SOLD - VERY rare - Western Electric KS-16575 (made by McIntosh) Mono Tube Amps

[elviszappa]

**  UPDATE SOLD **   For Sale - Western Electric KS-16575 (made by McIntosh) Mono Tube Amps - serial numbers 107-108

I bought these from a retired New York Telephone central office technician of 39 years. He got this pair in the early 1970’s as they were being taken out of service and being scraped! He put them in a box and they sat in his attic till this earlier this year.

First off, a little history about these amps. These amps these were made for one year in 1957-58. There is a description on Roger Russell’s McIntosh history web site under, KS 16575-L1 (A-125)

 

 http://www.roger-russell.com/amplif2.htm.

 

These (and later versions) were used to power intercom systems in Bell System central offices. The gentleman I bought them from confirmed this. They were rack mounted in large “relay racks”. That’s why all the input and output wiring is internal within the amps case, no wiring is sticking out that could be snagged.

I have found 4 different sets of these (2 in the U.S. and 2 in Asia) that sold over the last few years and I noticed on all of them the serial numbers were included in “product info label” printed by McIntosh on the amps. They were all in serial number 800 and up range. On mine the serial number is left out of the standard product info label and is instead printed off to left side of it. Mine are number 107 and 108. I have been told that some of the early McIntosh amps started their labeling at 101 instead of 01 but I can find no one at McIntosh that can confirm this is the case with mine.

I though it odd but I did not really give it more though until I got a reprinted copy of the original McIntosh “instruction manual” from Audio Classics. Printed on the front it says for “Serial Number 301 and UP”. This is my theory on why mine is labeled differently, and have talked to some McIntosh gurus and they think it sounds plausible.

 

My amps came from a large central office in downtown Syracuse NY. There used to be a huge Western Electric manufacturing and warehouse facility on Thompson Rd. in East Syracuse. McIntosh is about 70 miles south of Syracuse in Binghamton NY. Western Electric needed a large quantity of amps (a couple thousand?). They contract McIntosh to make them, either to their own Western Electric design or a McIntosh design (they are similar to the McIntosh MI 10 of that era). They at least specified the input/output requirements and rack mount size that they needed.

 

So McIntosh starts making them and when they a quantity (100-200-300?) they start sending them to Western Electric in Syracuse to make sure everything is correct. Maybe changes were made along the way or maybe not. Once Western Electric is happy McIntosh cranks out the rest of the order and starting at 301, standardize and finalize the info printed on the amps and print up the final instruction manual.

 

The first batches Western gets they started putting in “local” offices in the Syracuse/upstate NY area either to test them out or just to start using them. On the inside of my set there is a date, Feb. 02 1958 printed. It maybe the Bell System “in-service date” that they were installed but I think it was the date they were made. I have not seen this on the pictures of the other KS-16575 amps, though there are very few pictures of these available.

 

Along with the McIntosh instruction manual (dated 11-23-57) have a copy of the much more detailed, 11 page Bell System Practices (B.S.P.’s) manuals (dated 03-01-58). These include installation instruction, full specs (with charts), parts list and schematic diagram. These amps are all original and untouched. I have a mix of NOS and new tubes that will be included. They had no tubes when I got them.

 

These amps will be a "once in a lifetime" find for a die hard McIntosh or Western Electric collector. Do to their rarity I'm asking $10000 now $8500.00 for the pair. I am willing to consider reasonable offers.

Edited May 5, 2016 by elviszappa

[ZEUS121996]

glws

[Coytee]

I have found 4 different sets of these ...

 

These amps will be a "once in a lifetime" find 

 

 

(couldn't resist)

 

 

Are those the precursor to something like the MC-30?  I know nothing of stuff that old (but they don't look dissimilar to the MC-30's I once had)

 

Good luck with your sale.

[elviszappa]

 

I have found 4 different sets of these ...

 

These amps will be a "once in a lifetime" find 

 

Duh ... how did I miss that !

[JJkizak]

Up in Greenland Western Electric used standard Bogens for their PA amps in the toll test PBX area.

JJK

[elviszappa]

I should have posted a close up. Also, I forgot to mention these weigh about 40LB each. They are heavy industrial duty inside and out.

Edited October 11, 2015 by elviszappa

[elviszappa]

Just an update. I have been playing these for about a month now and these amps sound wonderful. I have a CD player plugged directly into them (no preamp) and they're powering my Klipsch Heresy II's. The sound is "jaw dropping". It's really unbelievable considering they are 58 years old. They have very clean sound with a wide sound stage and dead quiet when nothing is playing. . . even at full volume.

Because of their rack mount design I have constructed a rack to hold them and it is included with the amps. The rack is made of 99% vintage Bell System parts to match the amps and kept everything "period correct". The amps weight 40 pounds each and in the rack the whole thing weights 99 pounds!

 

I have dropped the price to $8500.00 but I will consider reasonable offers as these really need to go! I have them listed on usaudiomart.com under;      "FOR SALE: Attention McIntosh/Western Electric Collectors - 1 Pair of Tube Amps from 1958"

Edited March 29, 2016 by elviszappa

[Dr Morbius]

Very nice but unfortunately out of my price range………….GLWS.

[elviszappa]

pic's of the amps and racks.

Edited March 30, 2016 by elviszappa

[elviszappa]

** SOLD ***