I once asked on a guitar forum what exactly is the tube doing in the guitar amp, and was told, "Don't ask that it's voo doo". Some industry experts gave me just enough info to romanticize the mystery, and sell their products, but it seems nobody knew how a tube worked, and those that did treated it as if it was some kind of secret. Since then I figured out much on my own, but I like how this puts it all together in very basic terms. I also find it interesting there's not really in comments from other guitar players. I guess they are too busy arguing over whether not wood effects tone.
Abraham Marcus and William Marcus, Wrote a great book called "Elements of Radio.." I have the 1940s edition as it really highlights The continuing progress of vacuum tubes And the advent of semiconductors.I don't know the exact edition however,, You can find them Used book sites Like Alibris.I think I picked mine up for perhaps five or $10 and it was in great shape. These authors I believe continue to rewrite this book until the 1970s.It is by far the best book I've ever read that really explains the properties of a vacuum tube and the applications toRadio and other forms of communication.
Yes, I probably have same book as you, highly recommend these authors. Each of the brothers wrote a number of books. I have tried to purchase them all. All the ones I have are very good. These guys new how to teach things properly. Their methods should be applied to all engineering subjects, not just electronics. Brilliant books. A great primer and the one your probably referring to. Basic Electronics ISBN 0-13-060384-8 I have second edition dated 1971. Another great beginners book by Abraham Marcus on his own is "Electronics for Technicians". The 1969 version is one I have. These books were so popular you can still buy them cheaply. Do not buy on amazon as people on their trying to scam on huge prices on tech books. Buy from the second hand book dealers direct, and you'll get all copies for a few pounds each.
Vacuum tubes sound better for guitar because they aren’t perfect, when driven hard they create distortion that’s easier on the ears than transistors, it’s very easy to see exactly what’s going on with an oscilloscope, there’s no mystery. Basically transistors are too perfect so musicians can’t hide behind them, the sound is thin and uninteresting when compared to tubes... They aren’t like FETs at all, they both work on voltage but that’s about all they have in common. Tubes don’t have a hard limit unlike any transistor. You can get solid state devices to behave pretty close to valves though.
robert w We guitar and bass players prefer tubes for the even order harmonics tubes generate. This also has some effect from how the circuits are designed using caps, resistors, plate current and some uses of negative feedback to the cathodes. You are correct in the “sterile” sound of transistors in guitar amps. We don’t like the “more perfect” sound as you say, for audio, as trannys can’t quite replicate the sweet sound of tube saturation and even order harmonics. You can get oscillation, odd order harmonics and motorboating if the bias is not correct or noise is introduced from excessive lead lengths or improper filament routing/wiring. Tubes are very interesting in guitar amps indeed. I struggled like others to understand the combination of both A/C and D/C in tube circuits, and how capacitors will block D/C and allow A/C to pass to the next stage until someone on youtube finally shed some light on it. There is alot of science in these simple glass bottles.
I don't care how many times I see it or read about it, it's always fascinating. I don't know why, but, no matter how many times I read about transistors, they are boring. Since I first learnt to read, I've periodically read the first part of the RCA Receiving Tube Manual because I enjoy reading it.
My dad probably watched this film when he was assigned to the Third Armored in 1942. He "repaired" tank radios (tube swapping, fuse replacement, or swapping out the entire radio). After the war, he studied radio repair.
I studied the diode, triode and pentode tubes in my radio electronic Diploma of associate engineer course in 1979, then these electronic tubes were dying the new solid-state (ICs) integrated circuits were becoming common in radios and televisions. I worked on high power TV Transmitters which were using tubes for amplification as well as new solid-state high power transmitters.
11:18...THE DISADVANTAGE OF HAVING MORE GRIDS IN A VACUUM TUBE, IS THAT THE VACUUM TUBE GENERATES MORE "SHOT NOISE" DUE TO ELECTRONS STRIKING THE ADDITIONAL GRID ELEMENTS.
I still manufacture products based around military vacuum tubes. The best audio gear in the world (hands down) is still made in the manner shown in this video.
