Finally! A clear explanation as to why the output of the plate is out of phase, and from there a clear understanding of the push-pull mechanism in the output! Thanks! Great video, great channel!
Mr. Carlson is an encyclopedia of knowledge. He is a Canadian and really appreciated by many throughout the world. I wish I could visit your lab Paul. I would never leave!!!
Mr Carlson, If you ever write a book (and you should). Put me down for one of the first copies. Your demonstrations are brilliant. Thanks again for your hard work and informative videos.
He is so right though sir. I have a feeling that any book that you would write would be up there in caliber with "the art of electronics." I cannot stress just how much I have learned from you and how much I appreciate the work that you are doing. Even your TH-cam videos alone have elevated my understanding Beyond what I would have imagined possible. I really really appreciate everything you do!
I just came across this video (4 years late). I do understand how a triode valve system works but wanted see how you explained it for the beginner. Your explanation was spot on, very good. I saw an explanation by another TH-camr trying to explain how tubes (valves) work, their instruction video was full of errors and inaccuracies. They got very defensive when I commented on the errors in the video. Your explanation was excellent and flawless. Well done Paul, keep more great videos coming like this.
Paul: I'm an old NASA gate chaser from the 70s where I learned TTL. Lots of logic, lots of transistor theory, and just a little analog....probably just enough to figure out simple power supplies. Now that I'm an old retired guy, I have come back to ham radio, and my interests particularly lie in vintage tube equipment, particularly Collins, and some of the "Big Iron" AM broadcast transmitters. Your videos are wonderful in helping me transfer what I learned as a digital tech to tubes. Although you don't specifically mention it, as you go through your excellent signal chasing, I find myself saying, "oh, that works just like a transistor." Thank you so very much for videos just like this one....they are exactly right on the money for what I need.
Paul, I say this freely and not because you mentioned me in the video, but there is just not enough tube related videos on TH-cam. This video IS the best one I have ever seen on TH-cam hands down. Very well explained and the confidence of your knowledge on this subject is simply outstanding. Being an old tube lover since my teens I really enjoyed this one.....Well Done and a huge thumbs up !Now I can say a big thanks for the mention of me and my channel and is very much appreciated. I feel very honored and going to post this one on my website for others to view and learn. Thanks my friend.
@@supersolex Check out Glasslinger on TH-cam sometime. He wears women's clothes, but he also does repair and restoration of tube equipment. He even makes some of his own tubes.
A one man high tech technical school in each video presentation. For me your videos are great refresher courses. In my day I also taught electronics technology at a hands on level. Your methods and approach are the best I've seen in a long time.
Paul, Ahhhhhh! You have greatly clarified to me how tubes work in 18 short minutes. I especially like how you present theory, then assemble a circuit and prove it to be true. That really helps me absorb material. What kind of maniac gives a Mr. Carlson's video a thumbs down? Thanks, I know making videos (well, good ones) takes time and effort.
Ian Butler they probably get the video in their feed and by thumbing down think they are influencing the algorithm not to send anymore vids like this to them.
I have to admit, you, and Forrest Mimms III make learning very user friendly. Taking text book content, and applying them to real world situations. And keeping it simple, while being in depth with information.
I really like what Mimms did with his books.The first of his that I saw was getting started in electronics.Easy to understand like you said and handy for a person wanting to learn
Where were you, when as a recent graduate of 6th grade in 1966, I attended a summer elective workshop program of beginner electronics which included DC theory and vacuum tube operation? We were given old High School text books and I recall having great difficulty wrapping my understanding around the very concepts you are teaching so clearly. You are helping many people.
After trying to study dozens of books and countless videos for years, your video was the simplest and best explaination in my entire quest to understand tube amps Thank you
Man, I don't understand a lot of what you're saying but I've been binge watching for ages now. Love your explications and even though I'm just a muso, this all intrigues me and dig the way you go through things in depth, fast, but take your time to explain. I hope you keep up the great work man?!!!
An excellent representation that is so well explained, it reminds me when I ran my own service shop for more than three decades repairing, modifying, and designing specific requirements for my customers. Well Mr. Carlson; you have inspired me to rekindle my love for electronics to the point that I now serve the public once again, for that you have my deepest gratitude.
I wish you the best of luck also. You bring a tube amplifier to a tech around here, if you can find one, you are liable to pick it up six month later without it ever getting it looked at, or never see it again.
We are the ones who have to thank you a lot for your work to deliver us great videos and great information. Double thumbs up for your humility. Thank you!
Excellent work. Easy to understand. I know all this stuff already from my professional background in vacuum tube equipment back in the 50's and I retired in 2010. Nevertheless I really enjoyed your presentation. Best quick written electronics lessons back in my day were in the back of the old RCA Receiving Tube Manual of the 50s &60s. Besides taking this stuff in high school and college, I learned it first from that RCA manual. Another great book was the ARRL ham radio Handbook.
