://www.ssguitar.com ....

I thank you for that link, and am glad to see more support for SS amps... as well as Hybrids.....

[DimebuGG]

I posted this over SSGuitar.com.

[soundclone]

I posted this over SSGuitar.com.

is this veryfied?

[RnFR]

ssguitar is a cool forum. lots of smart dudes I've there. the Randall schem looks factory, so it's verified as much as you can trust Randall. how's that thing sound anyway? ubermetal?

edit: uh, yes. I would definitely say uber. might make a decent preamp/preamp pedal if you can get a decent power supply. you could just run a couple voltage doublers, or even just run it at 18V. doesn't look too complicated.

[rocklander]

so I've built the ruby and use it for testing pedals, but there are times I'd like a lil more power.. can anyone recommend a similar kind of DIY SS amp? I'm scared shitless of the high voltages in tube amps so wont go near that field.. but have access to a bunch of laptop power supplies so have ready access to >=2A >=18VDV power.. can I effectively swap out the lm386 for something like a tda2030 in the ruby schem, or is that WAY too simplistic? (I suspect there'll be an overwhelming 'yes' to that after the laughter dies down).
any suggestions for a <30W SS schem I can make with a laptop power supply driving it?

[rizibiz]

There is Taylor's Tiny Giant amp at http://musicpcb.com/pcbs/tiny-giant-amp/ 12V-18V - 10-15W
I've built this into a 1590BB with a BJF Sea Blue EQ as preamp.
http://ompldr.org/vZGN5Zw

To be honest I did not like it. Just as I did not like the Ruby.

[rocklander]

There is Taylor's Tiny Giant amp at http://musicpcb.com/pcbs/tiny-giant-amp/ 12V-18V - 10-15W
I've built this into a 1590BB with a BJF Sea Blue EQ as preamp.
http://ompldr.org/vZGN5Zw

To be honest I did not like it. Just as I did not like the Ruby.

what is it you didn't like about it? (or the ruby for that matter)..
this isn't something I'd use live, it's simply something physically light to hear the guitar and effects.. mostly so I can test out a vox vdl looper I have recently bought and can't be arsed lugging my valve amp upstairs heh.

[allesz]

Hey rocklander. I have a question: what kind of speaker do you use?
I don't think that Ruby is a definitive amp, but it is good for holidays and for the first tests (late at night) of pedals.
I have built mine with a really small mylar speaker (3 or 4 cm) and it sounds pretty shitty; but when connected to a good cab it always surprise me.

I made experiments with a tda7052 (probably... ) and posted it in a tread here at FSB (it's title should be "the smallest amp ever"); right now this amp belongs to my bass player, I rememnber it being more powerfull and cleaner compared to the ruby.... so probably it can be better for your porposes.

[rizibiz]

There is Taylor's Tiny Giant amp at http://musicpcb.com/pcbs/tiny-giant-amp/ 12V-18V - 10-15W
I've built this into a 1590BB with a BJF Sea Blue EQ as preamp.
http://ompldr.org/vZGN5Zw

To be honest I did not like it. Just as I did not like the Ruby.

what is it you didn't like about it? (or the ruby for that matter)..
this isn't something I'd use live, it's simply something physically light to hear the guitar and effects.. mostly so I can test out a vox vdl looper I have recently bought and can't be arsed lugging my valve amp upstairs heh.

Ok, I probably lack the English to describe it properly. I really mean no offense to the Tiny Giant nor the Ruby but these sounded not musical (in a guitar amp sense) enough to me. Both sounded a bit Hi-Fi like, similar to when you connect a guitar (through a line level preamp of course) to the home stereo. And I tried them through at least four different speakers. A Bugera V22 12" speaker in it's own cab, a Fender Frontman 25R 10" speaker in its own cab, an Eminence Ramrod 10" in the Frontman cab, a Jensen MOD 6 (6") in a Roland Micro cube cab and a tiny 4.5" fullband (?) speaker - no cab. Most of these are proper guitar speakers in proper open back combo cabinets. So it did not depend on the drivers.

Ok, I admit it's not fair comparing a Ruby to the Bugera V22 which is a beautiful sounding all tube amp and not something you put together on your bench, but the Frontman is an old's cool SS box with chip poweramp so nothing exotic. And these projects are great, they can drive a speaker cab well enough but their tone is lacking. For me they did not cut it even for practice (the Microcube is lovely btw.) and I'm not even too picky or a tubehead.

The more I think about it I can probably describe the difference as the lack of brillance or presence. Something like that. Hope it helps.

Again, I emphasize I enjoyed both the Tiny Giant and the Ruby but they are more like a proof of concept or a "toy" rather than a proper amp which is fine in every way, just wanted to let you know what to expect.

[rizibiz]

Ok, maybe all you need for these to sound great is a good preamp. Or a POD, or something like that.

[rocklander]

Hey rocklander. I have a question: what kind of speaker do you use?
I don't think that Ruby is a definitive amp, but it is good for holidays and for the first tests (late at night) of pedals.
I have built mine with a really small mylar speaker (3 or 4 cm) and it sounds pretty shitty; but when connected to a good cab it always surprise me.

I made experiments with a tda7052 (probably... ) and posted it in a tread here at FSB (it's title should be "the smallest amp ever"); right now this amp belongs to my bass player, I rememnber it being more powerfull and cleaner compared to the ruby.... so probably it can be better for your porposes.

thanks for that...here's the link (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8510) but unfortunately the attachment seems to be one of the ones lost any chance you can repost?. I really should try the ruby into a better speaker.. it's currently going into an old car speaker (I got for free from a wrecker).. it's idea for pedal testing, but not all that musical... my plan is to have 1 or 2 6(odd) inch speakers in a wee cab I can easily lug around.

Again, I emphasize I enjoyed both the Tiny Giant and the Ruby but they are more like a proof of concept or a "toy" rather than a proper amp which is fine in every way, just wanted to let you know what to expect.

this is actually very helpful. so thanks very much. part of what I'll be practicing on the looper is actually acoustic guitar (and maybe vocals too? it has that as an option on the VDL looper) so a more hifi sound is probably not a bad thing in my case..

Ok, maybe all you need for these to sound great is a good preamp. Or a POD, or something like that.

and this could make it more flexible too... maybe the SBEQ as a preamp, and a cab sim as well and have them switchable..