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Suggestions for a beginner's book on valves

chiily

PFM Special Builder
As the title says, I would like to learn a little more about the use of valves in audio amplifiers, with some clear explanation of how they work and why they work. I have a fair understanding of SS and ccts, enough to scrap by I would say, however the world of valves eludes me.

I would like a book I can dip in and out of, but suggestions for web sites or YouTube stuff welcome as well.

Ta.
 
Would you like a copy of my book “Why Radford MA15s Are Inherently Very Bad And Should Be Given Away Immediately, Preferably To Me”? I can write it right now if you would.
Lol :)

The best laugh I've had today.

Man, you need a pair of MA15s, just not mine!
 

lol...very funny, I'm super cautious around electricity, two of my index fingers and two of my thumbs still have the scars of grasping live and neutral of the mains between my left and right hands over 45 years ago; I could never be a criminal the police would spot my fingerprints on the first look. Remember, never let your ten year old son wire the Christmas tree lights on their own :)
 
I found this youTube channel, whilst I don't always agree with his method of fixing stuff (though as he says the fix works and when an amp is worth £300 he can't charge £350 to fix it, so he takes commercial shortcuts). However, I have learnt a lot about valve amps faults and how to fix them. I like that fact that it is not edited to "found fault, fix fault", he goes down plenty of blind alleys that every person does when trying to diagnose a fault. And no ads, he doesn't monetarise his channel at all.


And this US bloke, who's knowledge of old TVs, radios and electronics in general is huge. He doesn't like to see stuff go to land fill, though he does have choice words for 1960/1970s/1980s US TV cabinets. Again, very practical videos, lots of insight, with plenty of comedic moments.


He also has a separate channel about exploring abandoned mines, again I find them fascinating.
 
^ that's an excellent book, great companion to the Morgan Jones recommendation.

For video - Mr Carlson's Lab on youtube. He does long-format videos on repair of instrumentation and amplifiers, much of it valve, because his primary interest is RF. But his presentation is uniformly excellent, as is his commentary. So many oscilloscopes...
 
For video - Mr Carlson's Lab on youtube. He does long-format videos on repair of instrumentation and amplifiers, much of it valve, because his primary interest is RF. But his presentation is uniformly excellent, as is his commentary. So many oscilloscopes...

Mr Carlsons Lab is very good shout,
I do like Uncle Dougs channel its also a goldmine very well presented Valve based content.
He has a secret weapon though, his dog knows bad capacitors!!

https://www.youtube.com/c/MrCarlsonsLab
https://www.youtube.com/c/UncleDoug

 
Lots of suggestions, thank you.

I do watch Uncle Doug too, just to watch his dog spotting bad caps and his cats eating all those fishy treats.
 


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