mobile homeless Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 I need to order a few of the bulbs as well...Good reference. Hey Clipped, when you get your hot daddy new tube amp up and running, I would really try to avoid using any extra boxes or nicknackers and just keep it as simple as possible. Just hook up your favorite sources into that newly mod-happy preamp and Dynaco triode beast and run it clean. Get those CW postioned right for your room and see what you can wrought from it all. Hook the other gear to the switching boxes and multiple speakers. Adding extra IC and connections is not going t help your cause. You are going to love your new system. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 Nice picture of that bulb. Mike, My first opportunity to get back here since early morning. Yea, our tubes are very similar. I didn't ask what brand the 6AC7's & 6SL7's were, I know they were issued with the amps less that six months ago. I do know the two types of rectifiers are Mullard GZ33's and GZ37's, and same TJ 300B Meshplates as yours. Did ask the seller what preamp he used with them. Below is quoted reply: "Hi Wes. I was using a First Sound Presence Deluxe, but I have to say that my Wright Sound WLA12 is better with the Laurels, and much cheaper. I like the 6SN7 sound. It goes for around $700-800 new. It really brings out the bottom end on the Laurels." The link below will take you to a review by David W. Robinson (Positive Feedback) titled " SACD, SETs, Lowthers, and Other Life Forms". He assembled SET systems from Welborne Labs, Wright Sound, and Fi Audio. Lowther's were the speaker of choice along with cables and connectors from other manufacturers. Analog and digital sources were primarily a Linn LP-12 and Linn CD-12. http://www.positive-feedback.com/0804/Setsandsacd.htm His review of the Wright WLA12 Preamp is favorable as well. Gonna sign off as my UPS driver should arrive shortly. Let's keep in touch as we both have a need for preamps. Wes ------------------ "KLIPSCH IS MUSIC"f> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 I recommended the Wright Sound WLA-12a months ago. Good to see some others interested. It's a great preamp for the money. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 In a previous episode mobile stated: {Indeed, I just now turned my little HF-81 off after listening to it a good portion of the day; my PS caps on this one are finally going and I need to break out the soldering iron and throw in some alternatives. I had a pair of ELNA Cerafines waiting for this one but I decided not to make alter it since it would involve raising it up on a false bottom to clear the swine. } QUESTION: What are the symptoms of the "PS caps ...going", how long can you go before it is really bad, and what kind of damage results if you do not fix these?Do you use test equipment in the process? -Burt and Ernie {from "It's A Wonderful Life" not "Sesame Street" and now you know the REST of the story, eg. where the puppets got their namesakes....bet you never noticed that before....you remember those two cops that live in Pottersville} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 Who would have been Animal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 Wes, Thanks for the link to the article. I'm busy this morning but will check it out later in the day. I believe the AES Superpreamp DJH comes with 6SN7's as well (Edster00 has this preamp with his Moondog's)... Mike ------------------ My Music Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 As for the caps question concerning how you can tell thy old PS caps are giving up the ghost, what usually happens more often than not, is a subtle increase in a HUM in both channels. While there are many ways a tube amp or preamp will hum, the sound of the CAP going hum has a slightly distinctive quality that is not too easy to decribe nor too different than typical grounding problem hums. Still, if you have some original caps in your PS and you suddenly start developing a hum that gets worse with neglect, it could be the PS caps going south. OF course, it is surely not advised to wait around while it gets worse as it is doing your amp/transformers/circuit NO good. My old caps in one of my units definitely need replacing as they were temp subs for some others I removed. Measuring with your VOM is always advisable if ever a doubt. kh This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 03-06-2002 at 11:50 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 Kelly- I think you must be faking that tune if you can recognize that hum, hmmm? fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 Hum job.... nice work if you can get it, and get it if you can..... can can. I can name that hum in two microfarads. Hum that name. Tune that Cap. -winked and martindaled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 Hi folks ... I don't normally do this, but I think we've all had our challenges with Ebay from time-to-time. For the sake of balanced reporting, I'm attaching a note I just received from "Grant", the gentleman selling me the HF-81 described earlier in this thread. Before pasting his note, I just want to add that he double-boxed both the amp and the tubes separately, " noticed that one of the 6bq5s looked kind of cloudy, so included an extra output tube (mullard made, but branded otherwise) in case the cloudy one's about to fritz. Hope you enjoy this amp as much as I have." So I sent him a note back thanking him for his honesty and his proactive concern for "customer satisfaction". Here was his reply: "Thanks for the great note, Chris. It sounds like you know what you're getting, which is great. As for the "cosmic lattice of coincidence," how about this: Before I took the hf-81 into my office, I was using it at home with my own k-horns (ca. 1982), and the amp it replaced was -- no kidding -- a Cary (an SL-70 mk ii). So I wonder if it's some sort of natural progression? I think you'll be happy with eico/k-horn match. I certainly was, though eventually I moved a Lux SQ-38d into the home line-up. It's even lower-powered than the eico, but it uses these fantastic little triodes, and it sounds out of this world with the k-horns. Thanks again for the nice note. If the amp