Germanium phono . Who uses phonopreamp on germanium transistors ?

[vs music]

Hello everybody! Among my phonopreamp there are products on germanium transistors . Does anyone use germanium preamps ? Please share your experience ....

[niclaspa]

I don't use germanium transistors, but can you tell us more about your phono stage?

[vs music]

The first one in the photo is a battery-powered Phono ( 24 volts VRLA ) . This is an upgraded scheme from 1972( USSR )  . Changes were made to the circuit , a different printed circuit Board was developed , and other transistors were used ( AC-122  Telefunken and  GT-308V , MP-37B USSR   ) .  Very good sound . The indicator shows the signal strength and battery level .

[niclaspa]

Fascinating!   

I have only listened to old units with germanium transistors.  It didn't sound fantastic, but the amplifiers were very old and not serviced.  I would really like to listen to a set up where the germanium transistors could show their best.  I would love to build this one, but I have too many projects waiting for completion.

[vs music]

specification for this corrector

[timelog]

Problems with germanium transistors is find ones of batch with equal properties (hfe and leakage).

Offtopic: Jimi Hendrix used fuzz face has first germanium transistor, but those was were later replaced silicon versions as
gernanium suffers reliability and temperature dependent issues. Fuzz face secret is find germanium transistor pair with different hfe and proper leakage current that together make right tone (breaking soft distortion)...inconsistent quality/properties makes this difficult.

[vs music]

I have 3 germanium phonos . Transistors of course selected by parameters . But there are no special problems with this . These phonos work well . I have preamps on silicon ( BC-550c /560c and BC-149c ) . But I like the sound of the Germanium better .

[timelog]

I have 3 germanium phonos . Transistors of course selected by parameters . But there are no special problems with this . These phonos work well . I have preamps on silicon ( BC-550c /560c and BC-149c ) . But I like the sound of the Germanium better .

Yes. Phonos can be built also using germanium tranistors.

[vs music]

The second phono was made 5 years ago . It is based on the preamp Telefunken scheme of the 60s .... The circuit was slightly changed - an additional gain stage was added , and the power supply circuit was changed . Transistors Telefunken AC-122 . Mica capacitors in the RIAA circuit ... in the power supply - germanium transistors of the USSR ( in my country there are many more ) ....The sound is very good . this is my favorite phono ...

[niclaspa]

Beautiful DIY work!  And fun with something unusual - not everyone is using Germanium transistors these days!  Thanks for sharing!   

What does the rest of your system look like?  Any more DIY?

[reinderspeter]

Very cool stuff
I love your ultra neat circuit drawings

[vs music]

What does the rest of your system look like?  Any more DIY?

All my phono preamps are diy . Now there are 6 of them . Two of them are still at the stage of installation in the case . I have the amps ( also diy ) - they are made with the use of BJT , JFET and MOSFET . Everything else - turntables , CD-players , tuner , equalizer , speakers - is a serial factory devices .

[vs music]

On this forum, many people use tube phono . Or phono with the use of OP-amps . And I have very rarely seen anyone use germanium phono . And these devices give a wonderful sound .

[vs music]

Another good phono . It is made quite recently . And not yet installed in the case . But I have already tested it and made measurements . I liked it . Unfortunately, I had to use other transistors ( I couldn't find 2N508 ) . Therefore , I used transistors of the USSR - GT308V ,P416B, and MP-16B . The basis of this device is the JBL preamp , produced in the 60s . The printed circuit Board is designed anew . Due to the use of other transistors, I changed the basic circuit a little . But the sound was great . A power supply of 24 volts .

[williamsunique]

Very nice construction.  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.  I have experimented with a dozen or so DIY phono stages, but never a Germanium one.  I have now settled on a FET based one, having tried ICs, silicon transistors and valves, also other FET ones.
I have in the past owned a Germanium HiFi amplifier, British made (Triple Tone) and very nice it sounded, if somewhat noisy with no input.  Unusually as well as treble and bass adjustment, it also had a middle tone adjustment, thus triple tone.  I sold it on Ebay and shipped it to Japan.
I used to repair electronic equipment, TVs, radios, HiFi etc. for a living and germanium transistors had a fairly high failure rate.  This would have been the 1970s.
Germanium transistors were always PNP, but I see in your circuit there is one NPN germanium transistor.  The circuit must be quite cleverly designed in order to maintain the inherent noise of the Germanium transistor at a low level.
It is good to see another approach in the design of a Phono Stage.  I realise that Germanium transistors have their following in HiFi circles, so there must be something special about their sound.

Paul.