El 34 amp.

rromeo

Active Member
Looking to get a basic el 34 amp. 12au7 drivers ( because I have a bunch of those tubes, lol ) etc. Suggestions?? Looking for Tubey goodness here. Under $1000 used.
 
Unfortunately no building skills but it is a good idea. Obviously Dynaco ST70 is a strong contender here. Any other options? Mullard 520? Marantz clone?
Damn I wish I could solder....and other skills necessary to make an amp.
 
I've got an Yaqin MC13S I really enjoy, but it also has 12AX7s for drivers. Also somewhat under your budget.
 
I've got an Yaqin MC13S I really enjoy, but it also has 12AX7s for drivers. Also somewhat under your budget.

I had a MC10L that I really liked. That would possibly fit the bill. Can you bypass the preamp section? I dont want an integrated really. The MC10L was my first tube amp and really did love that thing. I read in a review that the 12AU7s made the most sonic difference in the 13s...Hmmm.
 
Unfortunately no building skills but it is a good idea. Obviously Dynaco ST70 is a strong contender here. Any other options? Mullard 520? Marantz clone?
Damn I wish I could solder....and other skills necessary to make an amp.

Soldering is so easy! Watch some youtube videos and then buy some parts and practice. Believe me, if this Latin teacher could become proficient, you can too. One caveat if you do go that route, make sure you have access to a tech or the kit company that has a trouble shooting service since you probably don't have much in the way of trouble shooting skills. It would be good to have a back-up option if it doesn't go well. But if you practice and are take your time building, Bob Latino's amp could be yours...
 
Looking to get a basic el 34 amp. 12au7 drivers ( because I have a bunch of those tubes, lol ) etc. Suggestions?? Looking for Tubey goodness here. Under $1000 used.
I believe the Triode Electronics version of the Dynaco st70 uses 12au7 in the front end. I built one a long time ago but they are still making parts and replacement circuit boards for the st70. So, you might check it out and pick up a used st70 and replace the cb with a trioded one.
 
Looking to get a basic el 34 amp. 12au7 drivers ( because I have a bunch of those tubes, lol ) etc. Suggestions?? Looking for Tubey goodness here. Under $1000 used.
Look up tube amps by Primaluna. They use those exact tubes and it sounds aboslutely wonderful
 
I have an Antique Sound Lab aq-1003dt which uses those exact tubes. You can probably find one used in your price range. I have an earlier make that a friend sold me for $450, the same price he bought it used.
 
So it seems like a Dynaco will fit the bill.I am assuming that I should buy one of the newer ones and not a reconditioned original. Any ideas on that?
 
If you can find one at a nice price that needs reconditioning that would be a good learning project for you (and again soldering is super easy as you just heat it till it melts and flows and then let cool) as there are lot's of different ways to upgrade or restore it! Plus much support as they are popular! May save big $ this way also!
 
I have a really nice reconditioned original ST70. Recapped / new speaker binding posts / speaker impedance switch. Chassis and cage in excellent condition. Comes with a very good NOS light play set of tubes. National Electronics EL34 output tubes / Sylvania 7199 driver tubes. Plug and play. PM if interested.
 
I had a MC10L that I really liked. That would possibly fit the bill. Can you bypass the preamp section? I dont want an integrated really. The MC10L was my first tube amp and really did love that thing. I read in a review that the 12AU7s made the most sonic difference in the 13s...Hmmm.
I didn't hear much difference in the rolling of the AU7s as compared to the AX7s. I still use a phono pre for my analog chain, and a tube pre for my digital. All seems to sound good to me. I'm sure I'm not doing things "right", but that's never concerned me.
 
So it seems like a Dynaco will fit the bill.I am assuming that I should buy one of the newer ones and not a reconditioned original. Any ideas on that?
Some of the Dynaco devotees maintain that the older original 'cloth covered wires transformers sound better than ones with plastic insulated wires. This is not something that i have looked into but is a reason some buyers look to get the older manufactured ST70.
A big plus for Dynaco is the huge number of replacement parts, circuit boards, even complete kits that are available. This also makes resale of your unit a relatively easier proposition. Resale value is also good since there is a ready demand for them. This is not true for currently made tube offerings. Depreciation on those units are major.
 
If you can find one at a nice price that needs reconditioning that would be a good learning project for you (and again soldering is super easy as you just heat it till it melts and flows and then let cool) as there are lot's of different ways to upgrade or restore it! Plus much support as they are popular! May save big $ this way also!
Caution here, this is a high voltage amplifier , on the order of 425v. A mistake can be costly (and scary). i would get a reconditioned one. Plenty of good, refurbished Dyna's out there still, after all, it was the most popular power amp. ever sold. approx 600,000 pcs in 19 years.
 
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