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Jonboy
25-07-2009, 17:50
This has just arrived back from the menders It's a Mullard ten ten from Australia, it runs 4 ecl 86, 2 ef 86 and a GZ34 needs a bit more work yet but it's getting there.
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/jonboy_01/DSC_1018.jpg

Marco
25-07-2009, 18:21
Hi Jon,

I love it! That looks like a *very* interesting amplifier :)

Could you describe roughly how it sounds?

Please keep us posted on progress :cool:

Marco.

DaveK
25-07-2009, 19:57
Hi Jon,
Could you describe roughly how it sounds?
Marco.

Surely not the right choice of words?? :lol:
Cheers,

Marco
25-07-2009, 20:10
That's a classic and pretty rare amplifier, Dave :)

Marco.

DaveK
25-07-2009, 20:38
That's a classic and pretty rare amplifier, Dave


Don't doubt it for a mnute Marco :) - why else would anyone enthuse about spending (a lot of) money on getting it refurbished :scratch: . The point I was (clumsily and humourlessly/ously) trying to make was that I doubt if the word "roughly" should be used in any context relating to how it sounded - bit convoluted perhaps but I thought it was funny (at the time :) )
Cheers,

DSJR
25-07-2009, 21:17
Unless I'm mistaken, that amp was being fondly discussed as a classic back in the late sixties.........

Marco
25-07-2009, 21:29
You're not mistaken, Dave! :)

I've seen it mentioned in some of the various 'audio literature' I've got stored away in my little cupboard ;)

Marco.

Spectral Morn
25-07-2009, 21:36
You're not mistaken, Dave! :)

I've seen it mentioned in some of the various 'audio literature' I've got stored away in my little cupboard ;)

Marco.

Along with your high heels and dresses....;):lol::lol::lol::lol:and guides on how to apply make up.



Regards D S D L

DSJR
25-07-2009, 21:37
I had a heap of much read HiFi Sound mags from around 1967 - 1973 or so, when it was blended into HiFi Answers (I think it was). they lived in Dad's loft and all but rotted away I discovered :( There were some excellent reviews of some of the gear we love so much and especially the turntables, cartridges and speakers regarded with much fondness today. The reviewers then weren't just engineers, they enjoyed the music too and soon tried to discover why a well specced sometimes sounded awful IIRC.. They also understood about matching pieces of gear to get the best sound, believe it or not - something we forgot in the Laim/Dinn era - if it didn't match one of their systems it was automatically judged cr@p by many "experts" of the times!

Jonboy
26-07-2009, 18:11
I have had it runing most of the weekend on my 57's and it sounds very much like a Rogers Cadet 11 with more top end and leaning towards a Leak stereo 20, it has a bit better control over the Rogers as well with the music sounding tighter, when i first heard it it was playing through a Mark Levinson pre amp from a dvd player and running into rebuilt B&W DM2a speakers ( very good speakers for the money if the cross overs have been rebuilt) which made it sound a bit bright for my ears, my 57's have calmed it down though, but it needs a bit more money chucking at it as there is still a hum that is noticable on sensative speakers.
I have just put my Valve preamp on it so it is now acting as a power amp, the sound improved again ,it has had a fair bit of work done to it aready as someone had been at it but the main components were there, the treble and bass pots are shot so these have been bypassed but my man has every confidence that the hum and pots can be sorted for a small fee of course
Listening to Johnny Cash American 4 at the momment just to chear me up like:lol:

I Told my man to spend a £100 on it plus (in Time and Caps) a set on Nos Ecl 86 for £36 plus the purchase price of £90 so pound for pound it is not a bad sounding bit of kit and still cheaper than a stereo 20 or a Rogers Cadet which can't be bad ;)
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/jonboy_01/DSC_1024.jpg
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/jonboy_01/DSC_1020.jpg

Marco
26-07-2009, 19:50
Hi Jon,

Nice one - I had a feeling it would be pretty good :)

Interesting, as I was also thinking along the lines of a Rogers or a Leak, but without the price premium the 'cachet' of such brands attracts ;)

The mods you're having carried out are all sensible, worthwhile, and should make quite an improvement to performance.

One thing I've found with vintage gear is that upgrading caps for modern high quality equivalents usually always pays dividends, as this is one area where technology has improved quite dramatically.

You have the basis of a very good amp, and fusing the best of old and new technology will I suspect give you something a little bit special.

Incidentally, one thing I'd recommend highly is when 'your man' is sorting the pots out, get him to upgrade the volume pot to the likes of an Alps or a quality stepped attenuator. This makes a huge difference, particularly to vintage designs which have had lots of use.

If you're interested, I've got a high quality Alps Black volume pot for sale going cheaply, which are now discontinued and quite rare. PM me if you're interested :cool:

Marco.

DaveK
26-07-2009, 20:05
Along with your high heels and dresses....;):lol::lol::lol::lol:and guides on how to apply make up.
Regards D S D L

For goodness sake Neil, don't encourage him, he's far enough gone as it is !! :lolsign:

Spectral Morn
26-07-2009, 21:04
For goodness sake Neil, don't encourage him, he's far enough gone as it is !! :lolsign:

He doesn't need encouraging.......;):lolsign::lol::lol::lol::lol:



Regards D S D L

DaveK
26-07-2009, 21:09
My point exactly !!!:lolsign:

Marco
26-07-2009, 21:16
Wot, moi? I'm a shy, innocent, little poppet :)

Marco.