Paraphase Inverter Voltage Divider Placement

General discussion area for tube amps.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

Post Reply
lonote
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:12 pm

Paraphase Inverter Voltage Divider Placement

Post by lonote »

I have been studying up on paraphase inverters, as it is something I have not built in any amp projects so far & I thought I might try to include one in a future project.

Looking through schematics of the usual suspects, I have noticed that most designs have the voltage divider feeding the second grid located after the coupling caps going to the power tubes, & the divider then doubles as the grid leaks for the power tubes.

The exception seems to be Ampeg whose designs have the divider located on the PI-side of the coupling caps, & have a second set of dedicated grid leaks on the power tube-side of the coupling caps.

I am wondering if this is purely down to parts count or if there is more nuance to it than that?

Fender
Paraphase Fender 5E9-A.jpg
Benson
Paraphase Benson Monarch.jpg
Gibson
Paraphase Gibson GA30.jpg
Ampeg
Paraphase Ampeg EchoTwin2.jpg
Ampeg
Paraphase Heritage B15.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Lauri
Posts: 126
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 6:35 pm
Location: Finland

Re: Paraphase Inverter Voltage Divider Placement

Post by Lauri »

Ampeg used floating paraphase which is a bit different from the other examples. Also the second Ampeg example is fixed bias where the coupling cap and gird leak resistor to the second half of the phase inverter are necessary. The reason why the divider is located on the PI side of the coupling caps is so that there's only one RC frequency roll off to the second grid of the PI.
lonote
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:12 pm

Re: Paraphase Inverter Voltage Divider Placement

Post by lonote »

Lauri wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:52 am The reason why the divider is located on the PI side of the coupling caps is so that there's only one RC frequency roll off to the second grid of the PI.
Thank you for pointing that out, I hadn't even considered that.



That 2nd Ampeg example had switchable cathode/fixed bias as it was a reissue circuit combining two versions of the B-15. Probably not the best example, but it was in hand.
Post Reply