Is there a single ended RCA amp inside? Like a RS-193 or similar with 2x 6BQ5 and the 5Y3 rectifier?
Marantz back in the 70s my gen was the envy. Longevity too. Actually have 2 Marantz tweeters from the ,70s. Use old caps that were like cigarette shaped from same cabinet. Soft fabric dome . Still sounds great to me.
The seperate amp chassis for this model is a push-pull 6bQ5 version RS-177H with an original 5AS4A rectifier.
However, I completely modified the amp chassis to use a set of 7189A's, with 12AY7 drivers/phase inverters.
The 7189A's are a robust version of 6BQ5/EL84M's.
I also installed different output transformers, added a chassis level control, and numerous upgrades with a complete new amp design.
It belts out plenty of power, driving better speakers in a redesigned, braced cabinet.
The tuner/pre chassis shown has also had numerous changes made on it.
Including back-lit LED lighting of the lower control knobs.
I'm always looking to restore yet 'upgrade' and make something more 'snazzy' than original.
Yes I'm the same way to tinker and make something a little better tinker onThe seperate amp chassis for this model is a push-pull 6bQ5 version RS-177H with an original 5AS4A rectifier.
However, I completely modified the amp chassis to use a set of 7189A's, with 12AY7 drivers/phase inverters.
The 7189A's are a robust version of 6BQ5/EL84M's.
I also installed different output transformers, added a chassis level control, and numerous upgrades with a complete new amp design.
It belts out plenty of power, driving better speakers in a redesigned, braced cabinet.
The tuner/pre chassis shown has also had numerous changes made on it.
Including back-lit LED lighting of the lower control knobs.
I'm always looking to restore yet 'upgrade' and make something more 'snazzy' than original.
Off topic forgot pass word as usual too many. Have Sony and Magnavox CD players and both are rather noisey mechanical wise. Listen at very low dbs and can hear it coming through. Any suggestions on inexpensive CD don't need DVD capability. Just need quiet
CDs can be ripped and played silently with computer/DAC. Good also for compact storage and easy indexing.
Good idea and I do but like listening to my nice monitor speakers I made using cds Think I will place the player farther away
A friend sent me the Hafler DH-101 as a kit in 1980. Recaped it and changed all RCA inputs a few years ago. It has never failed me.
A NAD 2140 from 1980 with all original parts. Some mechanical hum from the transformer, otherwise great.
And the Electrocompaniet Ampliwire 75. Love it.
A NAD 2140 from 1980 with all original parts. Some mechanical hum from the transformer, otherwise great.
And the Electrocompaniet Ampliwire 75. Love it.
My oldest I actively use regularly, is the Maplin MOSFET kit monoblocks, I use them now in the garage.
In the 1980s I bought them from Maplin, probably Watford (England), IIRC, assembled them, and used them together in a stereo amp that I took to university.
Then I bought a Cyrus One as I didn't really have a pre-amp, and used that for a while, until one day I decided to build some completely OTT PSUs (60,000uF in caps, 300VA toroids, split power for the output FETs with a seperate bridge and caps for the driver section, soft start via relays and resistors, and two half 19" rack boxes for them), and then realised that the Cyrus was hopeless next to them. Hopeless.
Then I modded them, subtly for grounding and the snubber resistors etc, and now feed an Apple USB-C headphone adapter straight into them (no pre-amp) for the garage tunes.
I still remember soldering them together on my bedroom floor in the 1980s, so it has sentimental value too !
My wife uses a Pioneer SX780 most days, no mods, still going fine (and the receiver).
In the 1980s I bought them from Maplin, probably Watford (England), IIRC, assembled them, and used them together in a stereo amp that I took to university.
Then I bought a Cyrus One as I didn't really have a pre-amp, and used that for a while, until one day I decided to build some completely OTT PSUs (60,000uF in caps, 300VA toroids, split power for the output FETs with a seperate bridge and caps for the driver section, soft start via relays and resistors, and two half 19" rack boxes for them), and then realised that the Cyrus was hopeless next to them. Hopeless.
Then I modded them, subtly for grounding and the snubber resistors etc, and now feed an Apple USB-C headphone adapter straight into them (no pre-amp) for the garage tunes.
I still remember soldering them together on my bedroom floor in the 1980s, so it has sentimental value too !
My wife uses a Pioneer SX780 most days, no mods, still going fine (and the receiver).
Good old Maplin, they had some great kits.
I built 3 of the Maplin amplifiers around 79/80.
The 50 watt hi fi amp.
The 75 watt lateral mosfet amp.
Neither were loud enough for a mobile disco so I built the Maplin 225WRMS disco amplifier and that was very loud.
I too remember soldering the lateral mosfet amp on the floor.
I knew very little about electronics then so its amazing it all worked.
I built 2 cabinets with 2 off Fane 12-50WRMS drivers in each and they were very loud.
Got told to turn it down a few times.
It got me started with electronics and I got a on City and Guilds electronics course.
Been in electronics ever since either working for others or for myself.
In more recent years I took the Maplin lateral amp and changed front end transistor for more available versions.
And used Exicon laterals for outputs. I added footprints on pcb for TO3 and TO247 devices.
I added extra decoupling to front end to get rid of hum.
I had a faulty sound to light unit on my disco and it blew up, around 1980.
Not knowing what to do I called into a Radio/TV shop in local town.
He led me through what he was doing to fix it and he sorted it for me (just a thyristor gone.)
We got chatting about amplifiers and I said I played guitar.
I said that valve amps were still very popular with guitarist due to warm sound.
He went through the back and came back with the oldest valve amp I have ever seen.
It had very large bulb like valves. He said it was probably from 1940's.
He said I could have it.
I took it home and replaced input coupling capacitor as he said it might be leaky and could cause a shock.
It sounded quite good.
Its nice to see one of the older generation giving some time to a beginner.
Apparently he worked on radio's etc with the RAF during the second world war.
Not knowing what to do I called into a Radio/TV shop in local town.
He led me through what he was doing to fix it and he sorted it for me (just a thyristor gone.)
We got chatting about amplifiers and I said I played guitar.
I said that valve amps were still very popular with guitarist due to warm sound.
He went through the back and came back with the oldest valve amp I have ever seen.
It had very large bulb like valves. He said it was probably from 1940's.
He said I could have it.
I took it home and replaced input coupling capacitor as he said it might be leaky and could cause a shock.
It sounded quite good.
Its nice to see one of the older generation giving some time to a beginner.
Apparently he worked on radio's etc with the RAF during the second world war.
Nice story about a nice gentleman, Nigel.
I replaced a thyristor in a Maplin sound to light unit way back in the days before LED lamps were the norm.
I don't have my disco amplifiers any more, but they were a pair of Arbiter Slave 150, each with 6 EL34 output valves.
I replaced a thyristor in a Maplin sound to light unit way back in the days before LED lamps were the norm.
I don't have my disco amplifiers any more, but they were a pair of Arbiter Slave 150, each with 6 EL34 output valves.
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I had about the same experience as you at the very beginning of the 90s (with a Monarch amp) the guy took a liking to me, he was retiring a few weeks later and I came out of the store after a lesson accelerated troubleshooting and several bags of free electronic components.
Since then, I have never stopped.