Found this older video on tubes as i am building my 1st amp from scratch. Well, its an Eico 147 Signal Tracer that i am converting to a Fender Champ 5F1. I just tried to power it up yesterday and pop the fuse and fried the rectifier 6X5 tube. Opps. Well back to the schematics and try see where i went wrong. i like the way you are able to explain then set up little demos. Appreciate all you work very much. Thank You hoping i can figure this baby out. Take care and stay safe. Dennis
Hey Paul; How did I ever forget that the last number on the right end of the tube label designated the number of useful elements in the tube? But I did... Thanks for the refresher. Also thanks for mentioning us for promoting your site to others. You deserve it, with the knowledge base that you possess and your ability to explain it to the masses out here in such a clear and concise manner. Thanks, and a big two thumbs up from all of us to YOU my friend. You have taught us all a lot! Cheers, Tom PS I subscribed to Peter's "TRXBench" a long time ago thanks to your suggestion. I have watched ALL his videos. I am having a blast watching him diagnose ham gear. His English has sure come a long way, hasn't it? "Achtung! Alles lookenpeepers, das instrumenten is nicht fer gerfingerpoken und hittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springerverk, poppen corken und blowen fusen mit spitz und sparken. Ist nicht fer geverken by das dumbkopf, alles rubbernecken sightseeren keepen hands in der pockets, relax und vatch der blinkin lights!"
+AntiqueRadioandTV LOL, I have that on a piece of piece of paper somewhere. Years ago I volunteered my time at a local radio museum, they had a few of those "saying's" here and there. Peter is great to watch, and I enjoy his English as well :^) Thanks again for the kind mention Tom!
Great vid, well done. I've been restoring radios for around 30 years, and I had no idea that the last number in a tube designation identified the amount of elements it has.
Honestly, I get more info from your hard work than anyone else. That is not to discredit anyone else. I just really really get it when you delve into the subject. Sometimes I must watch the video a half dozen times; but I know what it is you are saying when I am done.keep them coming, I can't get enough.Thank s to everyone who has helped as well. It is what makes it fun.
All of your warnings of electrocution bring me back to my childhood. When I was around 9 or 10 I became interested in electronics, I would go out and bring home discarded radios, TV's and any thing electronic and play with them. I always had my hands in something that was plugged in, and the only tools I had were my mom's kitchen knives ( which didn't please her). In all that time I only got one good shock and that was when I found out that a flyback transformer can make you flyback. I love your videos, you are a true inspiration.
+Mr Carlson's Lab Here's another story about the bench that I played with the tube radios and such. The bench was in the basement of the house we lived in, it was constructed with 2x8s with a small gap in between. I had gone to the neighborhood store and bought a sharp knife for carving and such. Being proud of my newest possession the first thing I wanted to do was show my dad, he happened to be in the basement at the time. My dad took the knife and with the smoothest action I'd ever seen (it had to be purely muscle memory from years of fatherhood) inserted the gleaming blade into the gap and with a flick of his wrist snapped the blade off and handed me the handle. Funny he never gave thought to the voltages I was playing around with, but he just may be responsible for my retention of all ten of my digital low impedance voltage probes.
That was excellent, I'm a complete novice who plays guitar and have several tube amps. I never understood how the tubes amplified the input single and after watch this explanation I understand how they work. Thank you...
Thanks for a very informative video very easy to understand very concise I am delving into valve amplifiers at the ripe age of 65 for my retirement years although i love electronics and have been since building my first crystal set back in the late late 50's Kind regards Steven King
Thank you so much for explaining how tubes work I've often wondered that my whole life it is interesting to work with the circuitry. I have worked on electronics my whole life but I always been intrigued by old antique radio gear. always been my thing. Thanks
Everytime your hand went near the 300v I broke out into a sweat. I do hobby work in tube radios and amps but am ultra paranoid. Great explanation and a pleasure to watch. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the awesome lessons. I look forward to every new video you post, they have helped me immensely. I repair tube guitar amplifiers, as a hobby mostly, because there are very few good repair shops in my area, and the few that are charge more than most gigging musicians can afford. I also test my repairs by playing the amp at performance volume for an hour or so, this helps to ensure that the musician doesn't experience a failure at the worst possible time, during a gig. So far I am 100% with this method. Thanks again and God bless!
Awesome explanation sir .I am new to tubes,so it helped me a lot to understand how it works in real .I am a tech and have my own repair shop all i do is cell phone repair and all kind other electronics repair but all modern one but some time people come with old power amps with tubes witch is hard for me a bit but now after watching your videos it seem easy.Thanks again.
Thank you for the kind mention, Paul. I have lots of vacuum tube radios, record players, and test equipment to fix when I have time for it. Most problems will be solved by recapping, but this video will be especially helpful. Other than the filament voltage spec, I had no idea there was any rhyme or reason to vacuum tube part numbers. No worries on my name. It is commonly mispronounced. Should be WAH-sah-TON-ic. Thanks for the thumbs up!
This video hit the spot !!! I work almost exclusively on Tube Amps and there were some true nuggets in this one, thank you so much. BTW - I was directly to your awesome channel by JOERNONE so glad he got a shout out !!! THANK YOU Paul !!!
