“I believe the product is very interesting and definitely nothing like anything I’ve seen or used before. The main advantages of the product are that not only does it give you a valve maintenance feature by displaying a light if a fault is found within a valve, but it manages your valves to run at an equal number of milliamps. This means that each valve is working at an equal rate which in theory gives you optimum amp performance.

Above : TubeSync fitted to a Mesa Boogie F-50

There is a certain quirkiness about the British psyche. On the one hand, the proportion of consumers in this country who actually bother thoroughly to read instruction manuals is undoubtedly very low. On the other, there was a Japanese survey, apparently, that found of all significant inventions going back over 200 years, 55% of them were British. Obviously, the Germans are more disciplined and better organised. The Americans are driven. The Japanese are still incredibly advanced technically, yet the British struggle to get the trains running on time. Maybe that’s the point: because we’re surrounded by chaos, we’ve had to become inventive.

The Americans make the best electric guitars but the British make the best amplification, goes the old adage. Doubtless, there are as many British luthiers as American amp manufacturers chorusing their disagreement, but as a general rule, this is probably true. And although if you look at all the great British amp makers – Hiwatt, Marshall, Sound City, Orange and the rest – they all have an Achilles Heel: the tubes. Ironic, really; amps that collectively have been responsible for the greatest sounds in contemporary music relying on components whose design hasn’t altered at all for decades. Enter TubeSync.

The engineering guys here at KBO Dynamics – inventors of TubeSync technology -are into power supply. Their background ranges from white goods to defence, and to be fair, making a washing machine go is hardly rock’n’roll. But when they turned their knowledgeable gaze towards tube amps, well, that’s different. For example, when a technician at Hiwatt builds a Custom tube amplifier, he and he alone will spend 20 hours soldering the components to stringent quality control guidelines: no production line or PCBs here. Yet, despite this labour of love, if the tubes fail, the amp won’t work. So when KBO Dynamics approached Hiwatt with a system that could monitor the tubes constantly when the amp is turned on, adjust the biases, forewarn if the tube was getting flaky and even switch pairs should one of the tubes fail completely, they pricked up their ears.

TubeSync

Musicians don’t shell out for a big, powerful expensive amp if they’re not gigging. That makes them either pro musicians or semi-pro at the very least. That also means that the public shell out to go and see them play. Therefore, neither party will be particularly chuffed if a tube goes in the middle of a performance. Yes, the pro musician probably carries a spare amp just in case, as most guitarists have a spare guitar in case they break a string, but it’s not ideal. TubeSync gives the musician peace of mind; simple. With TubeSync fitted in the amplifier, it’s a bit like having a dedicated amp tech working full time on that amp from the moment it’s turned on to the moment it’s turned off.

The output from a traditional 100-watt valve amplifier comes from two pairs of EL34 tubes: matched 1 and 4, and 2 and 3. There are companies who sell ‘matched’ pairs of these tubes, as two identical tubes will tend to last longer than an unmatched pair. Normally, the EL34 will operate at 50Ma, although they can be rated higher, but the higher they are rated, the shorter their life. Best not to fiddle around too much, then. Better still, let TubeSync do what fiddling there needs to be done. The device, which is not an integral part of the amplifier, sits within the circuitry and ensures that the pairs remain matched throughout, and micro-adjusting the biases when necessary. Four LEDs on the facia plate – one for each tube – serve as a visual indicator of the state of each one. So the musician is given adequate warning if one of the tubes is getting flaky. In the unlikely event of one of the tubes letting go completely without warning, TubeSync will immediately switch out the affected pair; OK, the amp will be functioning at only half power, but at least it will be working. That’s peace of mind. Knowing that this technology is available but not using it would be a bit like driving really fast whilst wearing welding goggles. Don’t want to worry you or anything.

