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Craig, If you can ,run this amp all day long to get some time on the caps.They sound a little "crisp"at first,but smooth out and warm up with some time.I'd be shocked if you didn't love the Auricaps.This amp looks like a real winner.What are the driver tubes? Pat

Hi Craig, Email your adress off-line. Pat

Hi Guys, Kelly,email your adress and I'll ship it to you. I had a Fi Super X(magnaquest,black gates,silver wire)and it was a totally different cat than the Wright or Moondogs.Very ,very subtle,not as much drive,but it made jazz like a musical instrument.I wish I had never sold it. Best, Pat

Tim, Actually,Lee has given up on commercial products.I tend to loiter around like a buzzard,ready to pounce when he decides to build a new project.I bought two pieces from him at parts cost,which translates to high dollar retail prices.Anytime he brings a new project to our meetings,everybody drops their jaws.See the Texas Bottlehead minutes. The 300b TJ's are excellent,but then again a 300b tube doesn't share the same sonics of a 2A3.My favorite tube in my Garber 2A3 was a NOS pair of National Union. I've got an extra 6080 Roitberg based preamp if you or Kelly want to hear it.I suspect Kelly would think he died and went to heaven listening to this one.It is 6080 based with a gas voltage regulator tube.You guys let me know if you want to listen(just pay for shipping).It's not for sale however. Keep me posted, Pat

Hi Tim, Good points.I should have limited my comments to PP amps,since vintage SET is so restricted. I haven't priced an 8b in some time so if the 3000.00 figure is accurate,it certainly doesn't qualify as the bargain it once did.But compared to modern high end equipment it still isn't so bad.But remember that an Eico HF87 can be had for about 500.00,as can a number of great EL34 based PPamps. Joe Rosen is a great character,but I don't know anybody that owns or has listened to a Citation II for any period of time that doesn't love it.Having said that,remember that the sound is explosive at the expense of subtlety.Unusual for a tube amp(yet nothing like SS).I'll figure a way for you and Kelly to listen to it later in the year.Jim Mc shane just finished the total overhaul,and I want to spend some time with it before I ship it out for audition.Part of the problem is that it has so much weight and mass,that shipping it is a scary proposition.It has a tendency to hurt itself if badly handled. As far as your amps vs.Moondogs,remember that the two finished in a virtual dead heat in Art Dudley's review .They're different, but both are great(I've heard both).My Current SET is a Lee Roitberg update of a Western Electric 91a,with a mercury vapor rectifier,TJ Meshplates etc.Incredible sound,definetely "back to the future". Best, Pat

Hi, Kelly and I have discussed the Vintage vs. New amp debate,and I've decided I prefer vintage for a number of reasons. First,the iron in vintage amps is superior to all but the most esoteric modern equivalent.I 'll stack american 1950's/60's metalurgy and construction methods against anything ever manufactured anywhere.Mass produced Chinese is just not there yet,and may never be.Ditto for tubes,circuit design,and robust construction. Second,the number of first rate engineers was much greater in the industry then as opposed to now.Tube equipment is now an obsolete technology,whereas it was vibrant and profitable in the 50's and early 60's.There was relatively greater investment capital ,a larger number of good minds,etc.,commensurate with any leading technology.There's some great thinking nowadays as well,but building tube equipment is largely a labor of love for these guys. Price.A Scott 299 if sold today would easily be a 2500.00+ amplifier. This is a sizable investment for a piece of two channel stereo equipment.Comparing parts quality,circuit design,and build quality to a modern 600.00 amp is a turkey shoot.A pair of Eico HF35 monoblocs,a Marantz 8b,or an HK Citation II will also clobber any modern PP amp you can think of,and at any price point. If you don't believe me, listen some time. Finally,there's the fun factor.We're in the same position with this equipment that car collectors were in in the 70's.Think how much a 427 Cobra could be bought for then,as opposed to now.The values are incredible,and depreciation is non-existant.Try that with a Manley Stingray,or a Cary SET.If you enjoy lighting cigars with 100.00 bills,you'll love trading modern equipment. My 2 cents, Pat

Hi , Exactly right.A variac is a transformer that allows you to control the ac voltage to whatever device you are powering.You can slowly bring the unit up to normal current,checking for shorts,and reforming the electrolytic caps along the way.It looks something like an old Lionel train speed controller. Tube testers vary in complexity and sophistication.I use an Eico 667(a variant of the Devil's tester,the 666)which is fast and practical.Others perform more sophisticated and accurate testing,but this one is fine for a hobbyist. Any tubes made in Germany,England ,and the USA are worthless,and should be shipped to me for disposal. Best, Pat

Hi Craig, Yes I do,although I haven't tested them yet.You know how Telefunken tubes get dicolored at the base at the pins when they have some time on them ?These are crystal clear.This amp has been in a time warp. Pat

Hi Craig, I agree.I may leave this one alone forever.I'm using it now and intend to stay close just to make sure it's stable. Best, Pat

Hi Kelly, .I'm not sure I could tell the difference without a lot of A/B comparisons.Close enough to make virtually no difference(a statement not normally associated with Hi Fi ). Best, Pat

