This volume of seventeen high quality amplifier designs covering a range of five through eleven hundred watts came out of the Research Laboratories of General Electric Company (UK). The research leading to publication included a team of the most distinguished designers of the day. W.I. Heath and D.M. Leakey were joined by G.R. Woodville in putting together what is at once an authoritative and comprehensive compendium of audio amplification hardware.

These designs are all based on vacuum tubes, or as the British prefer to call them, thermionic valves. GEC produced some of the world's finest of these devices, designed especially for audio applications. The KT66 and KT88 were and still are highly regarded wherever tubes were being used to amplify sound. The designs included here cover applications from a simple amplifier for home use to very large units for public address in auditoriums and stadiums.

The book offers more than power amplification, however. Two high- quality, versatile preamplifiers are also included. A simple minimal one offers tape, phono and tuner inputs with only a simple treble cut control in addition to the level control. The second is more sophisticated with bass and treble tone controls, a special tape input and a variety of phono input networks.

Full parts lists accompany each schematic with specifications allowing today's builder to construct his or her own version of the designs. Full performance measurements of each of the designs is provided, all of which were built as fully operational prototypes. Ratings for all the tubes mentioned are provided in tabular form, including both European and US equivalents, wherever available.

The book is a goldmine of authoritative information delivered in a straightforward, conservative fashion. It provides firm guidance for the tube enthusiast and full explanations of all the important considerations in designing quality amplification.