Granted, having TubeSync installed in the amp is going to give peace of mind, but then we at KBO Dynamics haven’t just left it at that. Professionals in the music industry need to find out not only that there are certain strains on the tubes within the amp, but are there conditions within the live situation that perhaps put an amount of stress on the tubes above others. Handy that the techies can plug a laptop into TubeSync and get a readout, then. Handier still, we are working on an interface that when completed will allow the TubeSync-ed amp to hook up with either us or Hiwatt via the internet, and the amp’s performance can be monitored remotely in real time, even if the gig is in Australia. How formula 1 is that then? But then again, it isn’t, when you think about it; it’s more like professional progress. The Rolling Stones, for example, earn millions every time they tour – having seen them, they’re worth every penny, but that’s just one opinion – but they will never have toured in the past with amps loaded with TubeSync. Imagine the poor old amp techs frantically peering through the grilles of the back line checking for the dreaded EL34 red death glow while the band is laying it down for over a million fans on a beach in Brazil: now that’s stress.

We are talking with other amplifier manufacturers, but Hiwatt was a logical place to start: they are fiercely proud of their reputation for reliability, rightly so, and any technology that compliments that reputation is clearly going to be of interest to them. Both KBO Dynamics and Hiwatt feel that the incorporation of TubeSync technology genuinely adds value not just to the amplifier, but also to the whole amplification process. Tubes are still fairly reliable; with or without TubeSync, manufacturers wouldn’t build tube amps if they weren’t and we’re not in the business of scaremongering. However, the fact of the matter is that they are still the least reliable component part of the amp, and if you have experienced ‘sod’s law’, then you’ll know that if a tube is going to fail then it’ll pick the most inconvenient time to do so. Going back to the driving analogy, the odds of you needing the airbag in your car are reassuringly long. But try driving a car without one fitted, you genuinely do feel vulnerable.

Conclusion

In recent years, there has been an exponential rise in ‘extreme sports’ and the arrival of the adrenaline junkie, doubtless in response to an increasingly risk-averse society. The term “Nanny State” has been coined as a result. But let’s keep things in perspective; there’s a big difference in safety for safety’s sake and straightforward common sense. TubeSync technology has been designed to prolong the life of the tubes in the gigging musician’s amp – which is good – and also to alert them to the fact that the tube is approaching the end of its life – also good. We think that’s common sense, which is why we invented it.

Tired Pony was formed by Gary Lightbody (of Snow Patrol), who had a “long-term ambition” of making a country album. He revealed the project’s existence in May 2009. In the interview, he expressed his love for country music, which he said he had loved for a long time: “I always thought I had a country album in me and it turns out I did.” The rest of Snow Patrol expressed excitement for their band-mate, “delighted that [Lightbody was] getting to exorcise all his crazy ideas.”In October 2009, Lightbody in his blog on Snow Patrol’s website revealed the members of the group to be Richard Colburn (of Belle & Sebastian), Iain Archer, singer Miriam Kaufmann (Archer’s wife), and Jacknife Lee. He talked about two more members whom he was very excited about, but didn’t name them. He also stated that the album won’t be country as was being reported, but would be “country-tinged”. In January 2010, Hot Press reported Peter Buck (of R.E.M.) to be a member of the group. Lightbody described Buck as one of his “all-time heroes” and admired his talent for playing a variety of instruments. Lightbody looks at the project as something he has “wanted to get out of his system”, and said that “he doesn’t know whether people will dig it or not.”He has expressed doubts about the commercial viability of the group’s work, mainly in the United States.

Tired Pony played their first ever live show at London’s Forum venue in Kentish Town on July 14th 2010 with the help of an Audio Kitchen Base Chopper fitted with TubeSync!!

For further information regarding TubeSync Audio Kitchen Amps please email info@tubesync.co.uk or steve@mutronics.co.uk

ANDY Fallon and Colin Arrowsmith are not guit- arists. Their affair with the valve amplifier isn’t born of a youth spent practising solos or arguing over kit specifications next to the counter of their local guitar store.

