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B15N Tube Preamp DI Build Report

#22
Is it OK to touch myself?

:D

Man, I would love to see what you think about putting a Sylvania or similar 6SL7 in there. The Heritage B-15's all had NOS JAN 6188's in them because the newer 6SL7's were only so-so in the B-15 circuit, and the JAN's are really Sylvanias and that was also Ampeg's longtime tube maker of choice.
 
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#23
JimmyM said:
Is it OK to touch myself?

:D

Man, I would love to see what you think about putting a Sylvania or similar 6SL7 in there. The Heritage B-15's all had NOS JAN 6188's in them because the newer 6SL7's were only so-so in the B-15 circuit, and the JAN's are really Sylvanias and that was also Ampeg's longtime tube maker of choice.
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Knew it would only be moments before Jimmy showed up :)
 
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#26
Azure Skies said:
I built a DI in the fashion of a REDDI using the preamp of an ampeg B15N. It uses a single 6SL7 tube with a volume control, followed by a bass/treble stack. I wanted to keep the design simple by using only one tube, so I followed this with a high voltage mosfet follower to drive a transformer for a DI out. The output transformer is a cinemag, and sounds very nice (REDDI uses cinemag as well). The tube is an old unbranded russian 6SL7. I am using DC heaters for noise reduction, and a B+ just north of 300 volts. I made the PCB and faceplate myself, and of course, put it all together.

The volume control starts getting some good grunt right around 2 o'clock, and when maxed out, can sound pretty mean. I'm very happy with this build. Hopefully I'll get around to uploading some audio later on (actually I cut my left index finger building this thing, so it's difficult to play right now). For now, here are some pics:

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I've been looking to do the same, I would love to try it sometime, I'm located in Pickering Ontario
 
#28
Azure Skies said:
I could probably build a few of these if people were interested. I'd like to gig with it for a little bit to make sure it is tough, and the features are right. So far I've only tested it on my recording interface. It may need an attenuator for live use.
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Count me in if you think it will fly in a live situation.
 
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#29
Whatta buncha Ampeg nerds! :roflmao:

My first was a V-4 and my last was (IRC) a '67 B-15N I parted with during very lean economic times in the early eighties. I would probably not be alone in considering the 'amplified peg' B-15 the p-bass of the amplifier world. The very essence of simple, basic, glorious tube tone. :cool:
 
#39
nshuman said:
WOW, that is cool!!!

@JimmyM what are you still doing with a REDDI when this exists??????? :)
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LOL...well for starters, there's only one of these and thousands of REDDI's ;) Plus I ain't about to abandon my old pal the REDDI...it's the one that got it all going. Still, I wouldn't mind plugging into this one at all!
 
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