For
Tube-amp builders who want a real Studio: design any tube regulator from spec, simulate, diagnose and export.
You will learn
- Compare every tube-only regulator topology on a shared bench
- Master cold-cathode VR physics, stacking and ballast sizing
- Design series + error-amp regulators with predictable Zout, ripple and stability
- Diagnose live faults (oscillation, sag, hum, no-strike) with the interactive assistant
- Export Markdown reports + SPICE netlists wired to Ampera's Koren tube models
Before you start
Power supply & rectification
Time & level
45 minAdvanced
Next step
← Reference
Safety
How much energy your filter cap bank stores, and how long until you can safely touch the rail. The bleeder is mandatory above ~50 V — its sizing trades discharge time against continuous dissipation.
Energy stored
4.90 J
Time to V_safe
34 s
P bleeder cont.
0.56 W
P bleeder rec. (×2)
1.1 W
Time constant τ
17.6 s
5τ (99.3%)
88 s
HV safety checklist
- One hand in pocket when probing live circuits — never bridge across your chest.
- Power off, unplug, then wait at least 5 τ before trusting the bleeder.
- Verify the rail is < 50 V with a DMM before any contact.
- If energy > 5 J: short caps to GND via a 100 Ω, ≥ 5 W resistor — never directly.
- Bleeders rated 2× the calculated dissipation, in series for > 350 V (1/4 W parts top out at 250 V).
- Heater chassis at safe potential — float on elevated reference if V_hk > 100 V at the cathode.
- Earth bond verified on the chassis with a low-resistance (milliohm) meter, < 0.1 Ω.
- Test with a current-limited supply (Variac + isolation transformer) before connecting full mains.
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