Title: Output Transformerless Tube Headphone Amplifier (
5/20/2008)
Author: Kurt Strain
This OTL mu-follower design uses paralleled tubes (2 per channel) to minimize noise. It also makes an excellent preamplifier.
Title: Brute Force In A Line Stage (100% Tube!)
Author: Eric Barbour
An OTL mu follower design. "One, often forgotten, purpose of the preamp is to drive headphones. I listen with a pair of AKG K240s, which is a relatively easy load to drive. This all-tube line stage and driver can power them, without resorting to output transformers."
Title: All-Triode Direct-Drive Tube Amps for Electrostatic and Electret Headphones
Author: Kevin Gilmore
Two electrostatic headphone driver designs: the second is DC-coupled and uses high voltage Apex op-amps as DC regulators. They will drive Stax and Sennheiser electrostatic phones, and the author includes directions for adapting the designs to other models. These are "the best electrostatic headphone amplifiers currently available, anywhere in the world." Will also drive electret headphones. Recommended only for intermediate-advanced builders familiar with high-voltage safety!
Title: Designing an OpAmp Headphone Amplifier (Solid State and Tubes)
Author: HeadWize
Design principles and circuits for building opamp-based headphone amplifiers. This article reviews selection criteria, feedback configurations, capacitor coupling, RF shielding, output stage topology, short circuit protection, equalization, acoustic simulation, headphone distribution amplifiers and power supply options. Also discusses design with tube amp-blocks (AC feedback amplifiers and tube and tube-MOSFET hybrid opamps) as well techniques for interfacing tube amp-blocks with solid state output stages.
Title: Top-Level OTL Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Andrea Ciuffoli
This OTL amp features a single-ended class A input stage and a paralleled-tube cathode follower output stage with 33 ohms output impedance. It can drive any headphone from 300 to 600 ohms. Now includes two "high-end" versions based on the 6SN7 and the 3A5 direct-heated triode.
Title: No-Compromise OTL Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Andrea Ciuffoli
The author achieves his quest for the ultimate headphone amplifier that offers the best possible sound without any compromises. Based on the same circuit topology as his "Top-Level" amplifiers, this version uses a Raytheon 5842 at the input and a new power supply with tube rectifiers. The article includes photographs of the completed project.
Title: A SRPP-Input Tube Amplifier For Headphones And Loudspeakers
Author: Tony Frazer
This transformer-coupled design uses a series regulated push-pull input stage and a parallel-triode cathode bias output stage. The audio output transformer is hand-wound from a kit. The amp will drive both headphones and speakers.
Title: A Zero-Feedback SRPP-Input Headphone Amplifier
Author: Simon Busbridge
Features a series regulated push-pull input stage and transformer-coupled output stage with an output impedance of about 2.5 ohms. It has zero global feedback for open, natural sound without any harshness.
Title: A Single-Ended OTL Amplifier for Dynamic Headphones
Author: Aren van Waarde
A simple OTL design that uses just two tubes (dual triodes) for stereo. It has a common cathode input stage direct-coupled to a cathode follower output stage.
Title: Hi-End Transformer-Coupled Headphone Amplifier With Digital Input
Author: Andrea Ciuffoli
A 2-stage transformer-coupled tube headphone amplifier with a DAC front-end. The amplifier can drive headphones of 300 - 600 ohms impedance. The DAC is from a Crystal Semiconductor CS4390 evaluation board and has been modified to use a transformer-based output stage instead of the on-board active filter.
Title: The SESS Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Andrea Ciuffoli
The author describes the construction of a very simple single-ended, single-stage, single-tube (SESS) tube headphone amplifier with a reference power supply that uses a tube rectifier in a hybrid Graetz bridge configuration.
Title: The Morgan Jones Mini Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Chu Moy
This reverse-engineered version of the famous EarMax headphone amplifier has just 3 tubes, uses no global feedback, and is powered from an 19VAC wall-wart. Includes two additional versions of this amplifier optimized for driving low impedance headphones and simulation files for use with OrCAD Lite software.
Title: The 6N1P OTL Headphone Amplifier
Author: Bruce Bender
This version of the optimized Morgan Jones headphone amplifier uses 6N1P dual triode tubes and a standard power supply. The author provides extensive construction details. Includes simulation files for use with OrCAD Lite software.
Title: A Tube Headphone Amplifier/Preamp with Relay-Based Input and Power Switching
Author: Helmut Ahammer
A tube headphone amplifier inspired by the "Top-Level" and "No-Compromise" amps of Andrea Ciuffoli, except that the output stage uses a triode-connected pentode. Because this amp also serves as a preamp, the author has put in a sophisticated relay-based switching system (both input source selection and power supply). The power supplies also feature slow-on and stepped delayed turn-on. The power-on LED doubles as a warm-up status indicator.
Title: A Fender-Tone Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Alex Cavalli
This tube amplifier with sonic controls has a paralleled White cathode follower output stage for driving low impedance headphones. The sonic controls consist of a Fender tone stack (bass, mid and treble), and ambience and blend controls. Includes simulation files for use with OrCAD Lite software.
Title: A DC-Coupled Tube Amplifier With Futterman Output Stage for Dynamic Headphones
Author: Rudy van Stratum
The Futterman output stage in this tube amp offers the choice of DC- and AC-coupled outputs. The class AB design can output up to 24mW into a 30-Ohm load or nearly 500mW into a 600-Ohm load.
Title: A Low-Voltage Class-A Tube Headphone Amplifier
Author: Helmut Ahammer
This OTL design features a high-voltage power supply that is less than half of the one used in the author's first amp and most other tube amps, but without compromising performance.