Books for Beginners

These books have been written for newcomers to valve electronics. They are aimed at hobbyists and are practical rather than theoretical in nature, although they generally assume some basic knowledge of electronics. You may be able to persuade your public library to get them, and they can be obtained from any good bookstore on special order, or from specialist suppliers such as Old Colony.

Valve Amplifiers, Morgan Jones
Newnes, 1995, ISBN 0 7506 2337 3
Editor's Choice
This is my personal favourite of books in this class, and my first recommendation for anyone looking for an introduction to valve audio. Building on a very basic knowledge of electronics, it describes how valve circuits work including an introduction to valve operation. It then covers in considerable detail all the different component types, including discussion of the audiophile merits of, for example, different capacitor materials. The book then proceeds to give complete circuits for a power amplifier (EL84 push-pull) and two phono pre-amps. A strong point of the book is the insight it gives into how the design trade-offs and choices are made. It finishes with a chapter on the practical side of construction, including many rare tips such as how to make twisted wire, and the memorable quotation, "[A valve circuit] doesn't need to look like a collision between a rat's nest and a supermarket trolley."

 

Beginner's Guide to Tube Audio Design, Bruce Rozenblit
Audio Amateur Press, 1997, ISBN 1 882580 13 3
Recommended
[Picture of book] This is another excellent book for the newcomer to tube audio. It assumes reasonable familiarity with electronics, and is quite mathematical - you need to be comfortable with high-school mathematics to get the most from this book. It describes all of various tube amplifier stage topologies and their merits, and uses several classic valve circuits (such as the famous Williamson design) as illustrations. The book itself finishes with a good chapter on the pracical aspects of construction. As a bonus, you get three construction articles by Rozenblit from Glass Audio magazine, and twenty or so pages of advertisements from useful suppliers of parts for valve amps.

Build your own Audio Valve Amplifiers, Rainer zur Linde
Elektor Electronics, 1995, ISBN 0 905705 39 4

This book, nicely translated from German, is also a good introduction to valve amplifier design. It begins with a history of the valve and of valve amplifiers, including many photos and circuits of classic designs. A short but comprehensive description of circuit topologies and theory is followed by numerous practical design projects, including several guitar amplifiers as well as hi-fi amps. PCB layouts are given for all of these. Final chapters cover power supply design, including heater supplies and a bench PSU for valve circuits.

Valve and Transistor Audio Amplifiers, John Linsley Hood
Newnes, 1997, ISBN 0 7506 3356 5

hood_valve.jpg (8950 bytes) This book is a bit of a disappointment. Hood is a distinguished author in the audio field, and there is nothing to criticise in his knowledge of the subject or his ability to write about it. However, this book feels like a collection of bits and pieces, put together because the publisher wanted to get on the valve bandwagon. The book gives reasonable explanation of the basics of valve circuit operation, and transistors as well. Beyond that, the treatment of valve circuit design centres on various classics such as the Williamson, with only limited insight into the underlying design questions. This is followed by some transistor-related material taken largely from Hood's earlier, and better, books on the subject. Frankly, this book isn't really worth bothering with - much better to buy Jones and/or Rozenblit for the valve stuff, and Hood's earlier books to benefit from his extensive knowledge.