In fact, Andy’s experience lies in automotive and military engineering, while Colin is an expert in microelectronics.

However, their contribution to a piece of kit beloved of the White Stripes, The Who and Black Sabbath has attracted the attention of major international amp-makers.

Andy and Colin are co-founders of KBO Dynamics, a Consett company created to market technology designed to improve audio and guitar amplification.

They are the men behind TubeSync, a “tube management system” which monitors the performance of valve amplifiers to avoid meltdowns while maintaining sound.

The product won the innovation award in the Durham and Wearside heat of the nebusinessawards 2009, run by The Journal and Evening Gazette.

KBO co-founder Andy said: “We were looking for a niche market. Neither of us plays the guitar, but we did a lot of brainstorming.

“Colin worked with microelectronics, but he’s also an expert with valve technology. We realised very quickly that the biggest application for valves was inside guitar amps.”

The valve amp isn’t exactly a rapidly advancing technological product. The technology was developed between the world wars and uses a series of vacuum tubes to regulate a signal. It was present in items from TVs to radios, but fell out of favour in the 70s.

The resurgence of such equipment has been prompted by high-end users in the audio and guitar amp market, who praise its natural sound.

Andy said: “There’s a warmer, more rounded tone to it. Anyone who’s serious about playing a guitar would only use a valve amp.”

When they developed TubeSync, the pair didn’t set out to change the sound. Instead, they set their sights on the downside, the problems that plague valve amp users looking for that special sound.

He said: “The closest you can compare it to is an engine management system on a car. It’s like having a maintenance technician looking after your amp 24/7 without you noticing it. It’s continuously monitoring the circuit, looking for faults.

“We got a market research report from Think M in Newcastle. It conducted a series of live interviews with OEM companies and guitarists.

“We looked at the problems people were talking about, but we didn’t change the sound.

“It can detect faults. It can disconnect a pair of valves if it finds one is faulty. You normally have to buy valves in matched pairs and you need to take the amp to a technician to tweak it, but with TubeSync you only need to buy one valve if one fails and it can tweak the system for you.

“One faulty valve can blow up the output transformer. TubeSync can detect this and prevent catastrophic damage.”

KBO had support from a number of North East backers. It won £90,000 from NorthStar Equity Investors’ Proof of Concept fund, developed its prototype with help from Business Link and got £20,000 from the North East England Investment Centre. The process was then advanced by a grant of £20,000 from One North East.

In all, Andy estimates the product has taken 18 months and around £200,000 to develop.

He said: “We built and developed it from the bottom up. We tried to use components that were available in the marketplace and we created our own unique algorithm.

“We don’t think there’s a similar product to this on the market and we’re hoping to receive a patent in the next couple of months.”

Right now, KBO is on the hunt for buyers. The team has just returned from the international Musikmesse instrument trade show in Frankfurt, where they saw a live band perform using TubeSync technology for the first time.

He said: “It was being used by a band playing Pinball Wizard by The Who. We’re expecting to see the technology on stage properly some time this year.

“The lead time on the product is about eight weeks so it could well be appearing in the summer.”

British amp manufacturer Hiwatt, whose users include Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and The Kooks, has incorporated TubeSync into its amps and Andy says that others, such as fellow Brits Orange, are keen.

The company is talking to manufacturers about fitting it in amps this year and down the line it may create variants of the product that could be fitted by amp technicians or even end users.

Over the last year, Hiwatt and Durham-based KBO Dynamics have developed their own version of a pioneering technology called TubeSync®, which Hiwatt will launch at Frankfurt Musikmesse 2010 in March. The technology has been developed in order to overcome problems associated with conventional tube amplification such as biasing, tube longevity and overall reliability. What the collaboration has achieved is to improve amplifier design without changing the fundamental amplification process yet retaining the classic Hiwatt tone and sound.

