About me

Inspired by Saul Steinberg

I’m an electronic engineer who never ended up working as one. Instead, I developed my professional career in Telecoms and IT. In my spare time I enjoy drawing cartoons, listening to good music and music performance.

Many years ago, by sheer luck I found the valves/tube DIY community and I discovered a new world. I could combine many of my skills and interests and foster a new passion and endless route to financial breakdown.

Now I enjoy designing, building and testing music equipment, but above all: listening to a great LP whilst sat down on the sofa with a glass of single malt in my hand…

Ale

“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

(Charles Mingus)

If you want to get in touch, just send me a note and will respond as soon as I get some time!:

contact address

42 thoughts on “About me”

  1. Hi Ale,

    I wish to make you a great compliment for your very good website and your contributions on DIY audio!

    I keep returning here for the very good technical information you provide. One of the things I like about it is the way you “dive” into a subject in order to push it to the highest level of performance.

    Thank you for sharing your journey in DHT audio with others like me!

    Kind regards,
    Peter

    The Netherlands

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter,
      You’re welcome and thanks for your feedback. I’m always keen to return what I learned from others. Please let me know if there is anything in particular you want or have feedback on any of the posts.

      Cheers,
      Ale

      Reply

    1. Hi Demetrios,
      I’m glad you like it. I’m just trying to give back what I learned from others. Keep posting your thoughts and suggestions
      I’m actually playing with the website tools so may be changing in the next couple of weeks.
      pS: keen to be able to good back to greece soon assuming you live there!

      Reply

  3. Hello ale,

    I found your postings on diyaudio about the 4p1l , i am gonna build the Seberian pre amp !! I hope it will be a nice match with my 10y -LL1660-45 amps !!
    I joined the gb on diy audio for the sshv2 kit , i have rod’s units already at home incl. 8 – 4p1l tubes.
    Do you have some tips ! ,i am not familiar with the dn2540 load of the tube.

    Best regards Martin.
    Netherlands.

    Reply

    1. Hi Martin,
      I’m glad you like it. I’m planning to rebuild my Siberian as it was a great sounding preamp. I modified it for the CX301a so I don’t have it anymore.
      I suspect your 10Y-LL1660-45 amp should be very nice. I have a 7193 (Gyrator mu-follower loaded) to 45 SE and am very happy with it!
      I haven’t tried the SSHV2 on the preamp yet. It’s on my list.
      Regarding your questions on 4P1L: run it at least at 20mA. Filament bias aiming at -15V or above if you can.
      The mu-follower MOSFET gyrator made up of a cascoded DN2540 is perfect. The DN2540 performs much better at higher currents, so 20mA will be great for them. Drop me an email if you have further questions
      Good luck! Ale

      Reply

  4. Hi Ale,

    Can I copy the mosfet gyrator from the cx301 preamp for the 4p1l ?
    Maybe first i will try a power supply with gas regulators , and then the sshv2 unit.

    Thanks and regards

    Martin.

    Reply

    1. Yes, but you need DN2540s instead with heatsinks. Also mu resistor is different. You can use same as the one in Siberian design.
      Gas regulators only with dn2540 CCS, otherwise you won’t achieve noise rejection needed. If not go for Salas directly!
      Ale

      Reply

  5. Hey I was wondering did you use Rod’s filament regulators in your DHT 26 preamp?

    I was wondering if you could send me the schematic for the preamp if at all possible. I am trying to put this together, and I have just bought Rob’s regulators. Your preamp looks awesome I hope mine to look half as good 🙂

    Thanks

    Mark

    Reply

  6. hello Ale,

    My 4P1L pre amp is playing ! and I am happy with it , sound is clean and full of detail.
    It is playing now for 10 hours and its getting better and better , I will do some test with different output caps next week.
    The amp is on the same housing as the powersupply and there is no hum or hiss.
    Can I post a picture?

    Reply

    1. Hi Martin,
      I’m glad you like it. Nothing better than the Siberian! There is a good option to try the Hammond 126b/c and have a cap-less preamp.
      Not sure if you can upload it directly, buy if you email it to me ([email protected]) I will upload it for you!
      Cheers,
      Ale

      Reply

  7. Hi Ale
    did You run a mac for spice model example of Dimitry .Jar file please?
    It look like it is OSX area from page :
    6e5p triode-strapped
    one of Your pics
    I am asking because I am osx user and want to try this java program
    Thanks
    Zoran
    .

    Reply

  8. Dear Ale,
    Fantastic Blog! Thanks for all your efforts that for sure will help a lot of others like myself in building better equipments.
    I am from Portugal, and my hobby (amongst others), is building my own audio gear. Recently I’ve decided I wanted to build something around the 10Y tube. I have almost all I need, like Rod’s regulators, Salas SSHV2, KK CCS.
    I kindly ask 2 questions, can I use your gen2 26 schematics, for thev10Y without any changes (apart from filament voltage and current)?
    Also, my transformers are Hashimoto 20K/600ohm, do you these will suite the implementation?

    Can I solid state rectification for B voltage and then use all reg’s from there, even including VR tubes?

    Many thanks for your time.
    Kind regards?

