Uploaded November 2016 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago

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pricklysauce.com
LM386 tube amp [homage]

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having built the Bike Tyre Speaker youtu.be/IQeb7E0mab4 I wanted to build a little mono amp to boost the mono speaker, an amp that looked as good as it would sound.

I am still learning electronics and the LM386 op amp circuit is a great project for beginners, in fact it was the second bit of electronics that I made after lighting some LEDs with a battery.

My fascination with electronics was started from having dissected old electrical kit for a couple of years, just to see what was inside...beauty and intrigue...what are those bits...and so I started to learn how to put my own electronics together.

The vacuum tube is the embodiment of seeing the 'working' inside, the glorification of the humble into an aesthetic beauty.

This humble little amp build takes the aesthetic qualities of the vacuum amp to make an intriguing little object that is great to look at, glowing red when switched on like a vacuum tube, the power source displayed and easy to get to...

...and the on / volume knob using an old bike derailleur jockey wheel to tie the amp materially back to the bike tyre speaker.

Unfortunately the sound from an LM386 amp will never be the rich + warm tones of a vacuum tube amp, though if you ask me, I think that as it looks so good, it makes it sound good as well.

If you would like an in depth step by step on how to make one for yourself, please visit my Instructable page or my Make page.
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Music - BirdBrainz by Otis MacDonald available free use through YouTube

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