Although not an integral part of the amplification process, Tubesync® is connected to the heart of the amp’s circuitry, constantly testing and monitoring; it’s like having an amp technician working full time inside the box every time the amp is powered up. This technology eliminates the need for tube bias current matching, increases tube life by micro-adjusting the bias on each tube, predicts tube failure and can, in the event of a catastrophic tube failure, even run the amp at half power. The result is the eradication of many of the problems hampering conventional tube amplifiers and peace of mind for the musician wise enough to have taken this route.

KBO Dynamics Chief Exec Andy Fallon: “It has been a pleasure working with Hiwatt who have been extremely receptive to change and have embraced the new technology. They have seen the benefits it can bring to them and of course, their customers, and we are looking forward to further exciting collaborations. This technology genuinely has raised the bar concerning reliability and classic tube amps, and what’s more. It’s been developed exclusively in the UK.”

KBO Dynamics Win Innovation Award 2009

KBO Dynamics, winners of the Durham and Wearside Innovation Business Awards 2009, stated : TubeSync technology achieves unique benefits including vastly improved reliability and performance in tube amps.  Securing orders from Hiwatt and others is a significant achievement.

KBO Dynamics Power and Control Devices

‘The scale of the companies that KBO Dynamics are working with is impressive. They have ambitious plans for growth and have been performing very well since receiving investment from us. KBO Dynamics is an excellent example of successful innovation coming out of the North East and is testimony to the region’s strong knowledge base,’ Dr Richard Exley, North Star Equity Investors.

­The company has also been supported with market research, manufacturer introductions and early product launch activity by think M., a leading strategic marketing and research agency specialising in technology and innovation.

Andy Fallon, KBO Dynamics, ‘think M.’s channel research played an important part in helping us to secure investment by providing the market evidence required to prove TubeSync’s growth potential. It helped us to refine our offering to amp manufacturers and was instrumental in getting us through the door at some really high profile organisations.’

TubeSync

As KBO look forward to Frankfurt they already have further collaborations underway and anticipate generating more interest from manufacturers, amp technicians and musicians alike. If you would like any more information on TubeSync technology, please visit www.kbodynamics.com.

”Improving amplifier design, performance and efficiency”

We work closely with our customers to deliver the best possible technical solution that satisfies both technical and commercial needs. Our designs are created with flexibility in mind and in most cases clients will have the opportunity to create their own unique product features.

The TubeSync Bias Engine

• Eliminates the need for bias current matching of output tubes
• Increases manufacturing efficiencies
• Micro-adjusts the bias on each tube to ensure its full potential is realised
• Assures reliability
• Maintains optimum performance
• Increases tube life
• Reduces quiescent power consumption
• Easily integrated into amp systems
• Sets tubes at their optimum temperature as soon as you start playing
• Detects tube failure and prevents catastrophic damage to amp
• Switches out faulty tubes and runs amp at half power until tube can be changed

For further information email:
info@kbodynamics.com
T : +44 (0) 1207 585846
www.kbodynamics.com

The result is an amp unhampered by many of the problems associated with conventional tube amplification allowing musicians to enjoy classic tube sound quality without the frustrations.

Mark Lodge Hiwatt’s general manager stated ‘Our amps have proven their reliability year after year. Incorporating TubeSync technology has allowed us to raise the bar one step further. The benefits are of great value to us and our customers.’

KBO Dynamics look forward to more exciting collaborations this year. For more information on TubeSync, please visit www.kbodynamics.com

(Marketing Manager)

“Not changing the sound is very important to us because the sound is the main reason why customers buy our amps. TubeSync offers a long list of benefits without changing the sound. Amplifier reliability is a big one for us as some of our order designs have design problems which can result in field failures. Failures are very costly and results in a large amount of hassle for both us and our customers especially when an amp output transformer blows up! The TubeSync reliability features is what we like best, it saves time, money and of course our reputation.“

(Lead Development Engineer)

(Technical Director)

