MBM135 Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Are there any other good sources besides eBay or Audiogon? Given the recommendations of many of you folks I plan to see it I can find a good servicabale 299 unit to send to NOS Valves for a good makeover. A guy could wait weeks or months to find a nice unit on eBay or Audiogon and I often find that people will often pay ridiculous amounts of dough for things on these auction sites, but I will continue to look there as well. Thanks! MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 "I often find that people will often pay ridiculous amounts of dough for things..." Hmmm - I wonder why that is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Supply and demand is a beautiful thing. And that is why I have not secured one yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 I've yet to hear of anyone finding one anywhere else at this point. There always are estate sales and yard sales. But that is really a chance happening. The choices have been slim these days on Ebay. Audiogon for the most part is always over prices on vintage gear. Keep up the search and you will find one. But you have to get used to the fact that your not going to get a good cosmetic example for less then about $250. I was lucky and purchased my 299B without a case for $249 and Deang if I remember right paid over $300 for his with a case and original manual. If you really want one your going to have to dive in ! The thing you have to remember is to equal the sound these amps are capable of you would have to spend at least $1500 if not more and lose many features that are built into these ! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM135 Posted February 23, 2003 Author Share Posted February 23, 2003 Understand, I'll try and be patient. Follow-up questions: 1. Does the 299B have the capability to hook up 2 CD players? In my line of work my wife and I have to do a lot of entertaining so we us our Denon CD changer frequently for parties/get-togethers. I want to use a nicer player for critical listening. Does the 299 have 2 aux selections or does it matter which ports you use (tuner, etc.) I have no plans to utilize anything else at this point other than CDs. 2. How much are replacement tubes, generally speaking, for what you would consider nice, yet still affordable? As always, thanks for the advice and knowledge! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 There are two high level inputs (tuner, and 'extra' or aux) -- so yes, you could hook up two CD players. Retubing with standard, current production tubes, and a decent vintage rectifier tube would run in the neighborhood of $150. It's well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 There is actually 3 high level inputs on the 299B Dean !! The tape input will work also ! Craig Isn't these a 299B on Ebay right now ?? I believe its not in the greatest shape but I'm absolutlely sure I can make her sing !! If I remember right the cosmetics were horible. There maybe np bidders on this one. Also keep in mind that the 299A second version with transformer and output tubes along the rear is almost Identical ! Linkage http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3008744622&category=14973 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM135 Posted February 23, 2003 Author Share Posted February 23, 2003 Yes, I've been looking at that one. It does look a bit rough cosmetically. I may see if nobody bids and try to offer less and see if he will take it. It is tempting but I've just decided to do this and hate to bite on the first one that comes along...I would certainly bid on this if it looked a bit cleaner. Still mulling it over... MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Just waring you 299B's are not all that common !! 299A second additions are usually all iver the place I have no clue why so few amps are up on ebay these days. I sure hope the well hasn't run dry it could really hurt my new business. Craig This is a nice option also !! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3284&item=3008954123&rd=1 Oh and its actually a LK-48B which is the Kit version of the 222D nice amp !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 That guy has a little blurb in there about the pics making it look worse that it is and I think he's right. Those pics were shot with some kind of intense direct light source. That same unit shot with a flash dischaging backwards into one of those silver unbrellas would look completely different. That deal is just really harsh. Craig, That 222C I put your caps and stuff into is about ready. I've been having trouble with it being weak on one side. I tested all the tubes in it earlier and they were good if sort of a mish-mash hodge-podge of stuff. Using a test CD and my trusty Fluke meter I was able to run it down to low output from the line stage on one side. Pulled the tubes, installed the Telefunkens from my Eico and now it's gorgeous. very even balance across the two sides. Thing sounds great. I've done a BIN for some 12ax7 off ebay, used Mullards, when they get in I'll give them a whirl. I've learned a lot from the working on this thing, and I'll probably put it up for sale here when I'm satisfied it's right. BTW, I also picked for free a Knight Kit oscilloscope built back in the early 60's by a friend who's an EE. case has a couple scrapes in the crinkle finish from sitting around on the bench for thirty or fourty years bit the tube is great, I don't think it's ever been used much. No manual, but I was able to tinker with it and get a pattern up working off the Eico line and output stages. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Tom, it is amazing what a nice set of tubes can do for a amp ! Gald to see you got all the bugs worked out and it working in top shape. Those Russion caps do sound nice in these amps. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny dB Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 I'd have to agree with Tom on the 299B. I'm sure it's the flash imbelishing those light scratches. However, the metal case that it has is not the best thing in the world for those due to heat problems. Not from experience, just what I've read. Hey, Tom did you ever get those La Scalas together? I'm the one in dayton who sold you the horns and tweets last summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 yes, they're done. Unfortunately, I have not yet got them in the house due to the low WAF. We have a small house and they're really quite large as home speakers go. So, I'm using them for test speakers in the garage right now while I'm working on tube amps. An HF-81 or 222C with a pair of LS makes a pretty good garage system. I built AL K crossovers so I still have the AA's left over. The K-400's I stripped and painted. Used the K-55-Vs as found except for taking them apart and cleaning. One of them turned out to have a little water mineral deposit in behind the screen, it wasn't hard to fix. I wanted alnico tweets so I sold the K-77 square magnets and bought a pair of blown alnico's, put diaphragms in them, sound good. It turned into an exercise in woodworking, which I knew very little about. I know more now. And, yes, I could have bought some cheaper, a lot cheaper. But the refinishing came out pretty nice and I can say I did it myself. I bought new black grilles from Klipsch, they look nice too. Thanks for selling me that stuff, getting it in my hands is what got me off the dime on the project. I still have the 77 Heresy's, that's what's in the house now. I might yet rob the 55's and 77's out of them and swap with the LS's, I don't know. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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