doesn't arrive today, you should see it by tomorrow." Thought his comments on the Lux were interesting, but it's just nice to do a deal with an honest guy for a change. ------------------ If you don't like what is coming out, you wouldn't like what is going in." -PWK- --------------------- TWO-CHANNEL SYSTEM AES AE-25 "Superamp" AES AE-3 Pre-amp New Tube 4000 CD Player 1976 Klipschorns (ALK'ed) HOME THEATER Klipsch 1968 ALK Cornwall "II"s (LF/RF) ALK Belle Klipsch (Center) Klipsch Heresy (RR/LR) Klipsch KSW-12 sub Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Cornwalls) Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Heresy's) Denon AVR-4800 Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 As I said elsewhere, the only tube amps I see owners of good EICO HF-18 move to are triodes or SET in particular. The Cary SLA-70 (which I owned) did come triode wired in a lot instances and was still not the equal of the EICO IMO. Chris, I will get you a shot of the internals today. Also, I'll scan the last page of the construction manual which look a hell of a lot like tht RAT nest except a bit cleaner. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 I received the Eico undamaged and well-packed. Cosmetically it still needs a little work, but nothing that some paint and polish can't fix. The tubes were packed separately and seemed to be definitely used, but they all glow nicely. I took it upstairs to the living room hooked up my Khorns after letting it idle for a while. Turned it back on and found I had only one side outputting. Sounded great, but the other side is MIA. Emailed with the seller who advised (he's been great by the way): ------------------- "All the settings are right, and I assume you've made sure all the tubes are seated properly and the volume levels for both channels are at equal settings. Sight unseen, my hunch is either a) a wire or lead came loose in shipping or a screw came loose and is shorting out the channel somewhere. I'd try looking beneath the chassis and making sure there isn't a loose screw floating around. If that doesn't seem to be the case, make sure the leads to the speaker terminals are secure. If it doesn't appear to be either of those, try hooking the positive speaker lead to another tap (say, the 32 ohm). It's possible the screw strip itself is shorting somewhere (try tightening the screw down a bit more, being careful not to strip it). Those are my best guesses from here. The amp has been in daily use for months, and I ran it for about three hours before taking it apart and packing it all up, so I'm about 99.99% certain it's something minor that resulted from the box being jostled in shipping. Sorry for the hassle; given the amp's age, and the fact that it just spent a couple of days in transit, I think a bad connection is the culprit. Let me know what you discover. ---------------------- Anyway, I'll get into it a little more this weekend. Any additional thoughts are welcomed! Chris ------------------ If you don't like what is coming out, you wouldn't like what is going in." -PWK- --------------------- TWO-CHANNEL SYSTEM AES AE-25 "Superamp" AES AE-3 Pre-amp New Tube 4000 CD Player 1976 Klipschorns (ALK'ed) HOME THEATER Klipsch 1968 ALK Cornwall "II"s (LF/RF) ALK Belle Klipsch (Center) Klipsch Heresy (RR/LR) Klipsch KSW-12 sub Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Cornwalls) Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Heresy's) Denon AVR-4800 Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazman Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 Chris, Check your "Function Sel" to make sure it is on the "Normal" selection. If it's set to Amp 1, or Amp 2, it could produce the effect you speak of. Hope that helps. Klipsch out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1338638105This thing looks like it just warped in from 1961. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 mike, Must have been brought here by H.G. Wells! Very nice example of an immaculate Eico Preamp. ------------------ "KLIPSCH IS MUSIC"f> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 During lunch today, I took the little Eico apart (panels, facia, top, bottom), backed the truck out of the garage and set up a little spray area. Gave the brown panels two coats of Rustoleum Semi-Satin Black, and the top grill two coats of the same in bronze. The Brasso worked great on the brass front panel, let it dry and reassembled it. Voila! Going to move the AES 25/3 aside for a few days and let this little run with the Khorns for awhile. HF-90 coming in early next week; will clean that up and await the Polk RT5's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 20, 2002 Author Share Posted March 20, 2002 Chris that looks really good. I still wish I was your brother LOL !!!! Hey you can adopt me ------------------ HH Scott Tube FM Tuner LT-110B HH Scott Tube Amp 222C HH Scott Turn Table P-87 Sony DE-975 AV Receiver Sony NS-900P DVD Sony CD 5 DISC C315 Syenrgy SF-2 mains KSC-C1 Center Channel KSW-15 Sub SS-1 Surrounds Promedia 5.1 for the PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 I have been sent many pictures from people buying EICO HF-81 amps in various state of repair. Chris, I know that one started off pretty nice but I have to say that is one of the best jobs I have seen. It is truly a nice looking amp now. Great work. Are you sure your brother doesnt want an Anthem amp??? heh... kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Wow Chris! That looks great! When I get mine, I'm sending it to you so that you can refinish it. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Mike, LOL --- Trust me, if I can do it, YOU can do it No brainer. $5 worth of paint! ------------------ If you don't like what is coming out, you wouldn't like what is going in." -PWK- --------------------- TWO-CHANNEL SYSTEM AES AE-25 "Superamp" AES AE-3 Pre-amp New Tube 4000 CD Player 1976 Klipschorns (ALK'ed) HOME THEATER Klipsch 1968 ALK Cornwall "II"s (LF/RF) ALK Belle Klipsch (Center) Klipsch Heresy (RR/LR) Klipsch KSW-12 sub Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Cornwalls) Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Heresy's) Denon AVR-4800 Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.