Aikido Circuit Totem Pole

About the Aikido Circuit Totem Pole

The Aikido Circuit Totem Pole pre-amp, designed by John Broskie, is a tube line stage amplifier that uses a special circuit topology to effectively cancel power supply noise by injecting the same amount of noise at both the top and bottom of the two-tube cathode follower circuit. This design achieves superior power supply rejection ratio (PSRR), low distortion, and low output impedance compared to traditional SRPP or grounded-cathode amplifiers. The circuit maintains phase coherence and balanced amplification curves across stages, resulting in a clean, neutral, and fluid sound. It typically uses two triode voltage amplifier stages and two triode cathode follower stages, often employing tubes like 12AU7, 6CG7, or 6DJ8. The design is flexible, allowing for different tube types and configurations, and is known for its quiet operation and high sonic fidelity. The 'Totem Pole' refers to the specific arrangement of the cathode follower stages to optimize noise cancellation and linearity. The Aikido pre-amp has been widely discussed and built by DIY audio enthusiasts and is praised for its sonic performance and elegant simplicity.