mike stehr Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I went the local St. Vincent De Paul "as is" part of the thrift store yesterday to check on a old Curtis-Mathes console stereo I seen earlier this week. It wasn't there anymore, but in the same area was a Eico ST-70 integrated amplifier sitting on a desk. I grabbed it and bought it. The clerk didn't have a clue what it was and asked. I told him it was a Eico ST-70 amp. It had the cage on, so he couldn't see the tubes. The Eico ST-70 is kind of a homely amp with the cage on. The guy look's at the amp, kinda gets a ill look on his face and turns his nose up. "3 bucks." All the original Eico labeled tubes. The Mullard 12AX7, 7247 and GZ34 rectifier test like new. The Eico/GE 6SN7's test like new. The Eico/Westinghouse 7591's all seem to test fairly strong. The amp is a kit, all the original parts seem to be there and no signs of anyone cobbling the circuit other than a few 1/4" phono jacks mounted on the cage. But the jacks aren't hooked up to anything. Whoever put the amp together did a pretty good job, I think. The guy knew how to solder. Finally, a push-pull amp with a little power to add to my collection of crap. And less price than a pack of smokes........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Sweet deal! I guess you never know. My boss gave me a Radio Craftsmen mono last week.But I have no way to check the tubes. Still it's in nice shape. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Eureka! Way to go, Mike. I have been praying you would score and that is a nice haul. Does it have a better front end than the Dynaco has? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Wow! Excellent score! I'll be interested to hear your take on the sound. Woo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Nice score there Mike. Think of the possibilities... My brain has been playing with a plan for a 7591 PP amp with an aftermarket driver board for a Dynaco ST-70, a heavy CLC power supply and either EICO, Scott or Sansui iron I have. Without all those filters, it should blow away a 299C/D. Then again, you could make a few hundred on Ebay. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Mike: That is a great story! 3 bucks: You are one, lucky dog! I still feel great that I got my money's worth two months ago when I won my ST-70 in an Ebay auction for $185. That EICO ROCKS my Heresey III's to no end. Hang onto that ugly, little thing. It's a sweet deal that will sound even sweeter for years to come! The ST-70 is a great amp. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Right on, Mike! I love to hear of these scores. My local SVDP did away with their as-is department, and now only have uninteresting CRAP. Heck, in the past I scored a Mac 1900 receiver, Music Hall TT, 3 organs (!!!), and that little Maggotbox console (w/ the EL84 SE amp), plus a lot of other ballast. Well, at least my wife is happier... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whamo2 Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Nice score! I have been somewhat lucky in the last two weeks. I went to my local pawnshop and got a HK 330B for twenty dollars. I cleaned up all the pots with deoxit and blew out all of the dust. Cleaned up nice, almost museum quality. Disconnected the ole st-70 and am currently using it for the amp in my system. I'm using a mapletree audio 4a-se for a pre. Sounds really nice with my cornwalls. The other night a friend offered my another HK 330C and a Marantz 4230 for twenty bucks each so I grabbed them. They're both in pristine condition. Haven't tried those out yet and I don't think I'll be using either of those in my main system. He has a beautiful hammond b3 organ with the leslie speaker system at his house and a vintage twin reverb and loads of classic guitars. He also has some klipsch kg somethings in storage that he doesn't use I was thinking about making him an offer on those sometime. Also I scored a fistful of popular electronics magazines from the forties for a dollar at a yard sale. I can't resist grabbing up some of this stuff even though I don't need it I think I have like 7 receivers in storage now I have a problem! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Sweet deal. Thanks for the great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Why can't I ever seem to score.[] Good show Mike. I like the little rush that comes along with finding a electronics bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Why can't I ever seem to score.[] Yeah!!!! $50 Model 8S!!!! I don't know who to hate more, you or Gary.[] BTW thanks for sending up the twins last weekend.[6] Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Why can't I ever seem to score.[] Yeah!!!! $50 Model 8S!!!! I don't know who to hate more, you or Gary.[] Rick I vote Gary. [] Woo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted May 14, 2006 Author Share Posted May 14, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whamo2 Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 That's sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazman Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 I went the local St. Vincent De Paul "as is" part of the thrift store yesterday to check on a old Curtis-Mathes console stereo I seen earlier this week. It wasn't there anymore, but in the same area was a Eico ST-70 integrated amplifier sitting on a desk. I grabbed it and bought it. The clerk didn't have a clue what it was and asked. I told him it was a Eico ST-70 amp. It had the cage on, so he couldn't see the tubes. The Eico ST-70 is kind of a homely amp with the cage on. The guy look's at the amp, kinda gets a ill look on his face and turns his nose up. "3 bucks." All the original Eico labeled tubes. The Mullard 12AX7, 7247 and GZ34 rectifier test like new. The Eico/GE 6SN7's test like new. The Eico/Westinghouse 7591's all seem to test fairly strong. The amp is a kit, all the original parts seem to be there and no signs of anyone cobbling the circuit other than a few 1/4" phono jacks mounted on the cage. But the jacks aren't hooked up to anything. Whoever put the amp together did a pretty good job, I think. The guy knew how to solder. Finally, a push-pull amp with a little power to add to my collection of crap. And less price than a pack of smokes........ Mike, Congratulations on a true "steal" of a deal that should sound wonderful on the Cornwalls. That ST-70 looks like it was wrapped and stored away in a box for the last 40 years. Klipsch out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 "Mike, Congratulations on a true "steal" of a deal that should sound wonderful on the Cornwalls. That ST-70 looks like it was wrapped and stored away in a box for the last 40 years." Thanks Edmond. I dunno about being in a box or 40 years, but it had to be stored indoors for a significant amount of time. How that amp managed to make it from the donor to the SVDP store and out in the the ''as is" area without getting dropped or having all the tubes pinched or smashed is beyond me. (Though the fuse holder did get broken......easy fix, got one right here.... The curtis console I returned to look at was outside in front of the main "as is" building, that's exactly where the Eico was sitting on a desk. It was a nice day that day, but I dunno how long the amp had been sitting there outside. We had light rain earlier that week, but I don't think was out there yet. It does have some light surface rust on the OPT's and power transformer, but that was probably from when it was stored. Nothing to worry about, however. I know the Eico (if it works) won't be as open as the 2A3 amp, but I'm gonna try my best even if it resorts to making it a power amp. This will the amp for rock n roll and death metal and hopefully can swing it. The 2A3 amp plays quite a bit music very, very well, but deathmetal/grindcore/thrash doesn't really fly with a 2A3 SET. There is some exceptions, but not much though. It's just the way it is........ But with Jazz music you can't beat a single-ended triode amp. (heated with AC...[<)]) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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