When I was 15 my father brought me home an old PA amplifier with a pair of 6L6s. At the time, I wasn't sure what to do with it or how to use it. The rectifier tube was missing also. My dad told me to ask his friend Emil Rudat who lived down the street and worked for RCA at Harrison, NJ. Emil had a 5V4 and it worked after he showed me how and where to hook things up. Anyway, I ignorantly started poking around the underside with the chassis laying on it's side on top of a metal topped cabinet I had used for my rock collection. I had my hand on the top and grabbed the B+ on a capacitor and had my first whack from 400+ VDC. It felt like two people gave me a yank on each arm to pull them out of my body, I was thrown on the floor and shaky. Wow, I knew I was lucky to be still alive. I have heard many engineers and technicians consider that a "right of passage" in the field, but it's a "right of passage" that you want to avoid. Wear gloves or keep one hand in a pocket or both, I was told. I think I got a lesser one again later from a charged capacitor. Even when the unit is off, I learned to discharge caps. It was the last time and I'm still around at the age of 71. Whew! Emil became my early "Mister Wizard" for electronics and he was a life long friend from the WWII generation. My dad had a saying about using power tools, such as a circular saw, which applies to many potentially dangerous things we work on. "Don't be afraid of it. Just RESPECT it." I got it!
Enjoyed the video a lot. You are really good at explaining. If you could do a video explains in laymen terms how a tube amp works from input to speaker would be extremely helpful for us amateurs. Thanks for an excellent video.
I am designing a valve preamp for myself at the moment. This is very helpful information, and much better explained than most sources I have used so far. Thank you for your videos :)
Thank you Paul for your videos !! I have learned quite a bit from you and consider you as my online Elmer !! I do tube radio and phonograph repairs and restos here on the West Coast. Keep the good work coming !! Best Regards, Dennis
LOVE your channel!!! Thank you! I learned enough about Tube HF amplifiers to actually build a simple zero bias 3-500z amp, it works great!! Although I did this, for some reason I can not grasp the concept of tube bias, I have had people explain it, and I have even worked on some 811 amps that are biased. But I am just copying other people without having a full understanding. When people start talking about negative voltage and voltage above ground, for some reason my brain shuts down. I would love to see a video explaining just that aspect. Thank you for everything you do!
Excellent video, many thanks. I always learn from watching and listening to you. [and re-watching!] I find the use of analog meters far less stressful in my work, as the movement of the needle is stone-axe simple, and can be seen out of the corner of one's eye. The digital meters are quite amazingly designed, with auto this and auto that, but a bunch of numbers is a bunch of numbers. One must 'READ' the numbers, then apply logic to evaluate the trend. I guess this could be old age creeping up on me huh? This analog/digital differential affects one in driving and flying, as with an analog display, the angle can be seen peripherally, and one knows without thinking about it, where one is on the speed scale. With digital, from 11 mph to 99 mph, that is just two digits. Take your eyes off the road/sky and focus on the instrument, read, analyse, deduct, apply, return to driving/flying... Even worse, with flying, from 100mph to 999mph, it is still only three digits. PS:I haven't been Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine miles per hour! [Yet?]
+av8bvma513 Thanks for your input! I like both types of meters myself, but in some cases, an analog meter makes things easier, especially when peaking circuits. Lets hope you never see 999 on that instrument!
I remember the days in electronics school (NRI) tube operation wasn't explained this well. We had to think hard where it made our brains hurt LOL. Great videos! Frank Ferraro--Audio Craft Electronics :)
I'm a guitar player trying to diagnose some humming vibration on my tube amp, but this presentation seriously makes me feel like a complete idiot. Kinda humbling actually to know there are people out there intelligent to understand this stuff.
I really love your videos! You have such a great way to explain electronics. Thx so much for doing these videos. As said by others, if you one day release a book on vacuum tube audio I'll buy it straight away!!
Paul, please keep making videos on troubleshooting audio tube type amplifiers. I love your clear and professional explanations. Do you have any videos on proper cleaning and lube of common carbon based turn pots and slide type potentiometers? Also, are all tonal controls on say a guitar amp linear or audio (logarithmic) taper type potentiometers? I believe volume turn-pots are always audio taper type. A video just on potentiometers and proper maintenance and replacement of would be of great help. Thank you sir. 🙂👍👍
Such a great episode! Really well explained, you have cleared for me few things about tubes which I have struggled with. I would love to see an episode on solid state audio equipment, I'm sure I could learn something new!
You bet! I've been watching daily now; some videos I'm re-watching because as I'm learning I'm understanding better so the second time around I'm picking up on something(s) I missed the first time.
Thanks for taking the time to do these Paul. This may sound odd but I knew how a tube worked but now, thanks to this video, I UNDERSTAND how it works :) 73 NE5U Mike
Thank you for all of your hard work and I'm learning more at this point than I can really understand, I only wish that I would have learned more before watching your posts, I will be watching your videos over and over again.
I had my hands into old radios way back when I was young boy around 12 if remember right.And I guess had enough sense to know what to touch an what not to! Because i'm still here, and always seemed the manage to get them(tube radio's) working even if though trial and error.some of the funnest times in school was a electronics class I took in high school, it was just at the time of switch over from tube to transistor,so they taught both, the instructor was more of a tube guy! As to teacher to student, we got along great,so much some called me his pet! I could have cared less the man taught me allot.!And I'm grateful. For our class end of year project we had to build a super heterodyne am radio that would pick up 5 stations on a perfboard. Tune and make play.Mine picked up 7 some thought I cheated! Really the only cheating i did was helped others to get theres working that was against the rules! I think teacher knew but looked the other way!I love your videos keep them coming please! Dave wd8mbz
So glad you stressed that an amplifier stage swings the supply voltage across the plate resistor, that the output signal voltage comes from the supply, not the tube. I was years into things, without formal training, before I realized that. It’s too easy to visualize that the tube “turbocharges” the input signal applied to the grid, sends it through the vacuum and onwards to the plate. I better understood the term “valve” when I conceived of the tube as a valve that opens partially, in proportion to the input signal, to create a low-resistance path from B+ to ground, loading the supply, dropping the voltage across the plate resistor.
