NOSValves Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 This one is untested and missing some tubes . Could end up a great buy on the cheap ! These amps in this shape usually go for $400 or more tested full of tubes. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3057044320&category=39783 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 And they usually show up without cages, since so many were pulled from consoles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Taylor Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I got a console model Pilot 232 the same as the gold one with cage shown here, this is just a prettier model, I bought mine about a year and a half ago, before that I was using a Mcintosh MC225 and it is a shame in a way but the Pilot is such a detailed and sweet sounding amp that I really have not used the Mcintosh to much since than. It is kind of stange but when you hear about someone wanting to get a vintage tube power amp they talk about Marantz or Mcintosh and you don't hear much about Pilot, I guess they didn't advertise as much as the others, but are just as good if not better. If someone can pick this amp up for a few hundred dollors and it does work and they spend a little money on it and do a rebuild of the amp they will have a amp that they won't be able to stop listening to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 McIntosh in particular has a very large and devoted following. Pilot, on the other hand, is *very* difficult to find much of anything about on the internet. There are growing numbers of people talking Pilot up at Audio Asylum. But for right now, Pilot is still a sleeper. It was even more of a sleeper a year ago--I guess it's starting to wake up. It's unlikely to ever cost as much as the most famous Marantz and McIntosh machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 8, 2003 Author Share Posted November 8, 2003 Yup very pleasing sound to them ! I bet a dime to a dollar they are rolled off on the top and bottom but do wonders in the mid range !! I wish the one I rebuilt a year a half ago I had put it thru the tests on the scope. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Taylor Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I have never heard anyone say that they didn't like their Pilot amp no matter what model they had ,I have seen Pilot 240's go on Ebay for just a little over a hundred bucks in working order and from what I heard they can sound great but I personaly have not heard one, I don't know how they would sound compaired to lets say a Scott 299 but they seem to demand a lot less money. I have heard that Pilot corp. was around back in the 40's before Mcintosh,Marantz or Scott but always kept a low profile and didn't advertise much back in their day and sold equipment with word of mouth then by advertising hype. I would think that someone that wants to get into tubes and wants a internrated amp with little money that one of the Pilot models might be the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 8, 2003 Author Share Posted November 8, 2003 Another real sleeper is some of the Stromberg Carlson integrated amps. I have one here that if I ever find time to update it I know it will sound incredibly good by its stock sound. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurdy_gurdyman Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I have an old 1957 mono Stongberg-Carlson integrated. This has a pair of 6AU6 pentodes driving the 6L6GB outputs. I'm amazed at the dynamics of this amp. I'd certainly consider a stereo from this company. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I don't have any idea about Pilot's early history, but the models 232 and 240 were sold in 1959, maybe some other years before and after as well. Puts them right at the same time as the EICO HF-81. Some original prices: Pilot 232, 20 watts stereo power amp, $89.50 Pilot 240, 15 watts stereo int. amp, $129.50 EICO HF-81, 14 watts stereo int. amp, factory wired, $109.95 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBusa Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 thats a decent looking amp. What could you use as a preamp with that? SS or does it have to be a tube unit? I love when they make a small pic clickable and when it opens it's the same size as it was before. Grrrr ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I've got the schematics for a Pilot 260 and 264. One for the SP210 pre as well. The cool thing is they have cross references for different manufacturers of the parts used in them. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 ---------------- On 11/8/2003 7:19:12 PM BigBusa wrote: thats a decent looking amp. What could you use as a preamp with that? SS or does it have to be a tube unit? ---------------- Typically it was mated with the Pilot SP-210 in consoles. You should use a tube preamp with that amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Taylor Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Well it went for $290. with another $100. for tubes and I'am sure a rebuild job it should be a great amp for someone. I hope the transformers are in working shape anything else can be fixed, I always worry when I see the words on a Ebay Item "untested" it usally means it dosn't work, hopfully this was because the seller didn't have all the tubes and he really could not test it, I would still would like to know if I spent that much money for it that it works and plays music thur it even if it sounded not so good at this time because of the age of the parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 9, 2003 Author Share Posted November 9, 2003 Heck when I see untested I jump on it ! I hate the words "Plugged it in and the tubes light" means absolutely nothing and possibly more damage from being slammed with wall current. Tubes lighting only mean one thing the heater are working ! The transformers could still be dead. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Taylor Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 I have read many times of people that bought some equipment 40+ years old that got burned by the the words "untested" on Ebay, I like it when someone says "bought it up slowly" or " I have been using it for many years and it still sounds great", I agree with you about some jerk that has a old tube amp in his late grandfathers basement that hasn't been used in 20 years and he says " I pluged it up and the tubes light" but you also need to be careful of someone using the word "untested", I would not even think about a tube amp with the word "untested" for over a $100. it could be someone setting you up witha amp that dosn't work and might never will again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 9, 2003 Author Share Posted November 9, 2003 95% of what I buy is untested . It all needs work and 90% of the tested and brought up on a variac or checked by tech is a crock of bull. They all need work no matter what. I have seen 2 blowned transformers out of hundreds of amps ! Tested really means nothing. Tranformers are tough for the most part and completely repairable anyway. There is no such thing as getting burned really. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Taylor Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Craig, We have talked many times on this forum and I'am not trying to get into a pissing contest with you over how you buy your vintage gear I just have read to many times on the audio asylum and other places about people who have paid to much money on something that the seller on Ebay said was untested and turned out to have fryed transformers and the seller should have none it from at least from the smell, there is a lot of dishonest people out there, I to might buy an amp from someone that had perfect feedback and said the words untested if I could get that amp for a fraction of what one would cost that was claimed to work, at least if you buy a amp and the seller says it works and it has two fryed transformers you would have a chance to get your money back, but if you bought the same amp untested and you just spent big money on it like three or four hundred dollors all you could say was "Oh well I just got burned". Maybe you have been lucky in your purchases of vintage amps and I hope you stay that way on Ebay, but there are many people that don't know nothing about fixing a old vintage amp that might get sucked in and get, ( yes I'am going to use that word again) burned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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