Power supply for guitar amplifier
View Patent ↗A power supply for a guitar amplifier and the guitar amplifier and method of operating the guitar amplifier. The power supply includes an alternating current power input having a secondary winding and a filament winding, an output and a first vacuum tube rectifier coupled between the secondary winding of the power input and the output for rectifying the alternating current at the power input. At least a second rectifier is provided which is selectively couplable in parallel with the first vacuum tube rectifier. The at least one second rectifier can be a vacuum tube rectifier with each of the first and second rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by the filament winding, a solid state rectifier or both. The output amplifier has an output transformer having a primary winding with a center tap and with a first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers having their cathodes being coupled together and their plates coupled to the primary winding on opposite sides of the center tap. At least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers is provided having their cathodes coupled together and their plates being coupled to the primary winding on opposite sides of the center tap. A selector switch selectively causes at least one pair of the first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and the at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers to be operational and concurrently causes at least a selected one of the first vacuum tube rectifier and the at least a second rectifier to be operational corresponding to the selected at least one pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and the at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers selected.
1. A power supply for a guitar amplifier which comprises:
(a) an alternating current power input having a secondary winding and a filament winding;
(b) an output;
(c) a first vacuum tube rectifier and coupled between said secondary winding of said power input and said output for rectifying said alternating current at said power input; and
(d) at least a second rectifier selectively couplable with said first vacuum tube rectifier;
wherein said second rectifier is a vacuum tube rectifier, each of said first and second rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
2. The power supply of claim 1 further including a third vacuum tube rectifier, each of said first and third rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
3. The power supply of claim 2 wherein said second rectifier is a solid state rectifier.
4. A guitar amplifier comprising:
(a) a power supply having:
(i) an alternating current power input having a secondary winding and a filament winding;
(ii) an output;
(iii) A first vacuum tube rectifier and coupled between said secondary winding of said power input and said output from rectifying said alternating current at said power input; and
(iv) at least a second rectifier selectively couplable with said first vacuum tube rectifier;
(b) an output amplifier having;
(i) an output transformer having a primary winding with a center tap;
(ii) a first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers, each having a plate and a cathode, the cathodes being coupled together and the plates being coupled to said primary winding on opposite sides of said center tap;
(iii) at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers, each having a plate and a cathode, the cathodes being coupled together and the plates being coupled to said primary winding on opposite sides of said center tap; and
(c) a selector switch selectively causing at least one pair of said first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and said at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers to be operational and concurrently causing at least a selected one of said first vacuum tube rectifier and said at least a second rectifier to be operational corresponding to the selected at least one pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and said at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers selected.
5. The amplifier of claim 4 wherein said second rectifier is a vacuum tube rectifier, each of said first and second rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
6. The amplifier of claim 4 wherein said second rectifier is a solid state rectifier.
7. The amplifier of claim 6 further including a third vacuum tube rectifier.
8. A method of controlling the operation of a guitar amplifier comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a power supply having:
(i) an alternating current power input having a secondary winding and a filament winding;
(ii) an output;
(iii) A first vacuum tube rectifier and coupled between said secondary winding of said power input and said output from rectifying said alternating current at said power input; and
(iv) at least a second rectifier selectively couplable with said first vacuum tube rectifier;
(b) providing an output amplifier having;
(i) an output transformer having a primary winding with a center tap;
(ii) a first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers, each having a plate and a cathode, the cathodes being coupled together and the plates being coupled to said primary winding on opposite sides of said center tap;
(iii) at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers, each having a plate and a cathode, the cathodes being coupled together and the plates being coupled to said primary winding on opposite sides of said center tap; and
(c) selectively causing at least one pair of said first pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and said at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers to be operational and concurrently causing at least a selected one of said first vacuum tube rectifier and said at least a second rectifier to be operational corresponding to the selected at least one pair of vacuum tube amplifiers and said at least a second pair of vacuum tube amplifiers selected.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said second rectifier is a vacuum tube rectifier, each of said first and second rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said second rectifier is a solid state rectifier.
11. The method of claim 10 further including a third vacuum tube rectifier, each of said first and third rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
12. The amplifier of claim 6 wherein each of said first and third rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.
13. The amplifier of claim 7 wherein each of said first and third rectifiers having a cathode continually energized by said filament winding.