awesome video. taught me a lot. I have a few tube radios and test equipment to fix and you explain the theory so well. very easy to understand. Thank youvery much
+Mr Carlson's Lab You are welcome :) Just one question, have you considered the idea of making a video or a series about designing tube amplifiers (audio)? I think it could be really interesting
Hi Mr. C and thank you for such a great video. They never taught us about the nomenclature for tubes when I took electronics in school - shame. Tx again Rod
Very interesting! This is how one should teach electro-technic. Usually we are thrown to death with formulars first and of corse without any practical examples. Here ons can understand what's going on! And I am not even a native speaker.
Paul, very good explanation for the novice. People these days seem to have such a problem understanding the basic functions of a tube and how they work. Great practical application demonstration. What is the equipment in your opening picture. Reminds me of my old HP 460BR broadband fast pulse amplifiers. Basically just 13 tubes running in distributed amplifier operation. Nothing quite like a couple rows of tubes to keep you warm on a cold day. Mike
Great demonstration and instruction! Your insights are very easy to understand and helpful to young and old for those working with trons. Thank you for your time and investment in others through your videos. Where were you when I was going through school? :-)
Finally! A clear explanation as to why the output of the plate is out of phase, and from there a clear understanding of the push-pull mechanism in the output! Thanks! Great video, great channel!
Mr. Carlson is an encyclopedia of knowledge. He is a Canadian and really appreciated by many throughout the world. I wish I could visit your lab Paul. I would never leave!!!
Mr Carlson, If you ever write a book (and you should). Put me down for one of the first copies. Your demonstrations are brilliant. Thanks again for your hard work and informative videos.
+Todd Anonymous
Your welcome Todd! Thanks for the very kind words!
He is so right though sir. I have a feeling that any book that you would write would be up there in caliber with "the art of electronics." I cannot stress just how much I have learned from you and how much I appreciate the work that you are doing. Even your TH-cam videos alone have elevated my understanding Beyond what I would have imagined possible.
I really really appreciate everything you do!
I agree 100% to your comment
I just came across this video (4 years late). I do understand how a triode valve system works but wanted see how you explained it for the beginner. Your explanation was spot on, very good. I saw an explanation by another TH-camr trying to explain how tubes (valves) work, their instruction video was full of errors and inaccuracies. They got very defensive when I commented on the errors in the video. Your explanation was excellent and flawless. Well done Paul, keep more great videos coming like this.
Paul: I'm an old NASA gate chaser from the 70s where I learned TTL. Lots of logic, lots of transistor theory, and just a little analog....probably just enough to figure out simple power supplies. Now that I'm an old retired guy, I have come back to ham radio, and my interests particularly lie in vintage tube equipment, particularly Collins, and some of the "Big Iron" AM broadcast transmitters.
Your videos are wonderful in helping me transfer what I learned as a digital tech to tubes. Although you don't specifically mention it, as you go through your excellent signal chasing, I find myself saying, "oh, that works just like a transistor." Thank you so very much for videos just like this one....they are exactly right on the money for what I need.
Thanks for your feedback, and your kind comment too!
Paul, I say this freely and not because you mentioned me in the video, but there is just not enough tube related videos on TH-cam. This video IS the best one I have ever seen on TH-cam hands down. Very well explained and the confidence of your knowledge on this subject is simply outstanding. Being an old tube lover since my teens I really enjoyed this one.....Well Done and a huge thumbs up !Now I can say a big thanks for the mention of me and my channel and is very much appreciated. I feel very honored and going to post this one on my website for others to view and learn. Thanks my friend.
+The Radio Shop
Thanks for the very kind words Buddy! Glad your enjoying the video's, and thanks again for the kind mention!
been struggling with that too! nothing Tube related to find on YT
@@supersolex Check out Glasslinger on TH-cam sometime. He wears women's clothes, but he also does repair and restoration of tube equipment. He even makes some of his own tubes.
@@AcmeRacing Eww lol. He does have good repairs!
A one man high tech technical school in each video presentation. For me your videos are great refresher courses. In my day I also taught electronics technology at a hands on level. Your methods and approach are the best I've seen in a long time.
Paul,
Ahhhhhh! You have greatly clarified to me how tubes work in 18 short minutes.
I especially like how you present theory, then assemble a circuit and prove it to be true. That really helps me absorb material.
What kind of maniac gives a Mr. Carlson's video a thumbs down?
Thanks, I know making videos (well, good ones) takes time and effort.
Ian Butler they probably get the video in their feed and by thumbing down think they are influencing the algorithm not to send anymore vids like this to them.
I have to admit, you, and Forrest Mimms III make learning very user friendly. Taking text book content, and applying them to real world situations. And keeping it simple, while being in depth with information.
I really like what Mimms did with his books.The first of his that I saw was getting started in electronics.Easy to understand like you said and handy for a person wanting to learn
I find your videos really helpful. You have that ability to teach that is rather rare
Where were you, when as a recent graduate of 6th grade in 1966, I attended a summer elective workshop program of beginner electronics which included DC theory and vacuum tube operation? We were given old High School text books and I recall having great difficulty wrapping my understanding around the very concepts you are teaching so clearly. You are helping many people.
