[SET Man]

Hey!

    I do check out Craig's List NYC sometime to see what out there. Although I rarely see bargain around here but this time I found this....



 Silvertone integrated amp. I think it is from late 60's to early 70's sold through Sears I think. Using four EL84, two 7199 and one 12AX7. It said 17.5 watts per channel according to the label underneath.

   I went to check it out and to my surprise the seller is a young musician. He hook it up and play it for me. He said he need something cleaner to listen to so he got Adcom pre and amp 535 amp I think and small bookshelf Klipsch and want to get rid of this. Also, he got a turntable too, not a great one, a Gemini. I don't think he is as deep as we are as far as being an audiophile but he know that tube can sound good and admit that some music sound great with this little tube integ-amp. But he can't afford a good modern tube amp now. I did mentioned a few tube amp companies to him that he might want to check out while I was there. He asked for $40 on the post but I gave him my best offer of $30 and he agreed.



   Anyway, I bought it home and gave it a good wipe. I checked out closely inside and noticed that PCB is cracked but have the traces been soldered. All pots seems fine not much scratchy and I lube the volume control. There were some hisses and popping sound. So, I checked out those caps. Surprisingly the PSU can caps and all small signal caps of which look like beewax caps seem to measured fine after 40+ years. But there were two caps of which one that I couldn't measurement right. Luckily I have some caps left in my parts box with the same value so I replaced them and now the hisses and pops are gone... yay! haven't try the phono stage yet but the seller said that it doesn't work.

     As for the sound. Well, classic tube sound, full tone, smooth mid and high with bloated mid bass sound All tubes seem to be original except two EL84s. It is very enjoyable. So with that I don't think I will go crazy and change those caps especially those old signal caps to new modern ones.

     I haven't measure those tube with my tube tester but after 40+ years I think I going to replace them anyway. The 7199 tubes seem pricey now but I see that there are adapter that allow me to use the less expensive and easier to find 6GH8A. I'm not sure what EL84 I should get? I have some experience with JJ EL84. But never heard others. And what about those Russian Soviet era tube?

    So far I think it is a keeper. I always wanted a small tube amp for my TV/2nd system and this seem to works well and sound pretty good... better than I expected for an old amp with small output transformers.

Take care,
Buddy

[lonewolfny42]

That's from 1972 Buddy....

Found a recent listing of an eBay sale....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290518607460&nma=true&rt=nc&si=VIVngzJjwKqpdX%252BtmSURI83CdFM%253D

Just Google....there's more info out there...have fun....

[eclein]

Very cool....congrats!!!

[SET Man]

That's from 1972 Buddy....

Found a recent listing of an eBay sale....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290518607460&nma=true&rt=nc&si=VIVngzJjwKqpdX%252BtmSURI83CdFM%253D

Just Google....there's more info out there...have fun....

Hey!

     1972, eh? Near the end of the tube era. I wonder how much this thing cost back than, but it can't be much since it look like a low cost amp, it sold through Sears after all.

    The one on that eBay auction definitely in better condition for sure. So, I guess I didn't do too bad for $30

Very cool....congrats!!!

     Thanks. Not in great condition but it sounds much better than I expected so far. But haven't try it in my main system yet in place of my pre and SET amps.

Take care,
Buddy

[MaxCast]

sweet.  Here's to a good CL find 

[Indiansprings]

Very nice score

[ArthurDent]

Good find Buddy    Sounds like you both came away happy with the end result. 

[DeadFish]

Hey Buddy!

I gotta talk to you about that amp.

I had one like it.  A little different on that left knob, though I don't remember exactly besides 'Multiplex'.

First it was my Dad's, in the mid 60's, with matched tuner and mismatched speakers which I still have.

Many of my friends, it was their first taste of 'stereo'.

You see, my Dad was a 'Sears' man for 30 something years and everything we had was Sears.  When I bought my first solid state JVC amp in the 1971, I bought his system and used the components and parked the amp for 25-30 years.

You got a keeper.

I should be whipped.
Sold it for $10 in a yard sale before I knew what I was doing.

DumbAss
DeadFish

PS! I almost forgot, I don't know if I still have it, but remember owning the manual, inviting you to the world of stereo.

[SET Man]

Hey Buddy!

I gotta talk to you about that amp.

I had one like it.  A little different on that left knob, though I don't remember exactly besides 'Multiplex'.

First it was my Dad's, in the mid 60's, with matched tuner and mismatched speakers which I still have.

Many of my friends, it was their first taste of 'stereo'.

You see, my Dad was a 'Sears' man for 30 something years and everything we had was Sears.  When I bought my first solid state JVC amp in the 1971, I bought his system and used the components and parked the amp for 25-30 years.

You got a keeper.

I should be whipped.
Sold it for $10 in a yard sale before I knew what I was doing.

DumbAss
DeadFish

PS! I almost forgot, I don't know if I still have it, but remember owning the manual, inviting you to the world of stereo.

Hey!
   
    Wish I was there at your yard sale

    I think you might have the earlier model of this one. Even though this one is not in great condition but it sounds very enjoyable. So, yes it is a keeper for me

    I ordered some new caps, resistors and of course tubes for it, should be here soon.

    Anyway, talking about our early stereo stuffs. I wish I still have my first pair of speaker, the Advent Baby II. I sold them to my high school friend back than  There's nothing special about them but they were my first pair of speaker that I bought with my own hard earned money. I vividly remembered them to sound better than the Bose at the same price when I was at the store, so I bought them home. So, if anyone have a pair of Advent Baby II in excellent condition and want to get rid of please let me know.

Take care,
Buddy