I would likely either put a Brimar or a Sylvania in there. Those are my personal favorites. And no I never felt the need to spring for the RCAs....
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
B15N Tube Preamp DI Build Report
- Thread starter Azure Skies
- Start date
I would likely either put a Brimar or a Sylvania in there. Those are my personal favorites. And no I never felt the need to spring for the RCAs....
Yep, I'm in process of procuring the same box with two quarter inch jack slots (standard size, not the neutrik locking type as in the pics). This will allow "in" and "thru" operation.
I would do it like the REDDI, the in and thru are in parallel. There is no easy way to make a separate output post eq.
Word. I've tried, and all it does it dilute the sound going to the FOH.
NOS Sylvania tubes on order!
I'm going to try out the Tung sol this evening, and then the sylvanias when they get here.
I'm going to try out the Tung sol this evening, and then the sylvanias when they get here.
Popped in the tung sol and it's really good. I prefer it over the first tube...it seems to have more texture and response to my playing. The basic tone is still there, but this one is, dare I say, "organic" 
Some more blues jamming on a p bass:
Some more blues jamming on a p bass:
It's hard to say which I'd prefer in a band situation because the Tung Sol seemed to make the response flatter, but the first tube seemed like it was more ballsy. Of course, that could have just been extra low mid response making me think that. Had a similar experience with the REDDI where I tried these 6N1P's from USSR in 1965, and I ended up going back to the Sovtek because I thought the NOS tube was too overwhelming with the low end. But the REDDI has no tone controls, and that adds in another complicating factor. But I do think the Tung Sol mellowed it out a little.
I'd like to order some professionally made faceplates for the unit. I don't want to use "B15N" as the name of the unit since that name already exists. Do you have any suggestions on what to name it?
N51B?I'm not a very creative type.
I'd like to think I'm creative...but when it comes to making up names I'm just a dud. I'd like the name to be related to the product (i.e. not a random name like "wippersnapper"). I was thinking P15N (the "P" is for "Preamp").
I'd like to think I'm creative...but when it comes to making up names I'm just a dud. I'd like the name to be related to the product (i.e. not a random name like "wippersnapper"). I was thinking P15N (the "P" is for "Preamp").
If you call it the P15, you have to have a small silhouette of a P15 Mustang screen printed or etched on the face plate.
And put a small maple leaf on the silhouette or something
Depends on the application, really. In the instance of the REDDI (or my DIY box) the transformers need to be physically big because their primaries are being used as the plate loads for the tubes and have to pass DC current. With the required air gap you need a larger core than you would with a non-gapped transformer to get the same LF response. That sort of circuit definitely behaves differently than a resistive loaded gain stage does and some people like it better (me included in this application). Of course, like I'm telling you anything you don't already know here (
), the sonic behaviour is a function of the entire circuit, not just the transformer and there are tradeoffs as well. Like everything in audio, you gotta pick your tradeoffs.Oh, there are ways to do it (internally) without affecting the balanced out, there just isn't a simple solution that doesn't require further circuit design.
Azure Skies: If you're planning to market this I'd advise avoiding names that could even be remotely seen as copyright infringement, just to save yourself potential trouble. Once again, it looks and sounds great and I think you should market it.
Chef
In Memoriam
Dude: this is totally brilliant.
Great clips.
You could probably call me one of the "if people were interested" people.
Great clips.
You could probably call me one of the "if people were interested" people.
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:
**edit**
Here are the sound clips that I posted later on in the thread:
If you call it the P15, you have to have a small silhouette of a P15 Mustang screen printed or etched on the face plate.
And put a small maple leaf on the silhouette or something
Ah, I forgot about the mustang. I guess that's a no go, although I doubt anybody would be confused about what they were buying.
I did consider putting a maple leaf somewhere on there. The front panel is crowded as is, but maybe I can incorporate it into my branding.
Azure Skies: If you're planning to market this I'd advise avoiding names that could even be remotely seen as copyright infringement, just to save yourself potential trouble. Once again, it looks and sounds great and I think you should market it.
Yeah I definitely don't want to walk that fine line. So many people have tried to emulate ampeg products and use spin-offs of their name, they've probably given up chasing the small fries. Maybe wippersnapper isn't so bad...
Thanks. I've got parts for 10 units on order and I'll keep you all posted on the progress.
ASP-15N. Short for Azure Skies Preamp. The Asp snake could be your logo.
"According to Plutarch (quoted by Invalid Link Removed), Invalid Link Removed tested various deadly poisons on condemned persons and concluded that the bite of the asp (from aspis - Egyptian cobra, not European asp) was the least terrible way to die; the venom brought sleepiness and heaviness without spasms of pain."
Tone to die for. Killer tone. Intoxicating tone. Tone with a bite, etc, etc.
BassByBaldSteve
Supporting Member
- Nov 17, 2011
- 703
- 742
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Fodera Basses, Aguilar Amplification
ASP-15N. Short for Azure Skies Preamp. The Asp snake could be your logo.
"According to Plutarch (quoted by Invalid Link Removed), Invalid Link Removed tested various deadly poisons on condemned persons and concluded that the bite of the asp (from aspis - Egyptian cobra, not European asp) was the least terrible way to die; the venom brought sleepiness and heaviness without spasms of pain."
Tone to die for. Killer tone. Intoxicating tone. Tone with a bite, etc, etc.
This is actually brilliant
Really thoughtful, but don't "Azure Skies" and an asp thematically contradict one another?