After trying to study dozens of books and countless videos for years, your video was the simplest and best explaination in my entire quest to understand tube amps
Thank you
Man, I don't understand a lot of what you're saying but I've been binge watching for ages now. Love your explications and even though I'm just a muso, this all intrigues me and dig the way you go through things in depth, fast, but take your time to explain. I hope you keep up the great work man?!!!
An excellent representation that is so well explained, it reminds me when I ran my own service shop for more than three decades repairing, modifying, and designing specific requirements for my customers. Well Mr. Carlson; you have inspired me to rekindle my love for electronics to the point that I now serve the public once again, for that you have my deepest gratitude.
+John Cunningham
Wow! That's a compliment! Great to read John, I'm glad I was your inspiration. I wish you the best of luck with what your doing.
I wish you the best of luck also. You bring a tube amplifier to a tech around here, if you can find one, you are liable to pick it up six month later without it ever getting it looked at, or never see it again.
I absolutely love your presentations. This video on the tube amp was the most concise and clear explanation that I have heard. Thank you. Al
We are the ones who have to thank you a lot for your work to deliver us great videos and great information. Double thumbs up for your humility. Thank you!
+Damian Vieira de Castro
Thanks for the kind words Damian!
Excellent work. Easy to understand. I know all this stuff already from my professional background in vacuum tube equipment back in the 50's and I retired in 2010. Nevertheless I really enjoyed your presentation. Best quick written electronics lessons back in my day were in the back of the old RCA Receiving Tube Manual of the 50s &60s. Besides taking this stuff in high school and college, I learned it first from that RCA manual. Another great book was the ARRL ham radio Handbook.
Found this older video on tubes as i am building my 1st amp from scratch. Well, its an Eico 147 Signal Tracer that i am converting to a Fender Champ 5F1. I just tried to power it up yesterday and pop the fuse and fried the rectifier 6X5 tube. Opps. Well back to the schematics and try see where i went wrong. i like the way you are able to explain then set up little demos. Appreciate all you work very much. Thank You hoping i can figure this baby out. Take care and stay safe. Dennis
Hey Paul;
How did I ever forget that the last number on the right end of the tube label designated the number of useful elements in the tube? But I did... Thanks for the refresher.
Also thanks for mentioning us for promoting your site to others. You deserve it, with the knowledge base that you possess and your ability to explain it to the masses out here in such a clear and concise manner.
Thanks, and a big two thumbs up from all of us to YOU my friend. You have taught us all a lot!
Cheers,
Tom
PS I subscribed to Peter's "TRXBench" a long time ago thanks to your suggestion. I have watched ALL his videos. I am having a blast watching him diagnose ham gear. His English has sure come a long way, hasn't it?
"Achtung!
Alles lookenpeepers, das instrumenten is nicht fer gerfingerpoken und hittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springerverk, poppen corken und blowen fusen mit spitz und sparken. Ist nicht fer geverken by das dumbkopf, alles rubbernecken sightseeren keepen hands in der pockets, relax und vatch der blinkin lights!"
+AntiqueRadioandTV
LOL, I have that on a piece of piece of paper somewhere. Years ago I volunteered my time at a local radio museum, they had a few of those "saying's" here and there. Peter is great to watch, and I enjoy his English as well :^) Thanks again for the kind mention Tom!
Great vid, well done. I've been restoring radios for around 30 years, and I had no idea that the last number in a tube designation identified the amount of elements it has.
+justsomeguytoyou
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed.
Honestly, I get more info from your hard work than anyone else. That is not to discredit anyone else. I just really really get it when you delve into the subject. Sometimes I must watch the video a half dozen times; but I know what it is you are saying when I am done.keep them coming, I can't get enough.Thank s to everyone who has helped as well. It is what makes it fun.
+James Lucas
Great to read James! Glad your enjoying the video's.
All of your warnings of electrocution bring me back to my childhood. When I was around 9 or 10 I became interested in electronics, I would go out and bring home discarded radios, TV's and any thing electronic and play with them. I always had my hands in something that was plugged in, and the only tools I had were my mom's kitchen knives ( which didn't please her). In all that time I only got one good shock and that was when I found out that a flyback transformer can make you flyback. I love your videos, you are a true inspiration.
+wgenerotzky
Great story! Thanks for taking the time to write.
+Mr Carlson's
Lab
Here's another story about the bench that I played with the tube radios and such.
The bench was in the basement of the house we lived in, it was constructed with 2x8s with a small gap in between. I had gone to the neighborhood store and bought a sharp knife for carving and such. Being proud of my newest possession the first thing I wanted to do was show my dad, he happened to be in the basement at the time. My dad took the knife and with the smoothest action I'd ever seen (it had to be purely muscle memory from years of fatherhood) inserted the gleaming blade into the gap and with a flick of his wrist snapped the blade off and handed me the handle. Funny he never gave thought to the voltages I was playing around with, but he just may be responsible for my retention of all ten of my digital low impedance voltage probes.
That was excellent, I'm a complete novice who plays guitar and have several tube amps. I never understood how the tubes amplified the input single and after watch this explanation I understand how they work. Thank you...
