2020

This amplifier is a contemporary reinterpretation of early high-power vacuum tube practice, built around the legendary 833A transmitting triode. Designed to operate between 1.5 kV and 2.5 kV, the system is capable of delivering near-kilowatt power levels into highly reactive loads, including voice-coil transducers and Tesla coil primaries.

Rather than pursuing conventional audio linearity, the design prioritizes current authority, stability under impedance collapse, and survivability in the presence of arcs and reflected energy. A choke-input high-voltage supply provides a stiff DC source, while separate grid drive and modern gate-drive electronics allow precise control of a tube originally intended for radio transmitters and industrial service.

The physical construction embraces visibility and proportion: the glass envelope, exposed plate structure, and oversized connections make the energy flow legible. The result is not just an amplifier, but an instrument — one that bridges antique electrical language with modern control techniques.

This project explores amplification as a physical phenomenon, where voltage, current, magnetic fields, and ionized air are not abstract quantities but tangible forces.