Deang Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Sonic Froniers Power 1 with left channel humming and popping -- probably just a bad coupling cap. Craig -- what do you think? http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?ampstube&1065185581&class&3&4& Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Looks like a great deal to me ! Most likely a easy fix . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 yes, but... the guy seems to be a repair hobbiest so do you think he is goin to offer up a unit with a quick troubleshoot and fix? It's tempting as I would like to upgrade the Dynaco some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Now that you mention it that done seem strange doesn't it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 ---------------- On 8/6/2003 10:20:51 PM NOSValves wrote: Now that you mention it that done seem strange doesn't it ! ---------------- I know nothing about this stuff and that was the first thing I thought of. If it was a quick fix he would spend an hour and make another $500 - $1000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 Just because he's a "hobbyist" doesn't mean he knows how to troubleshoot. He might not have some of the tools necessary to do it either. This "popping" thing he's describing is probably a bad cap. I've heard this described several times on DIY forums -- and everytime I go into the thread, it's -- "check those caps". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCturboT Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Dean, Don't tell me you didn't think of purchasing it-sending it off to Craig for a "quick fix"-and then listening to it for a bit only to turn around and make some $$. Sick minds think alike Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 That's actually a great amp, and if I had the money to spare right now, I would pick it up in a heartbeat and send it to Craig for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCturboT Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Dean, From the several reviews I have read the Power I sounds more like a SS amp than a tube amp.Kinda like the difference between my former Stingray and Scott LK-48. If you had your eyes closed you'd swear the Manley was SS-not so with the Scott-just more relaxed across the board,which is a good thing with the Heritage line. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Dean, I'll second jeff and add that their gear is much overrated and very unreliable. I'd look elsewhere. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCturboT Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Guy, Actually I really don't know alot about this particular tube amp-I was just refering to the reviews I have read.Sounding like SS is not to be construed as a bad thing...shoulda made myself more clear. It really might be a great amp for someone after the problem is resolved. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Jeff, I haven't heard the Amp 1 but heared few other SF and Anthem tube gear and they did sound like SS amps. I guess that 6550's + 6dj8's = SS sound and I never liked this combination. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 I don't remember SF having a reputation for unreliability, this is kind of surprising. I've owned several of their products, and they were always trouble free. You know, saying a tube amp sounds like SS is similiar to when someone says a SS amp sounds "tube like". Well, yeah, O.K. -- but not quite. Wide bandwidth tube amps, usually employing solid state rectification and Beam tubes -- really kick some serious butt. They have excellent drive, superior control on the bottom at high SPLs, and possess extended HF response. So, from this standpoint they "sound like" solid state. However, they're also completely free of grain and hash, throw an almost 3 dimensional soundstage, and are very good at making the speakers disappear. These attributes are certainly not the things that come to mind when listening to solid state. The inverse is true with SS that sounds "tube like". Sure -- warmer, smoother, and much cleaner than your standard fare, but one is always aware of the somewhat filmy, ever so slightly hashy backround. I like tube amps that can give me the best of what SS has to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 Sonic Frontiers made some good gear but their designs tended to be a bit too complex, they used circuit boards which sometimes failed and they put out a lot of hybrids which usually received good reviews but because they sat on the fence, didn't draw much interest from the tube and SS camps. Just for the record, I've had several pieces of SF gear (although no amps) and never had a problem. SF stopped production a few years ago but the Anthem budget line is still produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 If the SF uses circuit boards the problem could be a momentary trace in the board breaking contact which could be harder to trace down and fix but still fixable. You just either replace the trace with a jumper wire or in some cases solder over the break in the trace. It still seems funny the guy isn't fixing it himself. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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