Thanks for a very informative video very easy to understand very concise I am delving into valve amplifiers at the ripe age of 65 for my retirement years although i love electronics and have been since building my first crystal set back in the late late 50's Kind regards Steven King
Very helpful! Thanks so much for your whole video series.
+Applied Science
Thanks for the kind words Ben! Always look forward to your video's as well.
Thank you so much for explaining how tubes work I've often wondered that my whole life it is interesting to work with the circuitry.
I have worked on electronics my whole life but I always been intrigued by old antique radio gear. always been my thing. Thanks
Everytime your hand went near the 300v I broke out into a sweat. I do hobby work in tube radios and amps but am ultra paranoid. Great explanation and a pleasure to watch. Thanks.
+mbaker335
Glad you enjoyed!
Thank you so much for the awesome lessons. I look forward to every new video you post, they have helped me immensely. I repair tube guitar amplifiers, as a hobby mostly, because there are very few good repair shops in my area, and the few that are charge more than most gigging musicians can afford. I also test my repairs by playing the amp at performance volume for an hour or so, this helps to ensure that the musician doesn't experience a failure at the worst possible time, during a gig. So far I am 100% with this method. Thanks again and God bless!
+flockoglock
Glad your enjoying! Sounds like you know what you doing!
+Mr Carlson's Lab sometimes it's more about what not to do.:)
Awesome explanation sir .I am new to tubes,so it helped me a lot to understand how it works in real .I am a tech and have my own repair shop all i do is cell phone repair and all kind other electronics repair but all modern one but some time people come with old power amps with tubes witch is hard for me a bit but now after watching your videos it seem easy.Thanks again.
That was the clearest explanation of amplification through a tube I have ever heard. I have subscribed to you for more. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video, Thanks!
Understanding the method of amplification in tubes is a real eye opener, and a very ingenious idea!
Thank you for the kind mention, Paul. I have lots of vacuum tube radios, record players, and test equipment to fix when I have time for it. Most problems will be solved by recapping, but this video will be especially helpful. Other than the filament voltage spec, I had no idea there was any rhyme or reason to vacuum tube part numbers.
No worries on my name. It is commonly mispronounced.
Should be WAH-sah-TON-ic. Thanks for the thumbs up!
+Eric Wasatonic
Glad you enjoyed the video Eric. I look forward to some of your future restorations. Thanks again!
Another one out of the park!!!! In 27 years of being a ham, I never understood tubes this way! 73's de w1rmd
By far the best explanation of the behavior of a triode i've ever seen...
This video hit the spot !!! I work almost exclusively on Tube Amps and there were some true nuggets in this one, thank you so much. BTW - I was directly to your awesome channel by JOERNONE so glad he got a shout out !!! THANK YOU Paul !!!
+Ron C
Your welcome Ron! Glad you enjoyed.
Your teaching style is first rate. Thanks for all your work.
Glad your enjoying the video's Ian!
When I was 15 my father brought me home an old PA amplifier with a pair of 6L6s. At the time, I wasn't sure what to do with it or how to use it. The rectifier tube was missing also. My dad told me to ask his friend Emil Rudat who lived down the street and worked for RCA at Harrison, NJ. Emil had a 5V4 and it worked after he showed me how and where to hook things up.
Anyway, I ignorantly started poking around the underside with the chassis laying on it's side on top of a metal topped cabinet I had used for my rock collection. I had my hand on the top and grabbed the B+ on a capacitor and had my first whack from 400+ VDC. It felt like two people gave me a yank on each arm to pull them out of my body, I was thrown on the floor and shaky. Wow, I knew I was lucky to be still alive. I have heard many engineers and technicians consider that a "right of passage" in the field, but it's a "right of passage" that you want to avoid. Wear gloves or keep one hand in a pocket or both, I was told. I think I got a lesser one again later from a charged capacitor. Even when the unit is off, I learned to discharge caps. It was the last time and I'm still around at the age of 71. Whew! Emil became my early "Mister Wizard" for electronics and he was a life long friend from the WWII generation.
My dad had a saying about using power tools, such as a circular saw, which applies to many potentially dangerous things we work on. "Don't be afraid of it. Just RESPECT it." I got it!
Thanks Jim for taking the time to write, and share your story. One day I will share the story of the 1cm hole in my left hand.
Mr Carlson's Lab save that story for the Patreon members. I get nightmares easily as I lucid dream more nights than I slumber.
Holy cow! That is huge! I'd like to hear the story.
Enjoyed the video a lot. You are really good at explaining. If you could do a video explains in laymen terms how a tube amp works from input to speaker would be extremely helpful for us amateurs. Thanks for an excellent video.
Thanks for your input Jan!
Very good tube refresher course took me back 40 years to my days at electronics vocational school!
Thanks for the short and clear explanation how a triode is used as a phase inverter and how it works
Your welcome!
Thanks! I now visualize what is going on in the circuit. You are outstanding with your teaching! 73, AA4EZ
Very enjoyable and educational. I always learn something from Mr. Carlson's Lab.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I am designing a valve preamp for myself at the moment. This is very helpful information, and much better explained than most sources I have used so far. Thank you for your videos :)
+Róbert Valdimarsson
Thanks Robert! Glad your enjoying the series.
