Re-biasing the Mainline

Strikkflypilot · 1588

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Strikkflypilot

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 459
  • Shellac fiddler
on: July 23, 2015, 09:14:12 AM
Hi.

My Mainline curcuit has now been running since, oh, february.
Decided to rebias it.
Left it on for 30 min to be sure of stable Voltages.

On terminal 20, it has dropped to 134V, while terminal 30 still shows slightly more than 145V.
I have a very rudimentary idea of what this means, like that the headroom for amplification might be different for the two tubes...

Would someone like to elaborate on what 10v difference means, the short time it took to have this difference, what does it tell me about the tubes?

Home system:
Sources: Ibasso DX90, Google Chromecast Audio optical out
DAC: Schiit Gumby
Amp: Bottlehead Mainline
http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php?topic=7463.0
Phones: HD800S

Office:
Sources: Iphone/ Ipod
DAC: Dragonfly Red+Jtrbug
Amp: Crack/Speedball heavily modded
Phones: HD580,HD600 grilles


Offline Paul Joppa

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 5833
Reply #1 on: July 23, 2015, 10:36:34 AM
The bias is optimized for maximum peak power, i.e. equal clipping on positive and negative peaks when just overloaded. Peak output is +/-75v at the output transformer primary.

The downward drift in plate voltage is probably a result of the cathode stabilizing in a new tube. Eventually the cathode will weaken, which will result in the plate voltage increasing.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2015, 02:40:01 PM by Paul Joppa »

Paul Joppa


Offline Strikkflypilot

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 459
  • Shellac fiddler
Reply #2 on: July 23, 2015, 10:45:35 AM
Thanks.
Understanding is slowly forming.

Home system:
Sources: Ibasso DX90, Google Chromecast Audio optical out
DAC: Schiit Gumby
Amp: Bottlehead Mainline
http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php?topic=7463.0
Phones: HD800S

Office:
Sources: Iphone/ Ipod
DAC: Dragonfly Red+Jtrbug
Amp: Crack/Speedball heavily modded
Phones: HD580,HD600 grilles