Is anybody else bothered by the fact that the current signal at 7:40 is at a maximum when the current through the tube is at a maximum? My understanding is that the current in the primary doesn't directly induce a current in the secondary, but rather the CHANGE in current in the primary makes the current in the secondary (because the other side of the transformer is compensating for the changing magnetic field). So I would expect the maximum output current to occur right when the plate current is changing most rapidly (i.e. when the grid is turning on or off the flow of electrons). I wonder if anybody who watched this film was surprised by the unexplained phase shift.
In general it is true, that it is the change in current flow that causes induction. It seems as if the illustration is not made to be entirely correct and they rely on the narration being correct instead. I might be wrong, but to me it looks simply a bit unprecisely made rather than plain wrong, but I had to switch to 0.25 speed to actually try to make something out. The whole setup is not generally free of phase shift in reality anyway, but this depends on many variables, e.g. this shift will often not be the same over the used frequency range. Then again, things in practice often are not that simple as to amplify one isolated perfectly shaped sine wave, there is a lot more giong on. But still, there is some truth to your observation...
@@dercebe I agree with your assessment that this animation was just not perfect (and it was probably pretty fancy for its time!). I'm definitely nitpicking, but it's also nice to know what you'd expect to see on a scope.
i'd like to ask something i know that vacuum tube diodes were replaced by modern diodes 1. can modern diodes to everything that old diodes did (like amplification and such) ? 2. is there a modern version of the old triode ?
@@dpeter6396 It took you 6 years? Batterys are miss labelled thats why before, 1960 cars had a + Ground, It took them to realise the fact, mostly cause of 'Nuclear scientists, & Atom smashers.
Modern compact ARC-5 radio with octal tubes... modern in 1940. Then in the early 1990s, the Pentium chip was released... thus leading to complete slavery monitoring of every human being on earth ...
I will alter your statement : Early 2000's The smart phone made human monitoring a self imposed state. ie : You willingly buy it and also pay to use it monthly. Thus you pay for your own enslavement - genius. Worldwide control of the population - at no cost !!
ВОТ давно радио первой учён ПОПОВ радио лампы модели марки цифровой техники отдельно стоящая анод катодом управления сетки пентод и другие закладки сетки открыть свой телефон радиостанции.
Hey Periscope, I really appreciate your videos! Please continue.
Going through basic electronics course in the Marines in 81 they still taught us tube theory. I’m so old.
I once asked on a guitar forum what exactly is the tube doing in the guitar amp, and was told, "Don't ask that it's voo doo". Some industry experts gave me just enough info to romanticize the mystery, and sell their products, but it seems nobody knew how a tube worked, and those that did treated it as if it was some kind of secret. Since then I figured out much on my own, but I like how this puts it all together in very basic terms. I also find it interesting there's not really in comments from other guitar players. I guess they are too busy arguing over whether not wood effects tone.
Abraham Marcus and William Marcus, Wrote a great book called "Elements of Radio.." I have the 1940s edition as it really highlights The continuing progress of vacuum tubes And the advent of semiconductors.I don't know the exact edition however,, You can find them Used book sites Like Alibris.I think I picked mine up for perhaps five or $10 and it was in great shape.
These authors I believe continue to rewrite this book until the 1970s.It is by far the best book I've ever read that really explains the properties of a vacuum tube and the applications toRadio and other forms of communication.
Yes, I probably have same book as you, highly recommend these authors. Each of the brothers wrote a number of books. I have tried to purchase them all. All the ones I have are very good. These guys new how to teach things properly. Their methods should be applied to all engineering subjects, not just electronics. Brilliant books. A great primer and the one your probably referring to. Basic Electronics ISBN 0-13-060384-8 I have second edition dated 1971. Another great beginners book by Abraham Marcus on his own is "Electronics for Technicians". The 1969 version is one I have. These books were so popular you can still buy them cheaply. Do not buy on amazon as people on their trying to scam on huge prices on tech books. Buy from the second hand book dealers direct, and you'll get all copies for a few pounds each.
