There
are a lot of claims out there of amps being "point-to-point"
when in fact they are not true point to point. That's not necessarily
a bad thing, just potentially confusing.
At
Nolatone Ampworks we use BOTH techniques depending on the circuit
design and in some cases, both in the same circuit! So what's the
difference?
Point-To-Point
In
a true point-to-point circuit, component leads are soldered directly
to the tube sockets/pots/jacks/etc. Needed junctions between components
are typically supplied via terminal strips. This provides the most
direct, minimal path for signals to flow which is a very good thing.
However, this technique becomes less practical the more complex
the circuit gets. Point-to-point is ideal for minimalist circuits.
Turret
Board
Turret
board (as does eyelet board) construction involves soldering component
leads to turrets (or eyelets) attached to a board to form the circuit.
This should NOT be confused with PCB construction wherein the PCB
has printed conductor runs and solder pads for gripping the components.
In Nolatone's turret board circuits the component leads are wrapped
around and soldered to the turrets providing an ultra secure and
durable joint without the stray capacitance that can occur in PCB
circuits.
From
the turret board, leads are soldered to tube sockets, pots, jacks,
etc. The length and dress of these leads is crucial to getting the
best tone and stability. Nolatone's designs that use turret board
construction use custom layouts to minimize lead length providing
the shortest possible path for the signal to travel maximizing tone
and stability.
Don't
get hung up on an amp not being point to point. All our favorite
vintage Fender and Marshall amps were based on turret/eyelet boards!
It's a fine construction method, and in some cases, especially larger
circuits, a superior method.
