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EICO HF-81 Phono Section...


SilverSport

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just listening to my EICO HF-81 phono section for the first time...I am such an idiot... ;)

 

years ago, Craig at NOSValves rebuilt my EICO HF-81 integrated amplifier that I bought from Daddy Dee...I seem to recall Craig asking me something about if I wanted something done to the phono section but a TT was less important to me...years pass and I have an interest in listening to my records from back when...

 

Having sold off other electronics that would allow me to use a TT my younger brother stepped up and let me use an unloved Nakamichi SR-2A STASIS receiver to give it a whirl again...it's been okay in this regard but the Nad needs some love to get back in spec...then it hit me...the EICO upstairs has a phono section I've never used or tried...

 

Unhooked the EICO and took it downstairs, hooked up my Technics SL-1300 with a Shure VF-15 Type lll...grounded the TT to the EICO chassis and...it's not bad, in fact quite good...and it is better than the aged NAK...

 

I think I always thought since I had told Craig the Phono section was not important to me that it might not be even connected...don't know why I did but there it is...

 

I just thought I'd share...seems to be something we used to do more of on this Forum...

 

Bill

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9 hours ago, DizRotus said:

Talk of Eico HF-81s remind me of Kelly aka @mobile homeless.  He was a big Eico fan.  There's a lot to love about their excellent SQ despite their somewhat humble beginnings.  Plus, it's always nice to be reminded of Daddy Dee,

 

eicoHF81.jpg

...and that is beautiful by the way...

 

Bill

fullsizeoutput_14c.jpeg

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here's a couple pics.  sharp-eyed readers will notice this is a factory built amp, all the tube sockets are riveted is.  I ended up giving it a new PS transformer.  it was run with bad rectifier tubes, melted all the wax out of the tranny.  I ended up getting a new PS tranny for it from  Heyboer. (sp?)  they offered to overbuild a little.  

 

cripes, these pics are dated 2007 on my harddrive.

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4 minutes ago, Tom Mobley said:

Ignore that rusty thing under the amp, I swear I don't know what it is.

 

What block is that?  Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Why is it that Orange Drops were once in, but now are out?  Caps are trendier than restaurants.

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it's a mid-70s 400 small block chevy.  I've built and run a lot of those things.  Have a really nice 406 in my 70 Malibu now.

 

yep, trendy caps.  People were poor mouthing the orange drops, so I bought some Auricaps and installed.  Sadly, I couldn't tell any difference at all.  Too many years of plywood mills and open exhaust stock cars.  I'm now 64 and can't hear a lot of stuff at all.  My son (19) piped up the other day, griping about a cricket screeching, driving him crazy.  I never heard it at all.

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1 hour ago, Tom Mobley said:

yeah, but some of the loons have ducats. :)

 

Wonder whatever happened to Kelly?  I still have my HF-81 I bought during the big tubes explosion.  Got a bunch of orange drops in it, it still pretty much kicks butt all over the place.

He had a guitar amp business here in Wilmington, NC awhile back.  I sent him a message and he got back to me.  He may still be here.  Was he MobileHomeless on the forum?

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yes, mh for short.  he did live in NC, I remember he got hammered by that big hurricane that blew through.

 

Quite the character.  IMO he sort of revolutionized this forum.  This place used to be considerable different than it is now, Klipsch sort of castrated it to keep the noise down a little.  It wasn't really serving their corporate interests the way it was.  Kelly was heavily experienced, innovative, irreverent and a really good writer. 

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Yes.  But it was a Rotus8.  Four inches wider and ten inches longer than a Lotus/Caterham 7.  At 1800 lbs., with Buick 3.5 liter V8, it was brutally quick and handled like a go-kart.  Although I sometimes miss it, I'm glad I sold it when I did.

 

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