Vacuum tubes sound better for guitar because they aren’t perfect, when driven hard they create distortion that’s easier on the ears than transistors, it’s very easy to see exactly what’s going on with an oscilloscope, there’s no mystery. Basically transistors are too perfect so musicians can’t hide behind them, the sound is thin and uninteresting when compared to tubes... They aren’t like FETs at all, they both work on voltage but that’s about all they have in common. Tubes don’t have a hard limit unlike any transistor. You can get solid state devices to behave pretty close to valves though.
robert w
We guitar and bass players prefer tubes for the even order harmonics tubes generate. This also has some effect from how the circuits are designed using caps, resistors, plate current and some uses of negative feedback to the cathodes.
You are correct in the “sterile” sound of transistors in guitar amps. We don’t like the “more perfect” sound as you say, for audio, as trannys can’t quite replicate the sweet sound of tube saturation and even order harmonics. You can get oscillation, odd order harmonics and motorboating if the bias is not correct or noise is introduced from excessive lead lengths or improper filament routing/wiring. Tubes are very interesting in guitar amps indeed.
I struggled like others to understand the combination of both A/C and D/C in tube circuits, and how capacitors will block D/C and allow A/C to pass to the next stage until someone on youtube finally shed some light on it. There is alot of science in these simple glass bottles.
Its because they don't know why it works...
A very good explanation of the tube, including the control and suppressor grids, and beam forming.
I don't care how many times I see it or read about it, it's always fascinating. I don't know why, but, no matter how many times I read about transistors, they are boring.
Since I first learnt to read, I've periodically read the first part of the RCA Receiving Tube Manual because I enjoy reading it.
My dad probably watched this film when he was assigned to the Third Armored in 1942. He "repaired" tank radios (tube swapping, fuse replacement, or swapping out the entire radio). After the war, he studied radio repair.
My dad probably saw it too. He was a radio operator/communications tech in an anti-aircraft artillery battery.
My dad also would have watched this. Army, assigned to the Marines in the Pacific. Did some transmitting for the Navajo Code Talkers.
@@comment2009 Fascinating. I am Navajo and I have met many Code Talkers from my community.
Well done! I am just getting started with my first tube preamp. Now I finally understand why they are referred to as valves.
Thank you for these amaizing vintage videos ! These are precious !
Brought back some wonderful memories!!!
Thermionic valves, the last 14 week course was run by the R Sigs in 1977.
I was on it.
I spent all of the next 12 years on valve kit.
Electron ray tubes invented by Allen DuMont are the most interesting because you can actually see what the electrons are doing.
My father was a radio operator in the US Army in WW II, and probably saw this film when he was in training.
Very nice - thanks for posting
Vacuum tubes are still common in guitar and bass amplifiers.
Only in the expensive high end ones.
U.V. S. There’s some cheap ones where I live, pretty decent ones got to say.
In my opinion they sound better than transistor amps.
It's wrong ones things...
Very nice and tutorial lesson of how a vacuum tubes works.thanks very much
A good historical military training film.
What a wonderful movie, got any popcorn...😐 Kilroy was here.
I studied the diode, triode and pentode tubes in my radio electronic Diploma of associate engineer course in 1979, then these electronic tubes were dying the new solid-state (ICs) integrated circuits were becoming common in radios and televisions.
I worked on high power TV Transmitters which were using tubes for amplification as well as new solid-state high power transmitters.
Crazy looking helmet on that bloke at the end.
I don't miss my 6146A final amplifier tubes at all. Though they could keep me warm on a cold night...
I liked the 807 better. :)
@@davidthelander1299 Just a 6L6 with a top cap!
This film was produced in 1942. You can google War Department Training Film 1-471 to confirm.
I think tubes are more mysterious than transistors and they fascinate me.
Great clear explanation.
В своё время для радиолюбителя-фанатика это видео как божье откровение.
Давно с лампами дело не имею, но все равно интересно.
Nice 👍 video 😊
TNX for the upload !
