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gene83

Bijou Futterman Tube Amplifier.

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This is the completed amp!

There's some very minor troubleshooting to do.

I will post some impressions after 50hours or so (after the tubes break in)

Here are some pics anyway :)

IPB Image

internal wiring

IPB Image

front view

IPB Image

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Why are the circuit boards outside the casing? Shouldn't they be inside so the casing won't be so empty?

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its running very hot.

i actually tried mounting the boards inside and airwiring the tube sockets outside in my previous case.

the wiring inside was so messy and it was gonna be hell to troubleshoot if anything were to happen.

so the best solution was to run the boards outside.

if it was a P2P amp it would be easier to do.

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Hey loop_.

I'm using very generic nichicon and xicon caps with vishay dale resistors.

 

Sadly I sold my b22 to fund a bass guitar. So all I have now are sonic memories, but they're still quite recent.

 

Following are the tubes I currently own.

 

Tubes Set 1 (current):

Signal tubes = 2xNOS Tesla E88CC

Driver tubes = 2xJJ ECC99

Rectifier tube = 1xNOS Tesla EZ81

 

Tubes Set 2:

Signal tubes = 2xJJ E88CC

Driver tubes = 2xJJ ECC99

Rectifier tube = 1xJJ EZ81

 

Tubes Set 3:

Signal tubes = 2xNOS JAN Phillips 6922

Driver tubes = 2xJJ ECC99

Rectifier tube =1xNOS Amperex EZ80

 

The b22 had a slight tube-like warmth, very clean, transparent and fast feel to it. Whatever you threw at it, it reproduces it faithfully. It is a very musical and detailed amp. Had lots of emotion and musicality. Be it metal, rock, ballads or classical. It was always a joy to listen to music through the b22.

 

The bijou on the other hand is a very classic tube amp. It is also very clean, colouration depends on tubes used, typical tube warmness (also depends on tubes used), superb life-like imaging (I felt the details were slightly better then the b22, I think this is due to the tubes used). The cons here is that it wasn't able to reproduce contemporary songs with heavy distortion very well. The vocals sounded good but the parts with distortion (namely the guitar and bass) felt slightly sluggish. The pros over the b22 is that it reproduced jazz with slightly better feel as the imaging was awesome (varies with tubes).

 

Conclusion.

Overall this is an awesome amp. I feel this is comparable to the b22 with different "Main features".

Some may feel that the bijou would be a cheaper amp to build. The parts (including enclosure and connectors and a good power cord) is about half the price of the b22, but the tube rolling part is not cheap. You might end up spending WAY more then a b22. An example is me (lol) I have spent about 300 total on tubes already and I'm still considering buying some more tubes to roll.

 

The b22 is a more well rounded amp, it handles all genres well and is sonically fast to boot.

The bijou is a classic tube amp, everything depends on the tubes you buy.

As I only have the bijou with me right now. I'm glad I have it. I would say that if you do not have a budget constraint, build both amps! It is hard to choose between the 2 but if I had to choose I would still choose the b22 over the bijou. Reason being that the sound between the b22 and the bijou is quite similar, but the ability to reproduce every genre of music makes me choose it over the bijou (although tube rolling is really very fun and EXPENSIVE). The b22 is really...The King of DIY Amps.

Edited by gene83

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can't believe you sold it!!!

 

anyway thanks for the review. i wish i had more time (and $$$) to build another amp, but sadly i think i'm going to have to wait till my retirement (about another 40+ years i think) :yuck:

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Maybe the lesson for me will be...... don't go into tube rolling! MUST PRESERVE WALLET!! :D My Bijou kit is still in its box. No time, like loop_ I am wondering when I can find the time.

Edited by heady

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eh heady build it lah!

mai tu liao

its a damn good sounding amp.

 

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

The projects between me and the Bijou -

1. HPDAC - DAC plus headamp totally powered by USB, parts assembled and ready for soldering

2. e12 - delay relay for SOHA to protect headphones - parts ready, waiting for time to solder

3. JISBO - output buffers for SOHA - waiting for parts

4. Case the SOHA (inc e12 and JISBO)

5. Case CKIII already built with a selector to act as pre-amp

 

Sitting with my Bijou kit is a amp5 and a amp6 kits. I keep telling myself. No more kits until I finish them all. The elders in my youth would say "my eyes is bigger than my stomach" (mak chew tua kway tor), ie. I think I can do all these projects when reality is I don't have the time. :blush::P:grin:

 

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Thanks for the encouragement!

 

The projects between me and the Bijou -

1. HPDAC - DAC plus headamp totally powered by USB, parts assembled and ready for soldering

2. e12 - delay relay for SOHA to protect headphones - parts ready, waiting for time to solder

3. JISBO - output buffers for SOHA - waiting for parts

4. Case the SOHA (inc e12 and JISBO)

5. Case CKIII already built with a selector to act as pre-amp

 

Sitting with my Bijou kit is a amp5 and a amp6 kits. I keep telling myself. No more kits until I finish them all. The elders in my youth would say "my eyes is bigger than my stomach" (mak chew tua kway tor), ie. I think I can do all these projects when reality is I don't have the time. :blush::P:grin:

 

what parts are u missing for JISBOS?

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what parts are u missing for JISBOS?

 

Just plain forgot to order lah. Ah pek already, brain probably 3/4 dead. :P

 

Got the shopping cart all filled up but checking it again to make sure no mistake b'cos 1/8W resistors only can get from Farnell. If miss out one, then die because 10 resistors less than $1 and minimum Farnell order is $10. And so got to be very sure before I checkout the cart.

 

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Just plain forgot to order lah. Ah pek already, brain probably 3/4 dead. :P

 

Got the shopping cart all filled up but checking it again to make sure no mistake b'cos 1/8W resistors only can get from Farnell. If miss out one, then die because 10 resistors less than $1 and minimum Farnell order is $10. And so got to be very sure before I checkout the cart.

 

1/8 resistors can be found in SLT. Silicon Electronics. 3rd floor corner shop. They have the entire list available except for 2 values. 42R and one more 1 that i cant remember.

 

Most transistors can be found in SLT as well. All except 1. 2SJ74 i think. combed the entire SLT and they dont have it.

 

The rest of the parts can be easily gotten from Koba.

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Thanks Cloud. Didn't know about Silicon Electronics. I asked many shops in SLT in the past. Anyway, nowadays I don't have time during office hours to go down. My office is just 5 mins from Farnell.

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