mike stehr Posted February 15, 2002 Share Posted February 15, 2002 The Ella with the upgraded volume control, Audio Note caps, and the mac daddy Tube package, which I think are valve art input tubes, with the KT-100 output tubes which give the Ella more power. Without shipping, is about $833. The KT-100's are not valve art? My knowledge on various tubes types, and the good NOS tubes is pretty Limited. (And where to find them? YEHAW.) I know a pair of 1938 Western Electric 300B's are worth big bucks, that isn't hard to figure out. (Gotta read up!) Like Mobile said, be patient. He can Review the amp, give his input and what tubes that he would think would good for the budget minded, and maybe some good NOS recs as well. If DIYcable possibly carries the Cosonance amplifiers, like I think MH mentioned, that may save some money in shipping fees. I have until summer, by then there could be a whole different ball player on the feild.(for me, maybe.) THANX! Ken, Transmitter Tubes are still used today for radio stations. These Tubes are in the Megavolt range, Transistors would melt. Check out the Mega-Onganku on the Triode Electronics online page, tons of brain food on that site. THANX! This message has been edited by mike stehr on 02-15-2002 at 06:37 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 15, 2002 Author Share Posted February 15, 2002 quote: Check out the Mega-Onganku on the Triode Electronics online page, tons of brain food on that site. Which company makes that, it's not on the site (www.triodeelectronics.com) If its an Audio Note amp, which country? Japan, England, or other, because I found more than one company. I want to see what you are talking about, but I can't find it. Thanks Oh, can I afford the ONGAKU? Is it under a thousand buckaroos? BOSE This message has been edited by kenratboy on 02-15-2002 at 07:21 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 15, 2002 Share Posted February 15, 2002 http://www.triodeel.com/ongaku.htm It's a test set for two million watt transmitter tubes. 17,000 volts on the Anode on that tube. I don't know if they have kits yet. Sorry about that, I tried to post the link, but between this PC's stack dumps and brain death, I couldn't post it. My apologies. This message has been edited by mike stehr on 02-15-2002 at 07:51 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 15, 2002 Author Share Posted February 15, 2002 Thanks mike stehr, I think, even if I could afford it (ever been to a military surplus store in San Diego?) I might have problems powering it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 15, 2002 Share Posted February 15, 2002 I had never seen that page, Mike, even though I have been all over that site. Sure are a lot of hidden nuggets all over Ned's place. I am not even sure if Ned knows what's there! By the way, those excellent EICO HF-60 Monoblock amps with the very nice, sought after ACRO TO-330 output transformers never met reserve in the last auction via ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1332202515&r=0&t=0&showTutorial=0&ed=1014002173&indexURL=0&rd=1 It is STILL under the reserve while currently at $1153 which goes to show you how rare a pair of nice condition HF-60 are. Actually, you almost NEVER seem them. It is actually one of the only EICO amps that uses this output transformer. IT will be interesting to see how high it goes. A chrome plated pair went for 1050 last year and they were actually PERFECT. Ebay really has become a sellers market. Although there are deals to be found, usually it is with circumspect equipment these days. The good stuff is going sky high. At least it still has peaks and valleys. You can occasionally catch a break... if you are right on it! kh ------------------ Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 16, 2002 Author Share Posted February 16, 2002 Hell, shopping for a amp is more fun than buying one! I had an easier time buying a $1000 centrifuge! Proposal: What if I used the auxilery outputs on my Sony receiver as the pre outs for a tube amp? Would that just screw up the whole system, or is the tube amp itself the whole key? I still think I should get an integrated. However, the $200, dual mono blocks and a cheap Rotel or other preamp is sounding better and better. I want flexibility above all else. I am sure, as my life progresses, I will be able to get some REAL GOOD gear, but for now, money is strictly dictating my audio purchasing. So somthing cheap and enjoyable is the ticket, this year at least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 16, 2002 Share Posted February 16, 2002 If a pair of Eico 60 watt monoblocks on some High-efficiency Loudspeakers can't get someone up and Moshin' to they're favorite headbangin' Sh*t, Then I geuss it's a lost cause. These guys look like industrial strength metal. I haven't read one bad thing about EICOs, except maybe newer ones? Nice Amps. I wonder what these will net on Fleabay? You haven't seen Mega-Ongaku, and Retro Woman? THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 16, 2002 Share Posted February 16, 2002 To be honest, I dont know of any PP tube amp made right now that would match those amps part for part for around 1k, surely nothing with iron of that