    Reply

    1. Hi Rui,
      I’m glad you liked the site.
      The 10Y is a superb valve but is a real challenge for filament bias. With its 7.5V and 1.25A filaments and potentially -15/-20V of bias required, you will need a lot of volts and power dissipated on the filament resistors. Not impossible though
      SS rectifier is fine, but why not going at least for a hybrid rectifier? Will allow a smooth turn on time and also a better sound in my opinion.

      CHeers,
      Ale

      Reply

      1. Hi Ale,
        Many thanks for your prompt reply, just one final question, do you fill that there is a huge difference between the 10Y and the 26 in terms of sound quality?

        Will keep you posted on my developments.
        Kind regards,

        Reply

        1. You will find varied answers to that question and is a question of personal taste. I believe there are both great DHT and depends a lot of the circuit and your end to end system
          Regards
          Ale

          Reply

  9. Dear Alejandro! With pleasure learn your site! Good luck to you! If you need information on the Russian tubes and other components – contact me, I will help you with pleasure.

    Reply

  10. Dear Ale,
    Thank you for sharing your valve adventures.
    I found a lot of enjoyment and inspiration browsing your site. I just restarted an old passion for valves after more than 30 years. I am am electrical engineer but I worked only in power distribution. Higher voltage and current…;)

    Recently I opened my own sharing blog at http://simplepleasuretubeamps.wordpress.com.
    I am starting to build all the needed equipment. I found your idea of using the DN2540 CCS in the tube tester extremely practical. I just played with this type of CCS and made it work for a wide range from .5mA to 100 mA. It seems to be very stable. I am posting the progress in building this combined multiple power supply and multifunction tube tester.
    Also thank you for sharing all about the 4P1L. It has great potential at low price. Bought a bunch of them, and can’t wait to try. I am working on a headphone amp design and thinking of using this tube. Lots to do…
    Best regards,
    Radu

    Reply

  11. hi Ale

    nice and wonderfull diy audio website.

    i’m hendra from Jakarta, indonesia

    my email : [email protected]

    would you mind dropping me your email , so I can discuss and need your guidance in DHT ?

    Thanks

    regards

    hendra

    Reply

  12. Hello Ale
    I am startet to build the Gen3 4p1L pre-
    what is the tube diagram called,,choke loaded anode….srpp or what ??? i am not so strong in tube,,,just like to know

    i will use Rod Coleman—-Maida hi volt regulator

    for the trafo i was told to use Lundahl 2745,,in a 40ma version..hope this is ok (they are ordered)

    it is a great webside you have..look forward to listen to the 4p1l pre

    best regards
    Bjarne from Denmark

    Reply

    1. Hi Bjarne,
      The topology is simply a transformer loaded valve stage with filament bias. All the information you need for the Gen3 pre-amplifier is on this website
      Good luck
      Ale

      Reply

  13. Good morning Mr. Moglia,

    I would ask you, politely, a clarification on the Interstage transformer ll1660 usedin her project with the 4p1l valve as line preamplifier ( siberian vers.3)

    I asked retailers about the gap from 40ma, but they tell me that the maximum value obtained with the Ll1660 is 30ma.

    Can help me?

    Thanks for the time being,

    regards,

    andrea

    Reply

    1. Hi Andrea,
      That is probably because they want to sell you what they have in stock. However, you can still get a great preamp out of the 4P1L biased at 30mA. You will have to change the operating point though.

      You can reach out to BigBear Audio or Thomas Mayer who will happily get you an LL1660/40mA at the same price.

      Good luck!
      Ale

      Reply

  14. Hi Ale,

    I am interested to use C3G with Gyrator as a driver for my first 211 amp.
    I found your Jan2013 post on C3G Gyrator driver and want to understand if this configuration is sufficient to drive tube 211 directly? Do I need to add input transformer to step up the signal before going to C3G?

    Regards,
    Gary

    Reply

    1. Hi Gary, If I not mistaken the mu of the C3g triode strapped is about 48-50. To achieve 200Vpp full swing it should be ok with a 1.5-2Vrms input. Unless you have a low input signal you don’t need anything else in my view. The gyrator circuit posted back then has evolved quite a lot, so you better check latest posts to see the optimised circuit to implement. Cheers, Ale

      Reply

  15. Hi! ale
    I am making a Ba transformer output preamp.
    Is the posted Ba schematic version1(29/110/17) here the final drawing?

    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi (whoever you are, but nameless)
      No, this isn’t a suitable design for transformer output preamp. It won’t work well.
      Please post any comments or questions on the relevant blog post.
      Thanks
      Ale

      Reply

  16. Hi Ale
    A few years ago you had a post about using the screen of the 4P1L as an anode.
    Anyway some guy from NL sent you PL519s and he’s PL519 screen as anode circuit is used in the OMA parallex amp.
    Well I’VE been searching the web like crazy trying to find a PL519 screen as anode circuit because my first amp was an PL519 screen drive amp and I wish to try this tube again.
    So I was wondering if you maybe have some information about this I have already contacted the duch guy today and whating for a reply
    PS Im not to good at grammar hope it doesn’t desterb you
    Best wishes from Luka

    Reply

  17. Hi at all , my name is Santiago.
    I have 2 2a3 tubes and 2 300B tubes..
    Is a good tube the 2a3 driving the 300B ?
    What do you think ?
    In this case, do you know some diagram ?
    I hope not to be a hassle for yoy.

    Santiago.

    Reply

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