Thank you Paul for your videos !! I have learned quite a bit from you and consider you as my online Elmer !! I do tube radio and phonograph repairs and restos here on the West Coast. Keep the good work coming !! Best Regards, Dennis
+lionelguy
Thanks for the kind words Dennis! Your "Elmer" won't let you down :^)
Thanks for another great video Paul. I will be watching this several times to absorb all this valuable information.
+Shaun Merrigan
Your welcome Shaun!
LOVE your channel!!! Thank you! I learned enough about Tube HF amplifiers to actually build a simple zero bias 3-500z amp, it works great!! Although I did this, for some reason I can not grasp the concept of tube bias, I have had people explain it, and I have even worked on some 811 amps that are biased. But I am just copying other people without having a full understanding. When people start talking about negative voltage and voltage above ground, for some reason my brain shuts down. I would love to see a video explaining just that aspect. Thank you for everything you do!
Thanks for your input Dan.
Excellent video, many thanks. I always learn from watching and listening to you. [and re-watching!]
I find the use of analog meters far less stressful in my work, as the movement of the needle is stone-axe simple, and can be seen out of the corner of one's eye. The digital meters are quite amazingly designed, with auto this and auto that, but a bunch of numbers is a bunch of numbers. One must 'READ' the numbers, then apply logic to evaluate the trend.
I guess this could be old age creeping up on me huh?
This analog/digital differential affects one in driving and flying, as with an analog display, the angle can be seen peripherally, and one knows without thinking about it, where one is on the speed scale.
With digital, from 11 mph to 99 mph, that is just two digits. Take your eyes off the road/sky and focus on the instrument, read, analyse, deduct, apply, return to driving/flying...
Even worse, with flying, from 100mph to 999mph, it is still only three digits.
PS:I haven't been Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine miles per hour! [Yet?]
+av8bvma513
Thanks for your input! I like both types of meters myself, but in some cases, an analog meter makes things easier, especially when peaking circuits. Lets hope you never see 999 on that instrument!
I remember the days in electronics school (NRI) tube operation wasn't explained this well. We had to think hard where it made our brains hurt LOL. Great videos! Frank Ferraro--Audio Craft Electronics :)
+Frank Ferraro
Thanks Frank!
I'm a guitar player trying to diagnose some humming vibration on my tube amp, but this presentation seriously makes me feel like a complete idiot. Kinda humbling actually to know there are people out there intelligent to understand this stuff.
Your videos are extremely clear and concise. They will be very good for people new to electronics.
+Aron Gooch
Thanks Aron!
That video was excellent it gives you a better understand of Valves. When we are tuning valve radios this all comes into play. Cheers and beers mate.
Very clear explanation how cathode following and phase inversion works on a preamp tube👍
Good explanation, it's been many years since I studied vacuum tubes in school. Nice simple presentation.
+Oldbmwr100rs
Glad you enjoyed!
I really love your videos! You have such a great way to explain electronics. Thx so much for doing these videos. As said by others, if you one day release a book on vacuum tube audio I'll buy it straight away!!
Yet another superb video Mr Carlson! I'd really love to see more of those tube amp troubleshooting tips/construction vids! Keep up the good work!
+Magnus Karlsson
Thanks Magnus!
One of the most informative videos I have seen on how a tube works! Awesome.
+Richie Testa
Glad you enjoyed Richie, thanks for your comment!
what a ripper video. man i need to watch this video over & over every few months as more knowledge sinks in.
These are really good little demonstrations. Very well explained.
+Bill Moran
Thanks Bill!
Very helpful and easy to understand for us old guys,,thanks for all the great videos on tubes!
Paul, please keep making videos on troubleshooting audio tube type amplifiers. I love your clear and professional explanations. Do you have any videos on proper cleaning and lube of common carbon based turn pots and slide type potentiometers? Also, are all tonal controls on say a guitar amp linear or audio (logarithmic) taper type potentiometers? I believe volume turn-pots are always audio taper type. A video just on potentiometers and proper maintenance and replacement of would be of great help. Thank you sir. 🙂👍👍
Very well done video! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this.
~Jason
Your Welcome Jason!
Such a great episode! Really well explained, you have cleared for me few things about tubes which I have struggled with. I would love to see an episode on solid state audio equipment, I'm sure I could learn something new!
+Aniol1349
Good idea for a future topic! Thanks for your comment.
Excellent demonstration! I am learning so much from your channel! Thanks again!
Your Welcome! Glad your enjoying!
You bet! I've been watching daily now; some videos I'm re-watching because as I'm learning I'm understanding better so the second time around I'm picking up on something(s) I missed the first time.
I just pledged some money at Patreon; I'm glad to see you're off to a good start there, you deserve it!
Hey Thanks! I'm looking forward to being here more often.
Thanks for taking the time to do these Paul. This may sound odd but I knew how a tube worked but now, thanks to this video, I UNDERSTAND how it works :) 73 NE5U Mike
+Michael Lloyd
Great to read Mike! This sort of response make the video's worth doing.
I like this very much. Its like im starting to understand. I sit and just faze out in deep thought about this stuff.
Thank you for all of your hard work and I'm learning more at this point than I can really understand, I only wish that I would have learned more before watching your posts, I will be watching your videos over and over again.
I always Learn Something From Each and Every Video You Make..You NEVER Have a DUD VIDEO...Thank You Very Much!!!!
Paul - Great explanation! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Best, Don
+RestoreOldRadios
Your welcome Don!
