Tube Clipper

The Tube Clipper is an effects unit which can be inserted in the audio path of a stereo system. It provides that ‘valve sound’, but without the use of high voltages.There are many audiophiles who like ‘valve sound’ but who are put off buying a valve amplifier by the prohibitive cost and who are put off building their own by the dangerous voltages involved.The Tube Clipper described here is a kind of effect/preamplifier which gives the valve sound but which uses low-voltage valves and which needs no voltage higher than ±12 V. It is an ideal introduction to valve technology.The Tube Clipper has the following distinctive features:– Limit setting for both stereo channels via a single potentiometer;– No coupling capacitors are required on the output;– Symmetry is individually adjustable for each valve;– No voltages higher than ±12 V are required;– Gives that authentic ‘valve sound’;– Visible indication of when the input signal is being clipped.