ampage Tube Amps / Music Electronics	For current discussions, please visit Music Electronics Forum.

ampage archive

Vintage threads from the first ten years

previous: anonymous I also saw it in the back of guitar... -- 8/4/1999 12:13 AM

Re: Designer's book of interest

8/4/1999 2:20 AM
moocow	Re: Designer's book of interest A friend lent me this book for a few days. There are quite a few projects, and there is a circuit description and PCB artwork for each one. Much of the book is devoted to the theory behind the elements of each circuit, thus the 'cookbook' designation. There's even some stuff about vacuum tube amps, and it has the most comprehensive description of tone controls that I've ever seen. To be honest, some of the circuits seemed overly complicated to me. For example, one of the tremolo circuits used about sixteen op-amps. In fairness, it's really a matter of design philosophy. I like to use the simplest circuits possible, while some people prefer the most complicated circuits known to 20th century man. I have to admit that I learned a lot by studying these circuits, even though I probably wouldn't build some of them. The parametric EQ and compressors did look very interesting to me. I only read a few chapters completely, but my overall impression is that the author spent at least a couple of years writing this book, and a lifetime gathering the knowledge to do so. This is a pretty advanced text, so the more experienced you are, the more you will get more out of it. I would guess that beginners could at least use this book as a reference, and with time, the book will become more useful.

8/4/1999 2:20 AM

moocow

Re: Designer's book of interest

A friend lent me this book for a few days. There are quite a few projects, and there is a circuit description and PCB artwork for each one. Much of the book is devoted to the theory behind the elements of each circuit, thus the 'cookbook' designation. There's even some stuff about vacuum tube amps, and it has the most comprehensive description of tone controls that I've ever seen.

To be honest, some of the circuits seemed overly complicated to me. For example, one of the tremolo circuits used about sixteen op-amps. In fairness, it's really a matter of design philosophy. I like to use the simplest circuits possible, while some people prefer the most complicated circuits known to 20th century man. I have to admit that I learned a lot by studying these circuits, even though I probably wouldn't build some of them. The parametric EQ and compressors did look very interesting to me.

I only read a few chapters completely, but my overall impression is that the author spent at least a couple of years writing this book, and a lifetime gathering the knowledge to do so. This is a pretty advanced text, so the more experienced you are, the more you will get more out of it. I would guess that beginners could at least use this book as a reference, and with time, the book will become more useful.

Replies:

Bruce B. I would agree. I just got it today... -- 8/6/1999 10:42 PM