Control grid Control grid The control grid is an electrode used in amplifying thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) such as the triode, tetrode and pentode, used to control the flow of electrons from the cathode to the anode (plate) electrode. The control grid usually consists of a cylindrical screen or helix of fine wire surrounding the cathode, and is surrounded in turn by the anode. The control grid was invented by Lee De Forest, who in 1906 added a grid to the Fleming valve (thermionic diode) to create the first amplifying vacuum tube, the Audion (triode). In a valve, the hot cathode emits
European Triode Festival European Triode Festival Since 2000 each year the "European Triode Festival" (ETF) has been held in various venues in Europe (the first three events were called "Aarhus Triode Festival" aka "ATF"). The ETF focuses on do-it-yourself audio valve amplifiers using triode vacuum tubes, and brings together high end vacuum tube audiophiles from all over the world (from as far away as Finland and New Zealand). At the festival, participants demonstrate their (all home-built) equipment (analogue/digital/amplifiers/speakers/etc.) and discuss aspects of high-quality vacuum tube sound reproduction. The event is a private venture of in total 300 audio lovers, of which some 120