Even a blind pig finds an acorn occasionally. I bought this amp off Ebay with a very non-specific description,and assumed it would be a good or average example.It arrived yesterday morning,and as I uncrated it ,I realized I had a winner.Every tube is Telefunken ,except for a Scott 5AR4,and all appear as new.The chassis is spotless,faceplate lettering is perfect,absolutely no chassis corrosion anywhere.I removed the bottom plate,and everything appears NEW.It sat on my Variac yesterday for about 10 hrs. total yesterday to re-form the caps.I checked the voltages this morning(spot-on),and plugged it in to my system this morning.Since this amp is as close to perfect original as I've ever seen,I figured it might be a good idea to post my listening impressions. 1.This is a balanced amp,with excellent layering of the music.It sounds very musical,much like a vintage Marantz tube amp.Bass is tight, mids are presented just right,highs are good but less pronounced than an Eico HF81(more on this later). 2.The phono section is dead quiet with my 95db eff. speakers,and the equalisation is spot on for my AN cartridge.As good as I've ever heard,including modern phono sections.World class. 3.Controls are very linear,unlike an Eico which tends to concentrate gain,bass and treble in the first degrees of control rotation. 4.If you play this amplifier with controls at zero,it sounds very "polite" yet competent.If you increase the treble,suddenly about 95% of the voicing differences between this amp and the Eico disapear.It is still not quite as crystalline as the Eico,and I'm convinced it's because of the more complex control scheme(more stuff in the gain path)of this amp. 5.Coupling cap changes are more pronounced in this amp than usual.I've recapped 299's with a variety of caps,and the changes are profound.I'm not sure PIO's are the answer in this amp,as the voicing and general coloration of things is fairly complex to begin with.I'm going to find out,as I've got a set of Jensen copper foil caps ,and intend to try them after extended listening with everything stock. 6.I could live with this as my sole amp.It's that good. Best, Pat Landrum

Hi Guys, Some general observations are in order: 1.None of us has ever heard a Scott 299 or Eico HF81 as they sounded in 1960 or so.Accordingly,any observations about the sound of original components in either circuit is speculative horse****. 2.I've never heard Craigs' russian caps in a 299,he's never heard Auricaps,Kellys' never heard a 299 at all.By definition,there's no way for any of us suggest that one cap preference is better than another.I've heard Xicon,Sprague 715,Illinois(complete crap),hovland(excellent), Auricap(equally good and cheaper),and Electro Cube,in a Scott 299a,and b.I bet that if you locked me and Kelly and Craig in a closet and swapped caps,we'd reach a consensus on the relative sound of each,if not an agreement on preference.Ditto on resistors. 3.I completely agree with Craigs' approach to lock down all voltages via checking and correcting resistor values.I believe this has more sonic impact than resistor type. 4.Having owned both a 299a,and an HF 81,I honestly believe that PIO's would probably suit the Eico well.I think they would denegrate the pace of a 299(which is not as quick as the Eico).Craig and Kelly can argue the point when they've both actually heard the combinations. 5.Kelly,**** or get off the pot about buying this amp.You're the only person who hasn't said"I'll take it".Tell me if you want it.Otherwise,let one of the other forum members have it. 6.You can all get pissed off at me for pushing your respective buttons.The cocktails are on me when we get to meet in person . Best, Pat

Hi Craig, It's got NOS 6BL8(you're thinking 299C for 6U8) as phase splitters marked"made in Great Britain",so probably Mullard or Brimar.The 5AR4 is a NOS Admiral(a Mullard with the hole in the locating pin).It doesn't get any better. I've had Ei 12ax7's that were horrible(and microphonic),but I think these are carefully culled examples.They really are good. Best, Pat

Hey Craig, I built a pair of Billie's for a friend and we listened to them with and without the Kiwame resistor upgrade.I'd put them in the signal path,but maybe just use what you've been using elsewhere.They sound like super clean carbon comp resistors:I love them. Pat

Hi Guys, This amp is dead quiet,so no can problems.The outputs are excellent Raytheon 7189,all test over 110% on my Eico 667.The rest of the tubes are fine,so save your money.I'll send a quad of TFK smoothplate 12ax7's for evaluation,but I can tell you that a set of Ei elites are shockers(meaning great),and they're about 7.00 from Ned at triode.You be the judge. Sounds like you guys are going over the top on parts.Ought to be interesting. Best, Pat

Hi Craig, I'm looking at the mag high/mag low trace on the 222c,299b,299c,all the way through the phono preamplification scheme and they are identical down to the resistor values.Why do you believe the RIAA curve is different?What am I missing? Pat

Hi, If you review the schematics,you'll notice that the phono sections are virtually the same in all 299 Scotts.The earlier 299 series give more phono EQ choices(RIAA,Euro 78),but if you use the later standard RIAA setting,you'll find no difference. You will however,find a big difference between these amps owing to OPT ,transformer,design ,and parts differences.I actually like them all,although most people prefer the EL84 based sound to the 7591.The classic choice is a late 299a,or a 299b.I just bought a 222c(which appears to be a turbocharged 299b with fixed bias)which is supposed to be a real sleeper.I'll let you know how it stacks up after completion. Best, Pat

