This EL34 is a really ballsy little performer and with its astounding 5 or 6 watts per channel it really punches way beyond its weight. The circuit is a standard single ended design, variations of which seem to have been in common use in the 1950s. This particular circuit uses a 6SN7 as a driver, in contrast to most of the examples that use a 6SL7. In addition, although not strictly necessary, this version uses a power supply with parallel GZ32s
The build
In summary
This amplifier cost the princely sum of £370 to build, but it could have been built for much less by using the budget Hammond output transformers. Having listened to lots of shop bought amplifiers, it seems unlikely that this kind of sound can be bought off the shelf for anything near this price. So, if you happen to be reading this because you fancy building a single ended amp, then its not a bad place to start.
Value for money….6 stars!.