“Not matching tubes that’s a big one – it’s a pain in the neck – it’s key to getting a successful tube amp ‘fantastic’. if you don’t need to use matched pairs and there’s no need to bias, then that’s amazing, the efficiency savings on the factory floor will be a awesome. Who needs a Six Sigma Black belt!“

(Amplification Product Line Manager)

“You’re saying all of the things that we hear on a regular basis, i.e. ooh, tube longevity – these are things that crop up that keep me awake at night. I’d say it’s pretty unique“

(Marketing Manager, Guitar Amplifier Manufacturer)

“We are currently going for the ISO 14001 environmental accreditation. The energy savings resulting from TubeSync will be part of our continuous improvement plan. If everyone does their bit, the world will be a much greener place.“

(Operations Manger, Guitar Amplifier Manufacturer)

“There is only so much power a tube can throw out before it dies. So it’s an efficiency thing? It gives you more power for less heat? Useful, yeah“

(Lead Development Engineer)

“TubeSync can optimise the running temperature of the tube down considerably, and as a function of that, the life of the tube increases. And that’s something that’s far more interesting than putting more power through it.“

(Technical Director)

Catastrophic Failures. These are failures that occur suddenly, without warning, making the equipment unusable.

Examples of catastrophic failures are: -

• Glass failure, loss of vacuum due to mechanical damage or thermal stress.

• Heater failures open circuit or partial short circuit due to excessive heater voltage or high initial surge current and normal on off cycling over many thousands of hours.

• Arcing, due to low cathode temperature, causing damage to the cathode and grids.

• Bias failure due to component leakage or valve characteristic spreads using fixed or auto bias.

Degenerative Failures. The slow but eventual, deterioration of all tubes, which can contribute to the end of life of the tube.

Examples of degenerative failures: -

• Gas is present in all tubes and if the tube is used within its characteristics should not be a problem, however excessive dissipation can liberate gas from the tube structure and lead to eventual premature failure.

• Getters are patches of evaporated metal, which are deposited on the inside of the glass. The purpose of the getter is to absorb any gas that may be evolved during the life of the tube and work best at normal glass bulb temperatures.

• Spurious emissions are uncontrolled unwanted emissions usually caused by gas released due to excessive dissipation and elevated temperatures.

• Inter electrode leakage. This is current, which flows between the electrodes of the tube, which are not connected in any way. The cause is metallic vapours released by the hot metallic structure of the valve being deposited on the insulating micas and eventually leading to a conductive path.

• Cathode depletion can occur due to arcing, which can strip the cathode coating reducing the active area of the cathode. Arcing will vaporise the cathode material and generate gas, which can poison the cathode material. This can also be caused, by passing excessive cathode current before the heater has reached its normal operating temperature.

Subjective Failures. These are tubes, which will normally pass tests but do not perform satisfactorily due to for example: – hum level, microphonics and noise.

Examples of subjective failures: -

• Hum is an unwanted mains frequency signal, which is superimposed on the wanted signal.  It can be caused by heater to cathode leakage or due to electrostatic or electromagnetic fields within the equipment.

• Microphonics is defined as a signal originating inside the valve caused by mechanical vibrations being amplified by the tube.

• Noise is a signal originating from inside the tube, but not due to hum or microphonics. It can be due to intermittent short circuits, open circuits or arcing due to leakage paths between the electrodes.

Characteristic Variables. These are variations or spreads in the tube characteristics, due to manufacturing tolerances and follow a normal distribution curve.

Examples of characteristic variables: -

• The Standard is usually a tube that complies with the manufactures published data. The Upper and Lower limits are values that any tube within these limits can be considered acceptable for normal use.

• Characteristic Spreads is the degree of deviation from the standard tube.

• Design Tolerances is the normal variations of standard parts, which a well-designed piece of equipment will operate correctly.

The Solution Is ……….TubeSync!

TubeSync Amp Biasing

www.kbodynamics.com