Books about guitar amplifier electronics usually focus on individual circuits:
preamps, tone stacks, phase inverters, power amps, and power supplies.
The design of a guitar amplifier as a complete system, however, is more than the natural consequence of putting these components together.
Fundamentals of Guitar Amplifier System Design
presents a structured, professional approach to crafting a complete guitar amplifier, including
- deciding which features to include,
- defining system performance in terms of guitar and effects signal levels and control positions,
- optimizing the distribution of gain and attenuation with a strategy for cascading gain,
- laying out the complete architecture, including the effects loop,
- developing a system-level audio model,
- designing individual stages to match the model,
- voicing the amp from a system-level perspective to improve overdrive dynamics,
- optimizing power supply filtering for hum suppression and inter-stage decoupling, and
- executing a post-design checklist to identify mistakes.
It has been said that the process of guitar amplifier design is like a cooking recipe, like flavors that you are mixing. This book is about mixing these flavors to achieve rewarding sonic results.
Richard Kuehnel
is a member of the Circuits and Systems Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
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| Mastering Basic Electronics |
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| Preamps and Tone Stacks |
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| Power Amps and Negative Feedback |
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| Power Supplies |
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| DC-Coupled Cathode Followers |
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| Effects Loops |
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| Reverb and Tremolo |
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| Crafting a Complete Architecture |
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| Testing Overdrive Dynamics |
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| Measuring Distortion |
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Introduction
Warning: High Voltage!...1
The Importance of a System-Level Perspective...1
Acknowledgements...4
Chapter 1: Best Practices for Guitar Amplifier System Design
Use a Hierarchical, Top-Down Methodology...6
Create Unidirectional Dependencies...10
Prioritize a List of Functional Requirements...11
Design the Interfaces...12
Work on High-Risk Items First...13
Maintain an Updated Model of the System...13
Use Evolutionary Development...16
Build in Preparation for Buying...19
Design for Testability...20
A Glossary of Relevant Terms...20
A New Tool for System Design...22
Chapter 2: The Fuzzy Front End
Develop the Concept for a New Design...24
A Mid-20th Century Example...24
A Modern Example...28
Series Effects Loop...32
Preamplifier...33
Power Amplifier...33
Impressive Tone...40
Cascading Gain...41
Design the Interfaces...44
Guitar Input Jack Interface...44
Effects Send Interface...46
DC Plate Supply Interface...48
Effects Return Interface...48
Develop a Basic Architecture...50
Power Amplifier Subsystem...51
Preamplifier Subsystem...54
Chapter 3: Circuit Implementation
Power Amplifier Subsystem...62
Power Amp...62
Power Supply...67
Power Amp Driver...73
Negative Feedback...75
Effects Recovery and Master Volume...82
Preamplifier Subsystem...86
Preamp Distortion Stage and Effects Send Attenuator...86
Cascading Gain and Attenuator...91
Second Voltage Amplifier and Tone Stack...95
First Voltage Amplifier and Gain Control...97
Ripple Filters and Plate Circuit Decoupling...100
Basic Concepts...102
Design Examples...106
Setting RC Resistor Values...110
Setting RC Capacitor Values...111
Heater Supply Requirements...113
Chapter 4: Voicing
Set the Attenuation Budget...116
Unintentional Grid Stoppers...118
Appropriate the Attenuation Budget...120
Execute the Attenuation Budget...121
First Stage Grid Stopper...121
First Stage Coupling Capacitor...122
Second Stage Cathode Bypass Capacitor...123
Cascading Gain Cathode Bypass Capacitor...125
Cascading Gain Coupling Capacitor...126
Preamp Distortion Cathode Bypass Capacitor...127
Preamp Distortion Coupling Capacitor...128
Effects Recovery Grid Stopper...129
Effects Recovery Coupling Capacitor...130
PA Driver Coupling Capacitor...131
Chapter 5: Design Review
Design Review Checklist...135
Signal Levels...139
Voicing...144
Chapter 6: Evolutionary Development
The Fuzzy Front End...147
Develop a Concept for a New Design...148
Design the Interfaces...158
Develop a Basic Architecture...158
Circuit Implementation...159
Power Amp...159
Power Supply...161
Power Amp Driver and Negative Feedback...163
Effects Recovery...166
Finalizing the Power Supply and Ripple Filters...167
Voicing...169
Design Review...171
Conclusions...173
Some Final Words on Guitar Amplifier System Design
Index
