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What is this Dynaco?


Audio Flynn

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99.9% positive that HDBRbuilder will be here with the entire history of the Stereo 150 from Dynaco. But from what I understand that was a home built Dynaco from a kit from Dynaco. Similar to how Klipsch sent out Rebel kits. That is likely why the price is low, and the humm is there (also why the price is low)

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The only Dynaco S/S amp that I ever heard that I really liked was the Stereo 400...but...then again, it was in a class all by itself to start with!! As far as S/S power amplifiers from H/K...the citation 11/12 combo was decent...pretty good as a matter of fact, but the Citation 16 wasn't anywhere near it in sound quality...and the Dynaco Stereo 400 could run circles around the H/K Citation 16 any day of the week in performance and sound quality....matter of fact, a number of amps from that time could and DID outperform the Citation 16! But, the Dynaco Stereo 400 was the KING of S/S power amps of that era...HANDS DOWN!!

Yeah...I know...you all thought that if it was H/K I just HAD to love it...wrong again!! LOL!

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Some Dynaco SS amps were good. The 400 was a terriffic amp, I used one many years ago with a pair of LaScalas and the sound was open, clean and grain free. With the PAT-5 preamp and LaScalas this amp did the depth thing better than any setup I've ever heard including "high-end" setups that did little but image. And VERY dynamic. I used to use the whole amp, would set off the clipping lamps, putting paid to the canard that an SET can provide optimal dynamics with horns. Whatever good things an SET might be doing it ain't doing the dynamics thing as well as a big-hog SS amp, don't **** yourself.

The 150 was a refinement of the 400 as I recall. A couple of friends used them to drive Hereseys, still do actually. Very nice sounding amps.

www.chicagohornspeakerclub.org

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Keith,

One of these days...but pretty strapped for funds at the moment. If/When I do go for a Stereo 400, I want it in great shape, factory-wired, in the M/A version with the whisper fan option added...and I will probably want three of them...LOL! But that is a long ways off.

Tom,

Don't you mean the 150 was a refinement of the ST120? NOT the 400? Dynaco came out with "upgraded versions" of the Stereo 400...and a budget version, too...but all of these were monickered with 410, 411, etc. type of monikers.

Either way, the ST 150 was solid state at rating of 75wpc into 8 ohms (20-20k Hz) w/ 0.25% THD both channels driven. w/FTC pre-conditioning; IM less than 0.25%; circuitry DC coupled after input; fully complementary output stage; with MC-2 output accessory kit available. Came with walnut end panels. Factory-wired it ran around 325 bucks, kit around 225 bucks, in 1976.

Actually...at the time when I was originally making my system purchases in 1975-1976...the Dynaco Stereo 400 was the only choice I could come up with in the separates arena for a possible purchase of an amplifier for the system I was putting together. I spent numerous hours listening to every power amp available, too!...through different pre-amps, speakers and such...but I would have needed two of them for quad...and the limitations of available quad pre-amps, the need to purchase outboard matrix and CD-4 demodulators, etc...put the total cost way out of my reach...so I went with the best sounding quad receiver I could find instead! I have always had some regret that I didn't go ahead and go "all-out" at the time and grab up a pair of 400's though. Maybe some day!

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actually the schematics are really quite similar for the 150 and 400...not the same amp but a kind of variant on the basics. what was more importatn was to point out that the 150 had no relation whatsoever to the 120, came from an entirely different "gene pool" (that of the 400) not to mention that is was introduced almost a decade later than the 120. I wanted to point out that the 120 (which is one of the owrst sounding SS amps I have ever heard) is NOT a 150. I also, agree that the photo does not look like the internals of a 150...anyway...

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  • 4 weeks later...

The 150 was a derivative of the 400. And it was perhaps Dyna's best sounding SS amp. I built one in 1975 - still have it, sometimes I pull it out and turn it on. Still sounds pretty good. The 120 was a mid 1960's design, very early SS. I have two of them, and they are bright and hard sounding. Of interest only for their historical significance.

The picture above is of a 120 chassis with someone else's circuit. For one thing, it has a modified power supply. Note the power supply in the pic is unregulated +/- whereas the Dyna 120 used a regulated single ended power supply and big output capacitors to block the DC from the speakers. I can't see the pic as I type this, but I don't recall seeing the output caps, either, so this is a Dyna 120 chassis with someone else's circuitry installed. It might be gawdawful, or it might be fine, but it's not a Dynaco, 120 or 150.

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wow,..that big Dynaco has me more intrigued

with every post i see here

Can honestly say i ve nver had the chance to hook that one up..here at home.

Im curious though,..you were saying it was one the best of its time..which i don't doubt.

How did it stack up with the Mcintosh amps of the day..??

As for the Cit 16,, i never did get a chance to see how good or bad it really was,.as mine

grew legs,..and dissappered from my living room one night , as a part of a break in.

I never was able to replace it.

Oh well,.. now since ive sold my Cornwalls,.a

few yrs back,..its on to klipschhorns...and what ever amp that may be powering em.

maybe a mc 2002.

hmmm choices choices..

bee good

Rob

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