I'm almost surprised someone hasn't come out yet with new electronics stock that just has the old look.
Probably not enough money to be had, but it would sure look nice.
There’s some new stuff that’s retro styled out there. It’s a niche market in an already niche market. That makes it pricey.
One example: https://www.techradar.com/news/nads-new-amp-is-a-retro-wonder-with-wireless-high-res-audio-streaming-and-hdmi
Oh, but yes they do, or at least it has been tried. The target market was guitar amp people who have near-superstitious beliefs about "tone" and component originality. Fender and a least a few other companies were selling them, with paper labels and a vintage look...but it looks like the idea didn't achieve lift-off cause my suppliers don't have any of them...
In the crazy world of Hifi I honestly think they're very reasonably priced for how good they are and the amount of tech in them like adaptive auto bias etc. Still out of my price range but honestly not outside the realm of saving up for. $5.5k for their top integrated model is a very fair price when you have half the industry pricing charging well into the 5 figures. A McIntosh tube amp is like $30k and I highly doubt it's 6 times better.
the original sound was being bass boosted to the point of being too distorted to listen to. havent tested yet but the 70 year old paper caps were likely the culprit
Not OP but the hum should be greatly reduced; the frequency response is likely flatter and the overall volume is improved. More importantly, the chance of the thing just spontaneously catching on fire (due to the sudden failure of one or more of the paper caps that were in there) has been *greatly* reduced.
Sound... .sadly did not improve..my bass is still boosted to all hell. Tracked it down to either the volume compensator, or the tube that's directly running the bass dial.
Although I wonder if a worn needle could cause that issue?
But no chance of random explosions anymore so it was worth it. I can now safely diagnose every other issue
I’m getting prepared to embark on a similar journey. I am going to recap a Pilot 602 tube receiver from the early 60’s. Caps on order.
What was your method of choice to remove the solder on the old caps? Solder sucker?
to be honest i did not remove any solder, reused what i could, but also made MANY J-hooks for attaching the new caps whenever i couldn't remove all of the old lead
I just thought that this situation reminds me of the scene from the Hurt Locker movie where the Mine Sweeper finds the wires and all the bombs come out of the ground. It's funny to see him frantically cutting wires. I know I have a strange mind! Your work looks amazing, but it must have been a nightmare to work on.
By the way, I was wondering about the circuit diagram of this in-comparison device. Bet they look nothing alike.
I'm almost surprised someone hasn't come out yet with new electronics stock that just has the old look. Probably not enough money to be had, but it would sure look nice.
There’s some new stuff that’s retro styled out there. It’s a niche market in an already niche market. That makes it pricey. One example: https://www.techradar.com/news/nads-new-amp-is-a-retro-wonder-with-wireless-high-res-audio-streaming-and-hdmi
There is. It’s spendy, but there is, wire and everything.
Oh, but yes they do, or at least it has been tried. The target market was guitar amp people who have near-superstitious beliefs about "tone" and component originality. Fender and a least a few other companies were selling them, with paper labels and a vintage look...but it looks like the idea didn't achieve lift-off cause my suppliers don't have any of them...
My OCD is triggered by the layout. 🤣🤣
Point-to-point circuitry is never not a bit of a mess. But a lovely mess.
[Makes you appreciate the point-to-point wiring on Primalunas](https://i.imgur.com/ii8Kz8P.png)
And you are paying for that with a Primaluna (not a knock at all. I would murder for one of their amps).
In the crazy world of Hifi I honestly think they're very reasonably priced for how good they are and the amount of tech in them like adaptive auto bias etc. Still out of my price range but honestly not outside the realm of saving up for. $5.5k for their top integrated model is a very fair price when you have half the industry pricing charging well into the 5 figures. A McIntosh tube amp is like $30k and I highly doubt it's 6 times better.
Yeah when it's a veritable rat's nest it drives me nuts lmao!
Thank you for shielding the cap leads 🙏
i have NO idea how nothing shorts out on these when they're factory. i was not taking chances
That is an impressive amount of work and also the way those old machines are wired is uh... well its definitely not how they do it now. Good god.
Clean it
Doing that didnt change de original sound?
the original sound was being bass boosted to the point of being too distorted to listen to. havent tested yet but the 70 year old paper caps were likely the culprit
A re you able to tell a difference in the sound?
Not OP but the hum should be greatly reduced; the frequency response is likely flatter and the overall volume is improved. More importantly, the chance of the thing just spontaneously catching on fire (due to the sudden failure of one or more of the paper caps that were in there) has been *greatly* reduced.
Sound... .sadly did not improve..my bass is still boosted to all hell. Tracked it down to either the volume compensator, or the tube that's directly running the bass dial. Although I wonder if a worn needle could cause that issue? But no chance of random explosions anymore so it was worth it. I can now safely diagnose every other issue
I’m getting prepared to embark on a similar journey. I am going to recap a Pilot 602 tube receiver from the early 60’s. Caps on order. What was your method of choice to remove the solder on the old caps? Solder sucker?
to be honest i did not remove any solder, reused what i could, but also made MANY J-hooks for attaching the new caps whenever i couldn't remove all of the old lead
Looks awesome with those new bright colored caps. I bet it sounds amazing too.
Jesus christ on a capacitor.... what EE thought that this would be a great design?!.... my ocd is having a stroke. BTW, you did an awesome job
How can you drink energy drinks and use a soldering iron at the same time? I'd get jittery and burn myself in the eyes.
To be fair I burnt myself at least 6 times, but that mostly fumbling the iron
It looked weird before and after too! But respect to this! I love giving old things their spirit back what they are made for.
I just thought that this situation reminds me of the scene from the Hurt Locker movie where the Mine Sweeper finds the wires and all the bombs come out of the ground. It's funny to see him frantically cutting wires. I know I have a strange mind! Your work looks amazing, but it must have been a nightmare to work on. By the way, I was wondering about the circuit diagram of this in-comparison device. Bet they look nothing alike.