greg ball ska tube pre

hi guys im trying to get greg to design a tube output for his ska pre something based around a 6h30 gold supertube would be nice .this combined with his optical volume control would be unbeatable . he says if theres enough interest he just might make it .so get your bums over to his site and pester him about it . i could make the first one and anyone interested could demo it at my place before buying one

I'm definitely interested!

any more takers..,. im happy to demo the standard pre for anyone im sure once you hear it you'l be very impressed as was i .i reckon with the added tube output it would be magnificent and i would be prepared to put it up against any pre out there

Can you (or Greg) tell us a bit more about this optical volume control?

any more takers..,. im happy to demo the standard pre for anyone im sure once you hear it you'l be very impressed as was i .i reckon with the added tube output it would be magnificent and i would be prepared to put it up against any pre out there

Hello CM ,here's my pre using the 6H30pi it has a seperate dual power supply

Cheers

very nice 56 id love to come around and have a look/listen to some of your creations (hint ,hint ) hi keith the optivol uses optical volume control instead of a normal pot which will degrade the signal .it still uses a pot but it is not in the signal path as per normal .hopefully greg will see this post and explain it better

Hey Keith,

A bit of info here: http://www.ska-audio.com/diy/optivol.html

Cheers

John

very nice 56 id love to come around and have a look/listen to some of your creations (hint ,hint ) hi keith the optivol uses optical volume control instead of a normal pot which will degrade the signal .it still uses a pot but it is not in the signal path as per normal .hopefully greg will see this post and explain it better

Hello CM, I chose this design because I needed a pre that could drive 10 metre IC,s with minimal loss.

I know a guy in Sydney who use's a optical volume control but found it was best suited to short high quality IC,s .But it sounds like it can be used similar as a buffer ,might be worth trying instead of the DACT,s or on the inputs of the mono's .

The pre is the 1st ever electronic project I've put together still need to make a case .All up it was under a 1K ,its a Black Art Audio design ,Lucas has sold these all over world with different tubes ,each tranny is wound to suit the tube you use .

Whats the cost CM of the ska .

We have to work out a day .

Cheers .

Hello CM , are you free now come over I'll turn every one and kick it in the guts .

Cheers.

hi 56 its $91 each for a finnished pre channel ( 2 needed for stereo) and the optivol is $31 supplied and finnished .all you need is transformers and case . i used 2x 20 va 20,020 toroids .alternatively you can run it off a 15 volt powersupply . its much too cheap for what it is and once built will match any pre you care to name regardless of price . did you get my pm 56

hi 56 its $91 each for a finnished pre channel ( 2 needed for stereo) and the optivol is $31 supplied and finnished .all you need is transformers and case . i used 2x 20 va 20,020 toroids .alternatively you can run it off a 15 volt powersupply . its much too cheap for what it is and once built will match any pre you care to name regardless of price . did you get my pm 56

Hello CM, PM sent .

Cheers.

Hi CM,

I have spent over half an hour writing, illustrating, being logged off, rewriting, re-illustrating and being logged off and losing it all again ...

this is all that comes out

http://ska-audio.com/Forum/Attachments/stereo_LDR_Volume_control__connections.JPG

there's a whole thread on my forum that you can browse -

http://ska-audio.com/Forum/YaBB.pl?num=1178438672/28#28

It's just impossible to carry on a dialogue under such conditions.

Cheers,

Greg

Greg very sorry about that. This has happened to a few people now and we are trying to get to the bottom of it.

Thanks Keith_W,

It's very frustrating Just lost the lot, twice. It leaves you in a place where you're logged in but have no permissions.

greg

Hello greg , could I replace my DACT 100K mono pots with the optivol into the active pre.Or use them on the inputs on the monos I'm building for a tri-amp ,active system for gain adjustment between channels.

Cheers.

Hi 56oval,

I'm not sure about your DACT, but the OptiVil presents a 27K and higher load to your source and benefits from a 100K+ buffer loading. The SKpre does this with a 100K input loading and 12 dB gain, with a 47 ohm output impedance to the following power amp.

Your posted pic looked nice indeed. It embodies the spirit of DIY....

Greg

Hi 56oval,

I'm not sure about your DACT, but the OptiVil presents a 27K and higher load to your source and benefits from a 100K+ buffer loading. The SKpre does this with a 100K input loading and 12 dB gain, with a 47 ohm output impedance to the following power amp.

Your posted pic looked nice indeed. It embodies the spirit of DIY....

Greg

Hello Greg , thanks for the kind words .

The great thing about diy ,you set your own limits not some bean counter ..

When CM finishes his pre & amps I make sure I have a listen .

Also your kits are priced so well ,why buy 2nd hand amps.

Cheers.

Hi 56oval,

Sometimes it's good value to pick up an amp just for the chassis and transformer, then gut it and insert new amp modules. The GB150D for example is only 100mm x 50mm and mounts perpendicular or parallel to a heatsink so can usually be fitted in, and it will operate from 30V up to 55V supplies (split+/-).

Or in some cases an amp may be blown and too costly or unsupported. It can be converted to an SKA. This one belonged to a QAC (Qld AudioClub member) and I fitted two GB300Ds - his reaction: It has never sounded so good!

Many possibilities.

Cheers,

Greg

Hi 56oval,

Sometimes it's good value to pick up an amp just for the chassis and transformer, then gut it and insert new amp modules. The GB150D for example is only 100mm x 50mm and mounts perpendicular or parallel to a heatsink so can usually be fitted in, and it will operate from 30V up to 55V supplies (split+/-).

Or in some cases an amp may be blown and too costly or unsupported. It can be converted to an SKA. This one belonged to a QAC (Qld AudioClub member) and I fitted two GB300Ds - his reaction: It has never sounded so good!

Many possibilities.

Cheers,

Greg

Hello Greg , that lookslike a Metaxes chassis .

Cheers

Please make a Ska Tube Pre

Micahel

Hi 56oval,

Yes it's a Metaxas! The owner (Kevin) living here on the Sunshine Coast (just shy of Noosa for you Melbournites) asked me to fit it with SKA modules. It had a substantial power supply with a huge EI core transformer and retro-fit Aero caps. It was a shoe in for the GB300D modules and was driving a pair of Acoustats last I heard. I also did a pair of Monoblocks which are now powering Wilson Watt somethings... for him.

Brumby may know him - lives near Kunda Park.

Hi Michael,

Truth is I haven't done a tube pre for 13 years amnd I'm a bit rusty.

The SKpre is cutting it right now and it's such an easy build - I built 2 in just over an hour this arvo. I doubt you've heard such a transparent line stage. Onboard regs right there and Class A.

Greg

Hi Michael,

Truth is I haven't done a tube pre for 13 years amnd I'm a bit rusty.

The SKpre is cutting it right now and it's such an easy build - I built 2 in just over an hour this arvo. I doubt you've heard such a transparent line stage. Onboard regs right there and Class A.

Greg

Hi Greg

I do believe that the SKApre would be a great pre-amp and someday i will have to build one. But i have never had much to do with tubes and i think that it would be a great addition to your collection of circuits in the SKA range.

Michael