Requesting Laney Klipp circuit analysis.

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 09 Sep 2020, 20:39

Been slowly getting around to learning how to draw load lines and all the stuff related to tube charts but I was wondering how the Klipp circuit on the Laney Klipp amp works. I got an idea how the bypass is executed but I was wondering what is going on in the Klipp tube stage that creates the hybrid fuzzy/tube distortion sound. As always thanks in advance!

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 09 Sep 2020, 22:02

What throws me off is it appears to be some variety of phase splitter.

ppluis0 · Post by **ppluis0** » 10 Sep 2020, 02:39

Rambozo96 wrote: ↑09 Sep 2020, 22:02 What throws me off is it appears to be some variety of phase splitter.

Hi Rambozo,

The second preamp tube are connected in order to drive the second section from the cathode of the first one.
Also these entire stage are feeding with low voltage (80 volts taken from a resistor divider) to have low headroom and starts to distort quickly.

Cheers,
Jose

turbofeedus · Post by **turbofeedus** » 08 Nov 2020, 23:14

Rambozo96 wrote: ↑09 Sep 2020, 20:39 Been slowly getting around to learning how to draw load lines and all the stuff related to tube charts but I was wondering how the Klipp circuit on the Laney Klipp amp works. I got an idea how the bypass is executed but I was wondering what is going on in the Klipp tube stage that creates the hybrid fuzzy/tube distortion sound. As always thanks in advance!

This schematic doesn't show the clipping effect on the Klipp. This is just the amplifier schematic, looks a lot like a hiwatt.
I believe the clipping effect is just a rangemaster, a single stage transistor amplifier.

ppluis0 · Post by **ppluis0** » 09 Nov 2020, 01:23

Hi turbofeedus,

That schematic looks "almost" like other Hiwatt amps, but the difference lies in the second preamp tube and associated components that are arranged to create insane amounts of distortion.

Cheers,
Jose

teemuk · Post by **teemuk** » 09 Nov 2020, 09:22

It's a basic differential amplifier circuit (yes, similar to LTP phase splitters) sans negative feedback, very low impedance plate load and (very importantly) with only 80VDC plate supply to lower headroom and clipping threshold.

Because two opposite-phase outputs are not needed (like in a phase splitter) only non-inverting output of the circuit is used. For this reason there is no need for the other plate load resistor either.

Finally distorted signal is blended with clean signal by user-adjustable degree to vary magnitude of harmonics (IOW distortion) added to the signal. No "conventional" gain control of similar functionality.

In difference to generic single-ended common cathode amps the differential circuit clips rather symmetrically and "soft".

Archetypal "fuzz" tone of Klipp is due to driving the distortion with no significant hi-pass filtering pre-emphasis.

turbofeedus · Post by **turbofeedus** » 13 Nov 2020, 11:54

ppluis0 wrote: ↑09 Nov 2020, 01:23 Hi turbofeedus,

That schematic looks "almost" like other Hiwatt amps, but the difference lies in the second preamp tube and associated components that are arranged to create insane amounts of distortion.

Cheers,
Jose

Ohhh I see, that's weird I could have sworn the klipp thing was a separate module. Yeah that second stage is funky