I enjoy your clear explanations, thanks
I had my hands into old radios way back when I was young boy around 12 if remember right.And I guess had enough sense to know what to touch an what not to! Because i'm still here, and always seemed the manage to get them(tube radio's) working even if though trial and error.some of the funnest times in school was a electronics class I took in high school, it was just at the time of switch over from tube to transistor,so they taught both, the instructor was more of a tube guy! As to teacher to student, we got along great,so much some called me his pet! I could have cared less the man taught me allot.!And I'm grateful. For our class end of year project we had to build a super heterodyne am radio that would pick up 5 stations on a perfboard. Tune and make play.Mine picked up 7 some thought I cheated! Really the only cheating i did was helped others to get theres working that was against the rules! I think teacher knew but looked the other way!I love your videos keep them coming please! Dave wd8mbz
+David Grieb
Thanks for the story, and the kind words too!
So glad you stressed that an amplifier stage swings the supply voltage across the plate resistor, that the output signal voltage comes from the supply, not the tube. I was years into things, without formal training, before I realized that. It’s too easy to visualize that the tube “turbocharges” the input signal applied to the grid, sends it through the vacuum and onwards to the plate. I better understood the term “valve” when I conceived of the tube as a valve that opens partially, in proportion to the input signal, to create a low-resistance path from B+ to ground, loading the supply, dropping the voltage across the plate resistor.
You are brilliant and make a difficult topic for me understandable , thankyou .
You are very welcome!
Great explanation for a guy like me who only learned about transistor electronics.
Thanks for making these videos! Best site I’ve seen on tube amplifiers and understanding electrical engineering
Gold mine of great information.
+Granite
Thanks!
Excellent video. I really enjoy the tube related information. It's always great to see a notification of a new video. Thanks.
+jim mcdowell
Thanks for the kind comment Jim!
awesome video. taught me a lot. I have a few tube radios and test equipment to fix and you explain the theory so well. very easy to understand. Thank youvery much
Glad you enjoyed Mike!
Thank you for explaining exactly how amplification works, i indeed did not know the signal was recreated from the rail.
Glad you enjoyed, your welcome!
You provide an amazing electronics resource on youtube
Take me back to Purdue's Lab back in the late 60's... Great Stuff!!
+llsdigitek
Glad you enjoyed!
Super tips! Every new video, new knowledge, Thanks.
+CT1JRZ
Glad your enjoying! Thanks for the kind comment!
Great video, now I have a better understanding of how tubes work, Thanks and thumbs up......
+Joe Lees
Great! Thanks Joe.
Very nice Paul. Keep em comming, Greg
+Gregory West
Thanks Greg!
Thank you very much for all this wonderful material, you deserve more subscribers in my opinion!
+marco56702
Thanks for the very kind words Marco!
+Mr Carlson's Lab You are welcome :)
Just one question, have you considered the idea of making a video or a series about designing tube amplifiers (audio)? I think it could be really interesting
+marco56702
Good idea for a future video(s) I have built many tube amplifiers in the past, unfortunately, before I made video's though.
+Mr Carlson's Lab It would be wonderful if you do so! thank you again
Great explanation. Thanks for the work you do on these videos, they are very informative.
+Bob Stevens
Glad your enjoying them Bob!
Mr. Carlson is da man! Keep em' comin'!
Oh man. Excellent 👌 video, Prof Carlson 👍
Thanks, you are a good teacher!
raised my hand, thought i was in school again!!! awesome Paul
+jeff b
Thanks Jeff!
At the first glance of his workshop my eyes LITERALLY got WIDE.
Very nice and simple explanation. Super video. Many thanks...
Paul,
Love the Tech Tuesdays. Thanks for the links to the channels mentioned. Will save me some typing in the search box. :-)
+Donald D'Egidio
Your welcome Don!
Hi Mr. C and thank you for such a great video.
They never taught us about the nomenclature for tubes when I took
electronics in school - shame. Tx again Rod
+Newmachinist
Glad you found the video helpful Rod. Thanks for your comment!
As always a great learning experience. Thanks Paul and a big thumbs up to you as well.
+Chuck Legg
Thanks a ton Chuck!
Very interesting! This is how one should teach electro-technic. Usually we are thrown to death with formulars first and of corse without any practical examples.
Here ons can understand what's going on! And I am not even a native speaker.
Awesome. Many thanks.
+Raymond Earle
Your welcome!
Thank you for another awesome video.
All my best.
Bobby
+Bobby Tectalabyss
Thanks Bobby!
oh very great thank you very very much, you offer me way to troubleshooting has faced us for 5 days ago
+Jumper Technology
Glad this helped! Good luck with your troubleshooting.
Paul, very good explanation for the novice. People these days seem to have such a problem understanding the basic functions of a tube and how they work. Great practical application demonstration.
What is the equipment in your opening picture. Reminds me of my old HP 460BR broadband fast pulse amplifiers. Basically just 13 tubes running in distributed amplifier operation. Nothing quite like a couple rows of tubes to keep you warm on a cold day.
Mike
+MikesRadioRepair .CBRadio
Hi Mike, that's out of an old Cordovox amp. Thanks for your comment!
Great demonstration and instruction! Your insights are very easy to understand and helpful to young and old for those working with trons. Thank you for your time and investment in others through your videos. Where were you when I was going through school? :-)