The Ultimate Tone Vol. 2

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Sound Stages
Music and Harmony 
      Individual Growth
      PA Evolution
      Dissonant Performance
      Enter the Sound Man
      How Loud is Loud ... What?... How Loud ...
Stage Set-Ups
      Conventional Stage
      Side-Wash Set-Up
      Symmetric Stage
      Local Symmetry
      The Ultimate Stage Setup
      Unified Stage
PAs and Monitors
      House EQ
      Monitor Systems
      Snakes ... Ssss
Band-Controlled Monitoring
      Vocal Concerns
Stage Monitoring Implications

Chapter 2: Power Supply Tricks
Power to the People
      AC and DC Equivalence
      AC-Phase, Watts and VA
Transformers
Rectification
      Filtering
      LC-Filters
Voltage Regulation
      Active Regulation
Practical Regulators
      Transistor Voltage Ratings
      Series-Shunt Regulator
      Hum Filters and Voltage Clamps
Multiple Voltage
      Buffered Multi-Node Supply
Power Supplies and Tone
      Signals in Power Supplies
      Altering the Supply Impedance
Increasing and Decreasing B+
Variable Regulators
      Feedback-Controlled Adjustable Regulators
Adjustable Proportional Regulator
Avoiding Earthquakes
      AC-Controlled Feedback Regulator
      AC-Controlled Proportional Regulators

Variable-Impedance Rectifiers
      Multi-Element Tubes as Rectifiers
      Using Tube Rectifiers with
            Non-Centre-Tapped Windings
Boost and Buck
      Zener Diode Buck
Hazards of Reducing B+
      Tracking Power Supplies
      Tracking Regulators
Bias Supply Details
      Adding Balance Provisions
      High Current Bias Rails
Screen Supplies
      Screens and Stand-Bys
Filament and Heater Supplies
      Non-Regulated DC Heaters

Chapter 3: Tube Power Amplifiers
Tube-O-Rama
      Classes and Topologies
Single-Ended Amps
Push-Pull Class-A
Class A2 Power Amps
Class-AB Power Amps
Class-B Design Procedure
Transformer-Driven Designs
      SE Transformers
      Push-Pull Transformers
Custom Transformer Specifications
Bias Adjustments
Fixed-Bias Issues
Adjustable Fixed-Bias
Bias-Set Networks
Cathode-Bias and Fixed-Bias Switching
Bias Procedures
      The Scope Method
      Transformer Shunt Method
      Dissipation Method
      Dissipation Bias-Set Procedure
Cathode Current Measurement Errors
      Screen Protection
Triode Operation
Power Amp Master Volume and Tone Options
      Cross-Line Master Volume
      Power Amp EQ
Loop-de-Loop
SE to PP Panning
Re-Issue Solutions

Chapter 4: Solid State Power Amps
Constant Change
Junction Rectifiers
      Bipolar Junction Transistors
      J-Fets
BJT Gain Stages
      J-Fet Circuits
Current Sources, Sinks and Mirrors
      Current Sources
      Current Sinks
      Current Mirrors
      Extended Current Sinks, Sources
            and Mirrors
Differential Amplifiers
Darlington Connections and CFPs
Voltage Amplifers
      Single-Rail vs. Split Supplies
      Standard Power Amp Front-End
Current-Mirrored VAS
Complementary-Symmetry Front-End
Output Stage Design
      Safe Operating Area
      Output Stages
      Quasi-Complementary Output Stages
Bias Circuits
      Cross-Over Distortion
      Bias Generators
      VBE Multipliers
Current Clamps
Power Amplifier Topologies
      Feedback
      Nested Feedback Loops
Typical Instrument Amps
      Low-Power Amps
      Medium-Power Amps
High Power Amp Techniques
      Bridged Outputs
      Cascode Outputs
      Floating Power Supplies
      Multi-Tier Designs

Chapter 5: Hybrid and Alternative Power Amps
Gain Structures
The Output Section
      Bias Networks
      DC Offset Correction
Tube Voltage Gain Stage
Power Supplies and Hybrid Power Amps
      Heater Supplies
      Output Section Power Supply
      Plate Supplies

High-Headroom Output Buffer
      High-Voltage Output Buffer
      Cascode Output
      Multi-Tier Output Stage
Alternative Power Amps
      Single-Ended Using a Filamentary Triode
      Push-Pull Triode Amp
      OTL Amps
      Circlotron
      Single-Rail Push-Pull (SRPP)
      Simple Class-A Solid-State Amp
      Son of Zen

Chapter 6: Pillars of Tone
"Do You Hear What I Hear?"
Preamp Options
      Triode Voltage Amplifiers
Pentode Voltage Amplifiers
Power Tubes as Voltage Amplifiers
Modern Tube Techniques
      Split-Rail Designs
Frequency Shaping
      Passive EQ
      Boosts, Cuts, Shifts
Active EQ
      Inverting EQ
Active Cross-Overs
Line-Outs
Speaker Selection
      Types of Devices
Reverbs
Reverb Circuit Alternatives
Reverb Injection
Tremolo
      Bias Modulation
      Signal Path Modulators
Compressors and Limiters
Vocal Amps
Acoustic Instruments
Simple Switching
      Simple A,B Channel Switch
      Smart Foot-Switch, Dumb Amp
LDR Control
Speaker Selector
Dream On

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