Hey Kelly, Let me know if you want to pass on the amp,so I can sell it to the next member in line.I want to be fair in letting it go to the first person who commits to buying it.As discussed,you've got first crack at it. Best, Pat

Hi Guys, I just realised I was using my European Email adress.I've changed it to the correct one,so email me again with questions. Thanks, Pat

Guys, Why don't I send this amp to Craig,let him correct the problem,.then whoever decides to buy it can send me a check.This is assuming that Craig is willing to work on it and ship it forward to the purchaser.Let me know. The owners manual is included,so maybe someone can make copies for those who own this amp and need one.It's a typewritten affair with a schematic included. Best, Pat

Hey Craig, Did you get a chance to get the coupling cap values on a 222c? I can't read the schematic on the Scott web site .I'm hoping they're .1 mfd,as I just received a set of Jensen PIO in this value,based on my other Scotts. This puppy has giant transformers(judging from the Ebay photos),even compared to a 299b.Should be very interesting. Best, Pat

Hey Mobile, I've got a late 299a that you or one of the forum members can have for 150.00 if interested.All coupling caps and selenium rectifier have been replaced,and it is excellent cosmetically.I bought it from the original owner,and it comes with the original bill of sale,template for cabinet mounting,owners manual,and product brochure for 1959.Tubes are excellent,japanese 7189output. Here's the rub.I played this amp after a year in storage,and the left channel has some distortion.I suspect it's the 100ohm trim pot for the left channel,as it seems to respond to screwing around with it.I don't have the inclination to jack with it,and I'm sure it's a 10.00 fix . You've got first shot if you want it,and if not ,it's open to the first forum member that wants it.It's really a beaut. Also,Jim Mc Shane is almost through with the Citation II.I'll try to get it to you somehow so you can give a listen. Best, Pat

Hi, The early 222 series amps sound much less impressive than the 299 series amps.The 222c,however ,is a real hotrod.It is basically the replacement for the 299b,and is considered to be one of the best Scott EL84(7189) based amps.Later 299(c,d) are 7591 based ,and sound very different.I much prefer the Eico ST70 if you decide to go with a 7591 based output tube,and it can be had for less than 200.00. Best, Pat

Hi, 92 db eff.speakers will be a great match for a 15 watt tube amp ,assuming a fairly flat impedence curve.Unless you listen really loud,you'll be spending all your listening sessions at about 1watt or less. Comparing a vintage tube amp to a modern ,very expensive piece of ss gear strikes me as irrelevant given your budget,but considering that a 200.00 Scott 299 in 1960 would cost over 2000.00 in current dollars,maybe the matchup isn't as lopsided as it seems.I've listened to some excellent modern SS amps(Classe,Linn comes to mind),as well as some very expensive SS gear that sounded horrible(Krell,early SS Mc Intosh).Not to insult any one,but the mid-fi SS amps I owned (Adcom 585,Denon,Yamaha) were terrible,really awful. This doesn't mean that all tube gear is created equal ,by any means.I've owned 3 Jolida amps,and while they were fairly easy to listen to,they just don't compare to vintage Dynaco,Eico,or Scott,all of which are close to your price range.You can still sneak up on a Scott 299a for less than 200.00,and trust me ,after a tune up this amp will crush anything in your current frame of reference. Changing tubes every 1-2000 hours is also bull****,as most of the tubes in these old amps are still good after some 40 years +.I own a tube tester,and this isn't speculation,as I've tested hundreds of old tubes.My Eico HF 87 came with a full compliment of XF1 Mullards,and all were still over 100%.I'm not sure I've ever tested a Telefunken 12AX7 that was bad.Even new production seems to last okay,but after a high initial failure rate.The Sovtek EL84 in my Audionote OTO SE still test good after 7 years of play,2-3 hours per day.Keep in mind that this presumes that the designer of the amp ran the tubes at sane operating points(which the vintage amps,except the Citation II do). If you are afraid of the vintage approach,don't be.I'm sure Craig(NOS 440) would be happy to walk you through a rebuild on a 299 Scott,or would do the work for a reasonable fee.You can also consult the Scott website for schematics and info.Ditto for an Eico HF81,but they're getting so pricey,one may be beyond your budget. Good luck, Pat

Hi, The Citation II is very ugly(low WAF),expensive to rebuild properly(800.00 by Jim Mc Shane)and requires the additional expense of a preamp.Plus,it won't get done within the next 6 months or so.It is,however,the 427 Cobra of tube amps,and in my opinion ,the best PPamp ever made.Your choice. As far as new amps,the best values seem to be the kits by DIY cable.Well within your price range but assembly required .I live in San Antonio,so I could help if needed. As far as Mobile being a fanatic,it's not so.He has a good ear and has experience with most tube equipment in this range. If you decide to stick with your choice,Galen Carol is a cool guy.He'd probably meet you part way to Houston. Best, Pat