GlassWare Audio Design
Thanks for supporting the Tube CAD JournalNew 9-pin Aikido All in One Kit All that is needed to finish the entire line stage is four tubes, two coupling capacitors, a chassis, power transformer, volume and input selector controls, and a handful of RCA jacks and hookup wire. Although this Aikido All-in-One kit isn't all that is needed, it is a great start.
Product Description
It's new and it's sweet. It's the All in One partial kit, which includes everything needed to populate the PCB, except the four tubes. The All in One PCB holds two Aikido line-stage amplifiers and it includes the heater and high voltage B+ power supplies”all the same PCB. Thus, the All in One board makes building a standard-setting line stage amplifier much easier.
Two Power Supplies: B+ and Heater On the All in One board, two power supplies reside, one for the high-voltage B+ for the tubes and a low-voltage power supply for the heaters. The high-voltage power supply uses an RC filter to smooth away ripple, while the low-voltage power supply uses an LDO voltage regulator to provide a stable and hum-free output. The power supplies require an external power transformer with two secondary windings, such as 12.6Vac for the heater power supply and between 200Vac to 250Vac for the high-voltage power supply, although the heater power supply can be setup to put out only 6.3Vdc and the B+ voltage can be as low as 24V.
Unlike 99.9% of tube circuits, the Aikido amplifier defines a new topology without fixed part choices, not an old topology with specified part choices. In other words, an Aikido amplifier can be built in a nearly infinite number of ways. For example, a 12AX7 input tube will yield a gain close to 50 (mu/2), which would be suitable for an SE amplifier's input stage; a 6FQ7 (6CG7) input tube will yield a gain near 10, which would be excellent for a line stage amplifier; the 6DJ8 or 6H30 in the output stage would deliver a low output impedance that could drive capacitance-laden cables. In other words, the list of possible tubes is a long one: 6AQ8, 6BC8, 6BK7, 6BQ7, 6BS8, 6DJ8, 6FQ7, 6GC7, 6H30, 6KN8, 6N1P, 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AV7, 12AX7, 12BH7, 12DJ8, 12FQ7, 5751, 5963, 5965, 6072, 6922, E188CC, ECC88, ECC99... The only stipulations are that the two triodes within the envelope be similar and that the tube conforms to the 9A or 9AJ base pin-out. Sadly, the 12B4 and 5687 cannot be used with this PCB.
The Aikido All in One 9-pin stereo FR-4 PCB is extra thick, 0.094 inches (inserting and pulling tubes from their sockets won't bend or break this board), double-sided, with plated-through heavy 2oz copper traces. In addition, the PCB is lovingly and expensively made in the USA. The boards are 6.5 by 6 inches, with five mounting holes, which helps to prevent excessive PCB bending while inserting and pulling tubes from their sockets.
Includes 16-page user guide with schematics and instructions.
Two Power Supplies: B+ and Heater On the All in One board, two power supplies reside, one for the high-voltage B+ for the tubes and a low-voltage power supply for the heaters. The high-voltage power supply uses an RC filter to smooth away ripple, while the low-voltage power supply uses an LDO voltage regulator to provide a stable and hum-free output. The power supplies require an external power transformer with two secondary windings, such as 12.6Vac for the heater power supply and between 200Vac to 250Vac for the high-voltage power supply, although the heater power supply can be setup to put out only 6.3Vdc and the B+ voltage can be as low as 24V.
Unlike 99.9% of tube circuits, the Aikido amplifier defines a new topology without fixed part choices, not an old topology with specified part choices. In other words, an Aikido amplifier can be built in a nearly infinite number of ways. For example, a 12AX7 input tube will yield a gain close to 50 (mu/2), which would be suitable for an SE amplifier's input stage; a 6FQ7 (6CG7) input tube will yield a gain near 10, which would be excellent for a line stage amplifier; the 6DJ8 or 6H30 in the output stage would deliver a low output impedance that could drive capacitance-laden cables. In other words, the list of possible tubes is a long one: 6AQ8, 6BC8, 6BK7, 6BQ7, 6BS8, 6DJ8, 6FQ7, 6GC7, 6H30, 6KN8, 6N1P, 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AV7, 12AX7, 12BH7, 12DJ8, 12FQ7, 5751, 5963, 5965, 6072, 6922, E188CC, ECC88, ECC99... The only stipulations are that the two triodes within the envelope be similar and that the tube conforms to the 9A or 9AJ base pin-out. Sadly, the 12B4 and 5687 cannot be used with this PCB.
The Aikido All in One 9-pin stereo FR-4 PCB is extra thick, 0.094 inches (inserting and pulling tubes from their sockets won't bend or break this board), double-sided, with plated-through heavy 2oz copper traces. In addition, the PCB is lovingly and expensively made in the USA. The boards are 6.5 by 6 inches, with five mounting holes, which helps to prevent excessive PCB bending while inserting and pulling tubes from their sockets.
Includes 16-page user guide with schematics and instructions.