quality. And all sorts of things could be done with them as well. It's hard to plop down that much green for older amps... Matching new transformers alone (of that same caliber) would cost that much, however...just the transformers. kh This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 02-16-2002 at 10:52 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 16, 2002 Share Posted February 16, 2002 Thanks for the Pointers. MD. Ya know the more I read up on vintage tube amp owners, and the folks who buy them on Ebay and stuff, the more I notice that there is some major risk factor involved. (I don't know about Audiogon, although.) These guys will tell you the Tubes are fine, but when the purchaser gets the amp, the Tubes are dead or on they're way. Not to mention dried caps, resistors out of tolerance, and shorted out trannys, (That's a biggie.) Now a transformer is a passive device, it shouldn't pump off heat unless it's shorted out, Right? Maybe if the tranny is parked near other heat sources, Tubes, I can understand. Then it is almost mandatory to have a Variac, nice option when your firing up a vintage amp that your not certain about, to avoid Fireworks. A multi-meter is Mandatory, I have a Table-top Fluke 8050a I swapped for a Yamaha integrated. Nothin' special, but I sure get a lot of use out of it, with all the tweeks and playing around I do. So the way I look at it is, If I happen to find a vintage tube amp for nothing in the trash, or for ten or twenty bucks, or if it is just a screaming deal at a estate sale or something, then I am not even going there. I would rather buy a new Tube kit, one thing, it's new! No worn out trannys or parts. And the way these vintage prices are going, you would be into a new amp for about the same price or a little more than a old vintage unit, after replacing bad parts and tubes on the vintage. Yes, some vintage has superior parts, but your purchasing at the risk of those parts being defective. Others may disagree, but that is my opinion at the moment. THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 16, 2002 Share Posted February 16, 2002 Mike, I wish all the World had your view...it would make it a lot better on ebay for those of us looking for good deals in vintage audio. They are getting harder to come by between collectors and people looking for quality over mass production pap today. If only the average output transformer was as good as the vintage gear. On the whole, the iron was much better back then and to get comparable iron today, you have to fork out some serious ducats. Yeah, it's adequate... but those big monster transformers in my ASUSA amp (size isnt everything) dont equal the quality of the iron in any of those EICOS or a good host of other companies. And in a tube amp, the transformer plays such a huge place in the overall quality of the sound, including its low end and high end extension. Of course, the circuit is very important too. But the output transformers are so key. Even some of the high dollar commercial amps have rather mediocre transformers. Yeah, the parts can need replacement. But if you are willing to learn, it is a bit like learning to work on a car with a 60s straight six vs a 90's BMW. Still, you are right in that the kit is a much safer place to start then something that might be fraught with many hidden repairs. And you are starting with a clean slate with clean, new parts, and hopefully good directions with some company backup. Still, the quality of some of these old pieces can really surpass a lot of what you get commercially. It is a risk to get the old. But when it's good, it really is great. And you can teach yourself through books and others with experience to work on these pieces. Mdeneen is right in that way; it's just like I tell people writing me about vintage BMWs. If you dont work on cars at all, either you haev to learn, or be prepared to foot the monster labor bill. Still, I have been very lucky with vintage gear and have not had a bad output transformer yet. I have had a few lame caps and some resistors that have drifted to high water but on the whole, the amps have been very good shape. It pays to really talk to the seller and see how much they know. Of course, sometimes it is cheap enough to take a gamble. The great thing about vintage tube gear is that all the schematics are available and many have detailed FAQs and manuals. The EICOs were all available as kits so it is advisable to get the contruction kit as it is VERY detailed. I have had 13 people buy EICOs from advice and almost all of them got great deals and the few that faced problems were able to solve them. It is a tribute to older technology. kh kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted February 21, 2002 Share Posted February 21, 2002 A minor correction: Quote: "Ready-made: Wave8's from ASL. Little 8-watt monobloc tube amps. 200 clams each. 8 watts will drive most klipsch speakers to insane spl's. With bass." Actually the little b*ggars are U$99.00 each or U$200.00 a pair. A reasonable mistake - having auditioned them I wouldn't have been suprised at U$ 400.00 each. ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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