Personal projects / Sensors & electronics
Vacuum-tube stereo amplifier
An early audio project built into a wooden case made by my grandfather.
Open the numbered review →Amplifier and listening setup
Photos 198–200
An early vacuum-tube stereo amplifier built into a wooden case my grandfather had made for a seashell collection. I repurposed it to hold the tubes, transformers, and other components. Inside, the circuitry was connected point to point with a tangle of wiring. Many of the parts came from a warehouse full of old electronics that I visited on a trip to New York with my brother.
The finished tube amplifier with a speaker on either side. Its RCA inputs let me connect a phone or laptop using an audio adapter cable to play music. Under the table is Zelda, our much-loved family cat, who has since passed away—an especially meaningful detail in this photograph.