{"id":786,"date":"2017-10-09T07:17:54","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T07:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/delaydude.de\/?page_id=786"},"modified":"2018-06-04T07:10:31","modified_gmt":"2018-06-04T07:10:31","slug":"tube-amp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/tube-amp\/","title":{"rendered":"How a tube-amp works – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"R\u00f6hre\"<\/a>To me as a layperson the functionality of a tube-amp is a phenomenon and because of this fascination I decided to deal a bit more intensively with it.<\/p>\n

Here I would like to explain (maybe some kind of inexpertly) try to explain how a tube-amplifier with cathode-bias works:<\/p>\n

Tubes<\/h2>\n

Every amp has got several preams and powertubes to amplify the guitar-signal.<\/p>\n

In the middle of the tube flask you can find a cathode that means an electrical minuspol.<\/p>\n

This cathode can be charged with a really small positive voltage. The quiescent current is that kind of current that flows through the circuit when it is not active, is called bias and is (in this example) determined by the choice of the cathode (cathode-bias).<\/p>\n

Especially when the cathode in the tube is preheated quite well it becomes able to send out countless electrons (negative charged electrical particles).<\/p>\n

The cathode is surrounded by the so-called anode. Musicians know this positive charged pol as the \u201cplate\u201d.
\nAlthough the cathode of an amplifier-tube also can be charged lightly positive the positive charge of the anode is so much higher that, in the vacuum of the tube, the electrons would fly unrestrained in the direction of the anode.<\/p>\n

The Grid<\/h2>\n

To control this firework of electrons you can find a third electric field in the middle between the cathode and the anode, the so-called \u201cgrid\u201d.<\/p>\n

And this is the point where the lightly positive charge of the cathode gains meaning: the grid is actually uncharged. Through the minimum of positive charge of the cathode the grid appears to be charged negatively.<\/p>\n

The grid is situated close to the cathode it keeps the negatively charged electrons in place until one leads a positive charge to the grid. This can be done by using the relatively low charge of the pickups. The guitar-signal of the pickups starts the flow of the electrons from the cathode to the anode. And this flow of electrons amplifies an exact copy of the guitar-sound.<\/p>\n

Too much input leads to an overriding of the tube and causes an overdrive.
\nDepending on the tube that is overdriving we speak of preamp-clipping or power-amp-clipping.<\/p>\n

The flow of electrons inside of the tube can be controlled by selected resistors. They control the voltage of the grid between cathode and anode.<\/p>\n

Click here <\/a>for part 2.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[265,3],"tags":[166,244,245,243,242,289,241],"class_list":["post-786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-amps-guitars","category-effektgeraete","tag-amplifier","tag-bias","tag-fixed-bias","tag-grid","tag-plate","tag-roehrenverstaerker","tag-tube-amp"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9GLlF-cG","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":788,"url":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/roehren-amp-part-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":786,"position":0},"title":"How a tube amp works – Part 2","author":"Delay Dude","date":"Friday October 27th, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"In the first part we have learned that the flow of electrons can be controlled by striking the strings. This flow of electrons inside of the tube can now be controlled by selected resistors. They control the voltage of the grid between cathode and anode. Current and Voltage One distinction\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Amps & Guitars"","block_context":{"text":"Amps & Guitars","link":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/category\/effektgeraete\/amps-guitars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"R\u00f6hre","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/delaydude.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/35-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5406,"url":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/den-bias-richtig-einstellen\/","url_meta":{"origin":786,"position":1},"title":"How to adjust the bias of an amplifier","author":"Delay Dude","date":"Friday January 22nd, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Some tube amps, like the Fender Silverface Princeton Reverb, do not have a pot to adjust the bias. Several times, I read in forums, that you can simply change the tubes without the need for a further fine-tuning of the bias. Actually, this is wrong. The bias is the quiescent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Amps"","block_context":{"text":"Amps","link":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/category\/effektgeraete\/amps-effektgeraete\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tips & tricks","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/delaydude.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Tips-tricks-300x172.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1718,"url":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/tube-transistor-nutube\/","url_meta":{"origin":786,"position":2},"title":"Tube amp, transistor, NuTube","author":"Delay Dude","date":"Friday March 2nd, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Guitarists are known to be pretty traditional and therefore love tube amps. Tube amps (mostly) sound quite well but at the same time they are (typically) pretty loud. 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Before, the guitar has rather been an accompanying instrument.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Amps & Guitars"","block_context":{"text":"Amps & Guitars","link":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/category\/effektgeraete\/amps-guitars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Was w\u00e4re","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/delaydude.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Was-w%C3%A4re-300x255.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2178,"url":"https:\/\/delaydude.de\/en\/marshall-jcm900-higain-dual-reverb\/","url_meta":{"origin":786,"position":4},"title":"Marshall JCM900 HiGain Dual Reverb","author":"Delay Dude","date":"Friday May 4th, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I would like to tell you something about the legendary Marshall JCM900 HiGain Dual Reverb amplifier that, in my opinion, is absolutely underrated. Marshall predecessors Most of the Marshall predecessors were tube amplifiers. 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