u/KirkIsOurLemmy

Hello all, here is my home made tube amp, based on the schematic for Orange Tiny Terror , but with some tweaks for more gain and more low end. It also has an oversized output transformer for more beef.

This circuit is quite similar to the preamp of a classic OR120, two gain stages using 12AX7, but this amp uses a long tail phase inverter instead of a cathodyne in the OR. It has the master volume after the PI so there is also clipping in the PI tube. All in all it gives a nice fuzzy power amp like distortion, that I think suits well for doom.

Everything is made at home in my kitchen, the tolex and artwork are amateurish, but it turned out quite well after all.

I dont have any real recording equipment but I made a quick little video using my phone. The guitar playing is very basic but maybe it gives an idea of the kind of sound this amp produces. It would be fun with some feedback, how do you like it?

https://canva.link/i1kcr0v2z84ptb1

I posted this before, my first home built amp, based on the Orange Tiny Terror circuit, with some tweaks for more gain and low end.

I wanted a simple tube amp with that nice power amp distortion/fuzz you get from a cranked OR120, or a Big Muff into a clean tube amp. A little doom amp :)

I don't have any proper recording equipment but I made a very quick recording with my phone. The guitar playing is very basic but maybe it still gives an idea how it sounds.

It would be fun with some feedback, what do you think?

https://canva.link/i1kcr0v2z84ptb1

Hello all, this is my first home made amp. Its based on the Orange Tiny Terror circuit with some tweaks for more gain and low end.

The goal was to get a bit of power amp distortion/fuzz character like the classic OR amps, for some good doom tone.

A horrible sound clip recorded with my phone, sound quality is not so good and my playing is even worse, but it gives an idea of the sound:

https://canva.link/i1kcr0v2z84ptb1

Hello all, this isn't about a factory made Orange amp so if its not allowed I guess it will be removed by moderators.

Anyway, I wanted an Orange amp for playing doom, but I couldn't really afford a new one and there are not really a lot of second hand ones available here.

So I built one myself. It is a 15 watt EL84 amp based on the schematic for Tiny Terror, but with a few tweaks for more gain, more low end and a smoother phase inverter. I also went with a beefy Hammond output transformer.

This circuit is interesting because it has both tone control and master volume after the phase inverter, so you can push the phase inverter to clipping. The preamp has two triode stages and no cathode follower, the topology is very similar to the classic OR120 style amps.

And it sounds very good, it has that classic fuzzy distortion but at more manageable volumes. More brrrr than fzzzz if that makes sense. Very Black Sabbath.

Hello, its me again with my Tiny Terror build. Its working great and now its time to add an effects loop. I will use a transistor based pcb from TubeTown for the actual loop, there isnt room for any more tubes on my chassis.

I guess it should go between the second gain pot and the phase inverter, where the 0.047 uF cap is.

So my question is, do I put the loop before or after the cap? Or do I need one more so I get pot - cap - loop - cap - PI?

Thanks in advance

My amp project is finished, at least at a first stage. Based on the Orange Tiny Terror schematic, 2 EL84 15 watt, but modified for more gain, more bass, and smoother phase inverter. It can do really dense fuzz, quite close to an Acapulco Gold, but also nice edge of breakup kind of overdrive, very touch sensitive.

Tolex and artwork is amateurish but turned out better than I thought.

Next step is an effects loop, havent decided if it will be tube or solid state.

Hello all, I have now got my Tiny Terror amp build working, apart from one thing. The tone control, it has no effect whatsoever on the sound.

It is actually not a traditional tone control, its a treble cut control, placed between phase inverter and power stage, with a capacitor short circuiting high frequencies between the phases, cancelling them out. Vox AC15 uses the same kind of control. Even if its crude I would still want it to work as the amp is a little bit bright sounding.

I can't really understand why its not working, but I assume either the pot or the cap is broken. Im waiting for new parts.

And now, after writing a whole novel again, comes the question:

In the Tiny Terror schematic the treble cut is placed after the master volume pots, but in the schematic for the Dual Terror, that is supposed to have one channel identical to Tiny Terror, the treble cut is before the master volume. Is there any difference in how the cut works depending on the location? The Dual Terror is a newer design so one could expect its an improved design?

Thanks in advance

Hello all, after fixing a few stupid errors my Tiny Terror build is producing sound, yay.

Maybe most silly mistake was to use 100 ohm instead of 100 kohm for phase inverter anode resistors. It actually worked but the sound volume was very low...

Since I was aiming for a bit fuzzy drone sound I have used 120 kohm for all 12AX7 anode resistors, for more gain. It seems to work in the sense that at full gain it sounds quite fuzzy.

A few things I want to improve:

- its fairly noisy at high gain settings. Is there any obvous error in the routing of cables or such that anyone can spot?

- I would like more low end in the sound, its fairly bright sounding. Is there any components I can tweak to get in that direction?

- related to the previous point, the tone control is very subtle in general. I think my next step will be to add an effects loop so I can put an EQ pedal. This would maybe also solve the low end issue.

Found some components, from a 1970:s HiFi amplifier, are any of these still usable for making pedals?

Hello all, I think I am past half way done on my Orange Tiny Terror build.

How does it look so far? Any obvious goofs?

Hello all, what software are people using for making layouts for tag/turret board builds? To create something like the example image?

Creating good layout from a schematic requires you to move components around to find the best order of things, and it would be very convenient with a software tool that supports that.

The layout tools I have found are either for making schematics and simulating circuits, or for pcb layout.

I have made a few layouts using PowerPoint but that is a completely manual process, and really tedious :)

Thanks in advance

Hello all, I have started building my Tiny Terror, and realised I made a mistake in ordering one of the capacitors..

It sits across the AC input, in the bridge rectifier. Its supposed to be .01 uF but I bought. 001 uF, 1 nF.

So the question is, what does this cap do, is it important? Is the value critical or could i use anything larger than .01 uF? Or could I even use the 1 nF one?

Im guessing its there to reduce ripple?

Thanks in advance

Hello, I have gotten most of the parts for my Tiny Terror build, and started to figure out how to place the different parts in the chassis.

I came up with this layout, preamp tubes to the right, EL84:s to the left. Input on the right end of the tag board, then from right to left preamp - PI - power amp - power supply.

This layout seems to give the shortest and straightest run for the various cables to different places

Does it make sense or am I doing something obviously stupid here?

Thanks in advance