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Custom
Made Amplifiers
All Tube - Hand
Made
- Hand Wired - Built to Order - "New Vintage" Design
Audiophile
quality
parts and construction in amplifiers inspired by the
great classic audio gear of the past. Updated and with "bench
made" quality. Completely point to point hand wired, no circuit boards.
Almost any configuration is possible, any classic design or our own
"inspired" designs. The basic design is a stereo power amp, options
include passive or line stage relay selected preamps. Volume controls
can be added, including Danish Audio Connect stepped attenuators.
Coupling caps can be chosen to tailor the sound signature to taste. All
components are best quality, such as MultiCap, Ohmite, Dale,
AudioCap, Jensen, Solen,
Auricap, Nichicon "muse" and Panasonic FM.
These amps are designed for the audiophile that wants a reliable great
sounding 'vintage" amp that is brand new and built to order. No claims
for innovation or groundbreaking design, just the best of what
has gone before, only updated.
We are so sure of the sound quality of our amps we offer the following
guaranty:
If after a 30 day break in period, you are not happy with your amp,
return it for full credit. Must be in original packing and
complete. Shipping charges not included.
If your amp fails in the first two years we will have it picked up,
repaired and returned to you at no charge. Tube failure excluded.
After two years if your amp breaks down for any reason besides tube
failure, send it back and we fix it free. You pay shipping charges.
This is a lifetime warranty (your lifetime or ours, whichever
comes first).
Production is limited to 24 units per year. Please see "ordering
information " tab or link at top of page for complete information.
At times we have a few prototype or development amps in stock or a few
days away from completion. Some may be versions of a amp we list here
or a new project. These usually sell to one of our previous customers
rather quickly, but e-mail us anyway- we may have something you would
be
interested in.
Note:
Due to
the special build of McIntosh and Marantz transformers, we do not offer
a amp based on these designs.
THE MENU:
EL84's
TO GO:
One of the best sounding
lower
power output tubes, EL84's have a richness of tone and punch that
has to
be experienced be appreciated. These tubes emphasize even order
harmonics when overloaded and exhibit a natural power limiting,
compressing
signal when pushed rather than going into hard distortion. The
result is a decidedly sweet sounding amp with a much larger sound than
the rating of the tubes would indicate.
These were used in both HH Scott and Eico amplifiers, among others. The
first custom amp made by us was for a customer that had a few Scott
integrated amps but was looking for a power amp. The amp we made
was a copy of his favorite Scott , but with the best possible
components and a high capacity power supply. Instead of the dual
pentode stage output, we set up a three tube parallel configuration
(six output tubes per stereo side). These were then set up to be
selectable for triode, pentode or ultralinear operation. The
power supply was HEXFRED with all polypropylene filtering. The result
was a fine sounding " vintage" amp with completely new components and
higher power..
There was no need to go through the hassle of buying a old amp and
having it refurbished. As the amp was built on a " plain vanilla
" chassis, all the customers money was put into components that
mattered for the sound of the amp, not cosmetics. Since
then we have made different configurations of amplifiers using EL84's,
ranging from a Eico HF-81 clone to a stereo single ended headphone amp..
The price range for these amps have ranged from 700.00 to 2000.00
6L6GC,
EL34, KT77, 6550C : The next step up in power:
Most of the classic small amp
driver circuits
such as Eico, Scott and Fisher r can be used with a more powerful
output section.
A example is a Fisher 500C output driver configuration using 2 6550C
tubes per channel and producing 75 watts per channel. Please contact us
about this option as prices and practical issues are
a
factor.
TAKE
A LEAK: The best in British audio reborn
Some of the most sought after
amplifiers are those made by H.L Leak of Coventry, England
Of all of these the famed TL/25 plus is the standard and best example
of
"Leak Sound"
We faithfully reproduce the Leak circuit with the best quality
components and capacitors that match the sound of the originals.
Input stage gain is adjusted for modern input levels. As these are made
to reproduce a classic, no variation is made on parts selection. A
double power version can be ordered with doubled EL34's. We select
Electro-Harmonix EL34L as the output tubes as these are closest to the
original Mullards used in the production of these amps. A option is a
passive/intergrated preamp with volume control, relay selected up to
four inputs. One input w/ volume control 100.00 The basic " Take
A leak" is $2000.00. The double power version 350.00 additional.
Preamp option 250.00 additional. One input w/
volume control 100.00
A EL84
based TL/12 stereo version is available, with an option of
parallel pair output
tubes (eight output tubes per stereo amp)
GONE
FISHIN': The great Fisher sound without a FM section you don't need:
The Fisher
receivers model 400, 500, 800 are renowned for their sound quality.
After a glowing (pun intended) review in Stereophile the price of
these units hit the roof. If you can find one at reasonable cost it
will be usually be in pretty poor shape and need extensive restoration.
The sound quality of these units are a combination of phase inverter /
driver circuit and the 7591A output tube stage using pentode operation
mode and fairly low feedback for this type of circuit.
We offer two basic versions with a option for absolute best performance.
Basic FISHER on a plate: with salad or
fries:
A recreation
of the output stage of the 400/500/800. Will accept input from any
active/passive preamp or CD player with variable output. Complete
amplifier cost $1800.00. Option for volume control: No charge for
standard control, 50.00 for Alps Blue Velvet, 225.00 for DAC stepped
attenuator.
FISHERman's Platter Deluxe:
As the basic unit above but with
up to 5 relay selected inputs and volume control. A complete passive
preamp / power amp
Package.
Price is 2500.00 complete with Blue Velvet Volume control: DAC control
200 Extra.
Both versions feature top quality components and are supplied with
JJ/TESLA 7591A output tubes.
THE KINGFISHER:
(This version is based on my personal "Fisher 400" project; Story
follows:)
One of my customers who is
also a great personal friend gave me a ratty 400 with a bad tuner as a
"parts dog". I let it sit around for a few years and forgot about
it. After restoring about a hundred or so 400/500/800 units I
became familiar with the truly musical qualities of these units as well
as their shortcomings. I decided to try to build myself a small room
sized amplifier using the shell of this set and the best components and
power supply possible. Circuit design based on a 400/800 composite with
my own modifications. After two years of fiddling with it I had a
integrated amp with a Hexfred power supply, split power supply filter
banks, isolated polypropylene driver and preamp supplies,
three relay selected inputs and a relay selectable tone contour circuit
for late evening listening that is totally out of the circuit in normal
operation. The result is a extraordinary amplifier. It is breathtaking
in
soundstage and imaging and delivers all the power I need into my
somewhat efficient Vifa based monitors. In a listening test with
a few "Fisher fanatics" present it was able to drive 2.5 Maggies
without any strain up to really off the wall listening
levels. For a combination of musicality and power it really does
the job. Quite similar to some of the best S.E.T amps but with enough
power to work with most speakers.
The circuit details will remain confidential, but this is a real killer
little amp. Since then I have built three ground up versions of this
puppy and all have been really great sounding amps. The production amps
also have the feature of Triode/Pentode/Ultralinear mode switching.
The output tubes supplied are the JJ/Tesla 7591A previously
mentioned. NOS tubes can be used but any result be it good or bad will
be the responsibility of the customer.
The cost of this unit is $3,000.00. If a 400/500/
chassis can be provided the cost would be 2500.00, but THE TUNER SECTION WILL BE REMOVED TO MAKE ROOM FOR ALL
THE POWER SUPPLY COMPONENTS. This is great if you have a unit
with a dead tuner section or if your area has lousy FM stations!
Please
note: We do not sell tubes or parts or supply schematics. There
are many resources on the net for this, we will have a favorite
resource link soon.
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