The best coooooooooooooooooool video......thankx 4 posting..........LOVE 4rm PAKISTAN
First notes of that horn section and you know it's a war picture.
I wonder if my dad watched this when he was in the service because he was in the signal Corps in World War II
Is there a playlist please for all the electronic videos?
11:18...THE DISADVANTAGE OF HAVING MORE GRIDS IN A VACUUM TUBE, IS THAT THE VACUUM TUBE GENERATES MORE "SHOT NOISE" DUE TO ELECTRONS STRIKING THE ADDITIONAL GRID ELEMENTS.
Does tying those extra grids to the anode eliminate this noise, essentially running a pentode as a triode?
Now i can kinda of understand what shango066 is talking about 😂 great video
Awesome! Thanks so much for the upload. I love this!
Good stuff, thanks for sharing!
I still manufacture products based around military vacuum tubes. The best audio gear in the world (hands down) is still made in the manner shown in this video.
Is anybody else bothered by the fact that the current signal at 7:40 is at a maximum when the current through the tube is at a maximum? My understanding is that the current in the primary doesn't directly induce a current in the secondary, but rather the CHANGE in current in the primary makes the current in the secondary (because the other side of the transformer is compensating for the changing magnetic field). So I would expect the maximum output current to occur right when the plate current is changing most rapidly (i.e. when the grid is turning on or off the flow of electrons). I wonder if anybody who watched this film was surprised by the unexplained phase shift.
In general it is true, that it is the change in current flow that causes induction. It seems as if the illustration is not made to be entirely correct and they rely on the narration being correct instead. I might be wrong, but to me it looks simply a bit unprecisely made rather than plain wrong, but I had to switch to 0.25 speed to actually try to make something out.
The whole setup is not generally free of phase shift in reality anyway, but this depends on many variables, e.g. this shift will often not be the same over the used frequency range.
Then again, things in practice often are not that simple as to amplify one isolated perfectly shaped sine wave, there is a lot more giong on. But still, there is some truth to your observation...
@@dercebe I agree with your assessment that this animation was just not perfect (and it was probably pretty fancy for its time!). I'm definitely nitpicking, but it's also nice to know what you'd expect to see on a scope.
Genial 👏👏👏👏
In the frames at 8:20 the output is inverse to the input. Not as shown!
Aaah yes, so that is what is meant by a "beam tetrode!"
i'd like to ask something
i know that vacuum tube diodes were replaced by modern diodes
1. can modern diodes to everything that old diodes did (like amplification and such) ?
2. is there a modern version of the old triode ?
REGARDING QUESTION 1: DIODES CAN'T AMPLIFY!! REGARDING QUESTION 2: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING.
Transistors can amplify. They substituted, in large part, this technology.
@@kevinluna8411 ...BUT WE WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT TRANSISTORS- WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DIODES AND TRIODES.
Great video but time display at bottom is very distracting
SEE? DC Current flow is ,neg to positive!
No, electron flow is (-) to (+) and current flow is (+) to (-). Look at the animation again.....
@@dpeter6396 It took you 6 years? Batterys are miss labelled thats why before, 1960 cars had a + Ground, It took them to realise the fact, mostly cause of 'Nuclear scientists, & Atom smashers.
Modern compact ARC-5 radio with octal tubes... modern in 1940. Then in the early 1990s, the Pentium chip was released... thus leading to complete slavery monitoring of every human being on earth ...
I will alter your statement : Early 2000's The smart phone made human monitoring a self imposed state. ie : You willingly buy it
and also pay to use it monthly. Thus you pay for your own enslavement - genius. Worldwide control of the population - at no cost !!
ВОТ давно радио первой учён ПОПОВ радио лампы модели марки цифровой техники отдельно стоящая анод катодом управления сетки пентод и другие закладки сетки открыть свой телефон радиостанции.
ESCARGENCY RESEARCH TEMPUS OMNIUS REVELATHE ❤1971
If you knew nothing about a tube, you knew less at the end of the filim.
Ponyatno, durak.
Fake Appellation
Well that's like your opinion, man.