avguytx

I need to get me one of those "puss-pull" amps! ;-)

Your best bet may to reverse engineer the crossovers and get whatever cap values are on them. Most likely basic electrolytic and possibly mylar/film caps. No idea on other parts.

Haven't been able to start with all that's going on. Funny how the end of the year and Christmas break has been so hectic. Mom in hospital, I've been sick, wife and daughter were t-boned in a car wreck last week (all ok), can't finance another one right now because had just started on refinancing house (but found her another car), waiting on insurance check, etc. Always something life wants to throw at you, huh? I've got a new pair of K-33's but that's it. Going to order a new Dynaco VTA ST-70 amp here soon and, if it takes what I have to another level, I may hold off longer on the Belle's. Hard to say yet.

I was really looking forward to starting on my Belle bins during the Christmas break from school, but, I'm sitting in the CCU with my mother as I write. Been a rough year for her and things look dismal. I can build the bins but still thinking I need to solicit longdrive to build me a pair with all that's going on.

That's pretty sassy looking under the hood. Very nice!

Going to go with either the VTA ST-70 or the ST-120. 35wpc or 60wpc. (Tested a little more) There's about $190 price difference in kit form plus the tubes. I know that 35wpc is plenty for 100+dB sensitivity speakers and even for the CF-3's but 60wpc could be handy if I rotate something else in. Ugh...decisions, decisions. I'll start on the Belle bins and tops sometime after first of year. Was going to during Christmas break but my mother's health has been erratic in the last half of this year. Or I may ask if longdrive will build me a pair of bottoms since he's about an hour from me. Ha

There could be more to the story than meets the eye. There usually is.

Could be the cabinet possibly rattling. My CF-3's had the poor gluing syndrome on the back panels. After removing them and re attaching them, all good. Plus a little extra bracing. Play those tracks and push in on the back panel and see if it stops.

Good looking amp but looks like it was pricey when new. Even used is still up there. Looks like some on ebay for $1800.

Scratch that. Don't really want to go offshore. Thanks for the info.

I'm hearing crickets. ;-)

I bought a 1993 Mustang Cobra in Seattle back in 1998; flew to Seattle, bought the car, made the 3 day drive to Tulsa, OK. It was a weekend thing. IT didn't cost me a grand to do it. But, to each their own.

Or how about a Dared VP-80? I wasn't really leaning towards an integrated, though. But nice. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-New-Dared-VP-80-tube-PP-amp-w-phono-stage-sub-output-45wps-60lb-best-amp-/361852608382?hash=item5440189f7e:g:DEIAAOSwYIxX4D4x

Or any other recommendations for something in that price range for something new?

So what's the comparison of the Dynakit versus the VTA models? Anyone ever compared?

I sent him a PM on AK to see what's up.

Yep....that's him. I looked up his username on AK. That's him. He is in fact in Naples, FL.

Wonder how those RF-7's would sound stacked? That seller name looks familiar. May be someone on Audiokarma.

That's not a bad deal, really. Wonder why their kits are cheaper than the other VTA kits? I'd seen their site before but didn't really look too far. Ohh.,...no tubes with theirs.

I'm seriously leaning towards one of the Dynaco VTA ST-70's or ST-120 amplifier kits with tubes. It pretty much comes with everything that's needed and it will be at the max limit I could spend reasonably. Just got to decide if I "need" the ST-120's 60wpc or if the 35wpc of the ST-70 would work. It will be on CF-3's for now and, maybe one day, the Bell clones. I don't feel as comfortable with a Chinese amp as I'm not as good on running down issues with a sketchy diagram. These guys are in the US. I've also got an email in to an old buddy from my years spent as a rep for Sunfire, plus having talked to him numerous times since the late 80's at CES shows in Vegas and Chicago....Bob Carver. He's looking into some things, too. May be beyond me but never hurts to ask.

I used the 716p Orange Drop caps in mine....and in the S/C ASR-120, too. Hard to beat for the money.

There's a virgin one on ebay right now.

The more I ponder spending the money on transformers, newer tubes, etc, etc, with either of these, the more I contemplate just going with a new amp of some sort. I don't have the skills you guys have to build nor do I have the time with a mother who recently completely lost her hearing and life has changed drastically for me, my family, and mom. Plug and Play seems to be the best route for me on an amplifier. Now building speakers, that's another story....I gots those skills. ha My budget will be about $700 maybe a few ducks more. Would prefer something new. Power amp is preferred as I have a preamp that does all I need (remote volume...I like that) and I have a powerful amp when I need horsepower. So I'm thinking something like a KT88, or FU-29, or EL84, or...?? Something around 30wpc+ if that's possible. Mainly it will be ran on CF-3's for now...until I can get others built.

That's some big iron for sure.

I'm seriously considering one of these Audioromy FU29 amps. For the admission price, it's not the worst thing I've ever spent money on. http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDIOROMY-FU29-x-2-Vacuum-Valve-Tube-Hi-end-Tube-Integrated-Amplifier-110v-230v-/290821774742?hash=item43b6541d96:m:mRAWXJH--BmNfRgr2ViN3jg Or step up a few more dollars to the KT88 amp. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Music-Angel-XDSE-KT88-x4-Class-A-Valve-Vacuum-Tube-Hi-end-Integrated-Amplifier-U-/262345215515