[mark funk]

Boy here is one just calling for a Super Pas III up grade,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120429032783&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

                                                   

[martyo]

Nice faceplate.

[iclark]

The face plate is very nice, but I notice that the cover does not have any provision for ventilation. Does the stock PAS 3 have any ventilation slots. Those tubes must produce some heat!
I have been looking for a PAS 3 for a SUPER upgrade and wonder if this may be the one.
I am looking for a good match for my Ultimate 70.

[rcag_ils]

Is it really a Pas 3? With big caps hanging on the front, and all those little transformers hanging on the side? It doesn't look like one of Frank's design.

[Flyquail56]

Is it really a Pas 3? With big caps hanging on the front, and all those little transformers hanging on the side? It doesn't look like one of Frank's design.

You're right, it's not one of Frank's designs. It is a modification that was offered by a company called Audio Dimensions, beginning in the mid-70s. That is also their faceplate. They substituted small chokes for the dropping resistors in the power supply in order to raise the voltage, obviously added some big honkin' electrolytics, and copied the circuit values of the ARC SP-3a as closely as possible (minus cathode followers). I built two back then. They don't sound as good as a stock PAS with tone controls removed, much less a Super PAS III 

Mike

[rlee8394]

iclark,

You have a PM.

Ron

[plaf26]

The face plate is very nice, but I notice that the cover does not have any provision for ventilation. Does the stock PAS 3 have any ventilation slots. Those tubes must produce some heat!

The original PAS series had no vent holes or slots in the cover, only the rear apron.  The tubes run very cool, unlike an integrated amp in virtually the same size case such as the SCA-35, which put out a fair amount of heat and had the top venting to prove it.

[rcag_ils]

You're right, it's not one of Frank's designs. It is a modification that was offered by a company called Audio Dimensions, beginning in the mid-70s. That is also their faceplate. They substituted small chokes for the dropping resistors in the power supply in order to raise the voltage, obviously added some big honkin' electrolytics, and copied the circuit values of the ARC SP-3a as closely as possible (minus cathode followers). I built two back then. They don't sound as good as a stock PAS with tone controls removed, much less a Super PAS III 

Mike

Was Audio Dimensions the one in Oklahoma City, OK? There's a store with the same name.....

[boycephoto]

I know the manufacture of the faceplace was Audio Dimensions in CA.  I don't think they are in business any more.   I bought the same faceplate in black for my AVA Super PAS. (1979, I still have it & one of my wifes favorite preamps) This was before AVA was offereing a similar style.

The unit on ebay would be a good canidate for a Super PAS 3 make over.   

[avahifi_lj]

Hi:

If you are interested in our Super PAS upgrade this preamp should work well as long as the power transformer is the stock Dyna, or a replacement with the same voltages.  Our upgrade removes the power supply caps, the boards, and disconnects the tone controls from the circuit.  Considering that the controls are already removed it's one less thing to reconfigure.  The only weird thing is the three phono inputs.  Our circuit would change all but one of them into a line level inputs.  FYI:  The faceplate is similar to one we made several years ago.

Larry

[mark funk]

That is a nice face plate. I have a guy that works with water jet machines and he made me a few face plates, for a Super PAS III I am going to build one of these days. I did get as far as putting the transformer on the back before I removed all the stock circuits. One for my FM-3 and a PAT-5. They look very similar but with a larger raidis on the corners and in black. 

[Flyquail56]

Was Audio Dimensions the one in Oklahoma City, OK? There's a store with the same name.....

Boycephoto is correct. This Audio Dimensions was in San Diego, and was founded by Ike Eisenson, who wrote Tu-Be or Not Tu-Be, Modification Manual for Vacuum Tube Electronics. Interesting reading for historical purposes only IMHO.

Best regards,
Mike

[avahifi]

This definitely is NOT an AVA Super Pas.  Nothing from our shop ever came out looking this awful inside.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[dB Cooper]

Looks like a first time kit build. Wonder what's with the extra three little transformers?

[turkey]

Looks like a first time kit build. Wonder what's with the extra three little transformers?

They're chokes, as mentioned in the post above by Flyquail56.

[mark funk]

Now this one looks real clean,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150404441811&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

                                                                                 

[oneinthepipe]

Looks brand new, almost.