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Homebrew Amplifiers

Homebrew means built by an individual rather than a factory, and in tube audio that tradition never stopped. Kits from Dynaco, Heathkit, EICO and Knight were one form of it; amplifiers designed and built from scratch around good transformers are another. The original site collected a few of the second kind.

The best-documented example is a Japanese amplifier with four 6L6 output tubes, Luxman output transformers and Tango interstage transformers, built by an audiophile for his own listening room. Japanese builders in particular have long treated transformers as the heart of an amplifier, and Tango and Luxman iron carries real value on the used market.

Judging a homebrew amplifier is different from judging a factory model. There is no schematic to compare against unless the builder supplied one, so look at the quality of the wiring and soldering, the parts used, and whether the power supply is built conservatively. The buying guide covers the safety checks.