Goodmans and Eico

[sluggish]

Hi everyone. I've had a pair of Goodmans 201 12" fullrange drivers and a pair of Eico EL-84 mono integrated amps (HF-81, maybe? Can't remember...) in a closet for years. Getting it all up and running will take some doing, but it could sound great. Or not. Is it worth the effort?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'll look after the Eico's for you, & so I think would Andre if he was here!
Is this the one?

http://home.earthlink.net/~eico_hf81/images/eico_front_white.jpg

The HF-81 is stereo though isn't it?

[The Grand Wazoo]

The HF-12 was mono, I think - maybe this is the type you have?
Either way, they were great amps - sweet sounding little beauties.


http://www.soundcityusa.net/soundcityusa-gallery-vintage/gallery-vintage-pictures/eico-amp.jpg

[sluggish]

Yes, they looks like Chris's pic -- thanks! I took 'em apart to rebuilt them, then got part-way through and got in over my head. I suspect I could get them going with a little patience, but I bought a pair of Spendor SP2s that give me the warm and forgiving character I looked to tubes for, so I'm not sure my heart's really in it. I'll probably end up selling to someone looking for a project. And it look like those Goodman's drivers need a monster of an enclosure. Has anyone here ever heard those things properly up and running in a suitable enclosure. Maybe I could turn my garage into a bass hornhttp://s560.photobucket.com/albums/ss49/aos_images/smilies/3637.gif

[The Grand Wazoo]

Randy - if there wasn't an ocean between us, and if times were a little different for me than they are just now, I'd take them off your hands in heartbeat. I've wanted to own an Eico amp since I was about 6 years old!

[Barry]

Randy - if there wasn't an ocean between us, and if times were a little different for me than they are just now, I'd take them off your hands in heartbeat. I've wanted to own an Eico amp since I was about 6 years old!

That good eh Chris? Don't wish to sound flippant, but Eico are little known to me. Now if it was an early Marantz ....!

Regards

[sluggish]

All I can tell you is that when I had them running, before I decided to rebuild them, they had a nice, open sound with a very pleasant tubey "glow," but without the slow and syrupy sound of some larger tube amps.

[sluggish]

Chris, if I could, I'd send 'em to you! And I know how you feel; I always wanted a pair of Royds. Had a big PRaT fixation when I was younger, and had or heard Diamonds and Kans and Minums, and Kytes, but never Royds.

[The Grand Wazoo]

That good eh Chris? Don't wish to sound flippant, but Eico are little known to me. Now if it was an early Marantz ....!

Regards

Barry,
Eico (Electronic Instrument Corp) were a New York company & paralleled Heathkit and, I suppose Radford in a way, in that they started out building lab & test gear & branched out into hi-fi later, selling both kit & built components. I don't think very much of it ended up over here, though.

The amp I knew when I was a kid was the first pictured one - the HF-81 & it was a 14 watt Williamson based circuit with EL84's. It's become a bit of a cult item of late in the US & I was able to hear one again just a few years ago on one of our visits over there. My impression was that it was every bit as good as it's reputation may have you believe. I think I'm right in saying that there was an HF-86 that had the same power circuit but just came as a power amp

The other model, I pictured - the HF-12, which Randy appears to own was similar but mono & with a slightly less sophisticated pre-amp circuit. There was also a power amp version of this, the HF-14 which came on an open chassis like the HF-86.

There was also a range of higher powered amps, some of which I've had the pleasure of spending some short periods with, although I did slightly prefer these little integrated units' sweeter presentation.

Believe it or not Barry, I actually truly believe that they could give those early Marantz units a good run for their money!


Here's a page from the catalogue showing two of the big 'uns:


http://www.thestuffofradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/eicogoodamps.jpg

[Ali Tait]

Great stuff Chris! Most informative.

Randy,I've heard Goodman's speakers in open baffles made by Steve (SPS) who posts here.They are superb,and well worth fiddling with IMO.Perhaps Steve will comment.

[sluggish]

Ali, by open baffle do you mean mounting the drivers on a baffle board, but without any "box" behind them? Sounds doable enough... I guess the bass is OK this way? Not too much dipole, out of phase cancelation?

[Ali Tait]

Yes indeed.Bass can be very good,and OB's can be a lot more room independent than box speakers.The size of the baffle and position of the driver is important for correct response though.

[lebob]

I had an HF-81 integrated amp. It was warm and sweet. I used it with a Dynaco FM-3 tuner, an AR XA with a low mass fluid damped unipivot tonearm with a vintage Shure V15, and vintage horn loaded Jensen K-310 coaxial drivers. The Jensen drivers might sound similar to the Goodmans fullrange.

http://www.hifilit.com/hifilit/Jensen/sheet152-3.jpg

I loved that system. I may still have the original HF-81 assembly and test manual. It's probably one of the best EL84 integrated amps. My first tube amp was a Fairchild. The Eico was my second amp and the first one I restored. I wish I still had it and the Jensen speakers. I think the HF-81 is known to pair well with Quads.