getting a Fisher X-100 tonight (needs restoring)

G

Gunnar02

New Member
getting a Fisher X-100 tonight (looking for manual/service manual))

Hi

a friend of mine has stumbled over a Fisher X-100..(trough another friend...etc.)
Now it is going to be mine for 500,- Dkr (roughly $90) this evening

Reportedly the amp is in working condition, however not well kept, pretty dirty, misses a few "gold" caps on the buttons etc...but I guess that also means that every part in it is the original parts and tubes (since nobody has cared for it and presumable never serviced it)..I'll see tonight :)

However I'm very exited to get this Tube Integrated Stereo Amplifier since it will be my first of that kind of amps.
I'm a guitarrist and have recently build my first 5watt (1x12ax7/6n2p (switch/changeable) 1xEL84) SE guitar amp (can be seen here: "King Loyal a.ka. the Russian Rocket" the text is in Danish, but the pics and sound clip speaks for itself I think.

But I'm new to Tube Stereo Amps and Push Pull Amps, so there will a be lot to learn here.

I'm very happy to find this Forum: looks like the place to find information etc. about The Fisher amps.

Once I've picked it up tonight I'll get back with pics and questions on restoring The Fisher

EDIT: picked up The Fisher X-100 yesterday: it's in perfect working condition! Now I'm looking for a manual/service manual (european version) any ideas where I can find that?
;)
Gunnar
 
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...and you'll love the sound of this little integrated once restored.

What version of X-100 is it? Many iterations of this amp exists.
 
Gunnar02 said:
Hi

a friend of mine has stumbled over a Fisher X-100..(trough another friend...etc.)
Now it is going to be mine for 500,- Dkr (roughly $90) this evening

Reportedly the amp is in working condition, however not well kept, pretty dirty, misses a few "gold" caps on the buttons etc...but I guess that also means that every part in it is the original parts and tubes (since nobody has cared for it and presumable never serviced it)..I'll see tonight :)

However I'm very exited to get this Tube Integrated Stereo Amplifier since it will be my first of that kind of amps.
I'm a guitarrist and have recently build my first 5watt (1x12ax7/6n2p (switch/changeable) 1xEL84) SE guitar amp (can be seen here: "King Loyal a.ka. the Russian Rocket" the text is in Danish, but the pics and sound clip speaks for itself I think.

But I'm new to Tube Stereo Amps and Push Pull Amps, so there will a be lot to learn here.

I'm very happy to find this Forum: looks like the place to find information etc. about The Fisher amps.

Once I've picked it up tonight I'll get back with pics and questions on restoring The Fisher

;)
Gunnar
Click to expand...

Nice amp. If it is the 6bq5 tube-rectified 5AR4 be careful with the power transformer. Each of the three I purchased had bad power transformers. Some information here: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=240081&highlight=modegard
 
thank you all

I'm not 100% sure which version ('cause I haven't seen it yet) but my friend did send me this link and said it is this model :http://www.audioscope.net/the-fisher-x100-tube-amplifier-p-998.html?currency=SFR
So i guess it's the first version of the X-100 ?

anyway: I'll know exactly when I see it tonight (around 2 hours from now)...

Regarding the Sound: Oh yes I'm sure it will be a vast improvement over my current gear: a EXO 2-1 system...however it will take some time before I can really enjoy The Fisher: it surely needs restoring, and I also need to find some speakers to match the X-100.

And Thanks for the warning on the Power Tranny..Well Hopefully it's OK, (I Guess it is since my friend told me powered up the X-100 up and it worked ok..sound was not fantastic but that is understandable the poor condition of the amp taking in consideration) but if it has problems I luckily have one spare vintage german PT lying around which I believe might fit the X-100 :)
anyway does anybody here have a service manual incl. schematic for this fellow?

:)
Gunnar
 
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That looks like the X-100-B. That is the one reputed to be the hardest on the power transformer. It's a fine unit, don't get me wrong, but you may have some work to do to protect the transformer.
 
audiodon said:
That looks like the X-100-B. That is the one reputed to be the hardest on the power transformer. It's a fine unit, don't get me wrong, but you may have some work to do to protect the transformer.
Click to expand...

Looks just like my X-100 - the tube rectifier is the clue. The X-100B was not tube rectified, if I recall correctly.
 
Agreed its X-100 as I have a X-100...that I am also going to start working on this fall.

Never heard it...hope it sounds as good as everyone says they sound!
 
Well my friend reported about the "Space Expander" connectors next to the output trannys, and as far as I know the X-100 (no suffix) is the only model that has those connectors there..?

Anyway: I'll sort out the "Mystery" about exactly which model it is later tonight ;) and tomorrow I'll post pics of the unit before cleaning and restoring it :)
 
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Gunnar02 said:
anyway does anybody here have a service manual incl. schematic for this fellow?

:)
Gunnar
Click to expand...

Welcome. Funny, I just picked up a 100-B myself that's going to need some work. If it's the 100-B it uses silicon rectifiers and 7868 9-pin power tubes.

Listen, go to http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/fishergroup/, join the group and look in their "files" section. You'll find schematics and manuals for just about anything Fisher ever built!

Good luck,

Chris
 
So here it is:
In the "FishTank"..an "old" trunk I bought a year ago on The Canaries and, as you can see, it fits like a glove :)
thex100fishtank.jpg


Some kinda burn marks ;)
The previous owner told me that this amp has been left on and used "continuously" for days and days back in the late '70ies until '85 when he took it over from a friend.
After that it has been used for around 10 years until it was checked up by a pro, and then stowed away in a heated basement for 15 years, until now :)

So no wonder the front looks pretty nice except for the five missing brassplates. ;)
x100front.jpg


And here's the rectifier tube....and as you can see the term "not wellkept" was a strong overstatement.
A minimum of dust, and most amazing: all parts are original, and working fine! We plugged in a set of homebrew speakers and a laptop, fired up The Fisher and sat listening to Miles Davis, Hendrix, Lee Ritenour etc. for a couple of hours and everything sounded fantastic ! :music:
x100back.jpg


It's amazing that this old amp is still running, and running well after SO many years, and so incredibly many hours powered on.
The writing on the tubes are 99% completely gone ! only on one pre-amp tube the words "Pillips" and "ECC83" are readable.

Its an eyepleaser to see the solid and yet simple bearing construction of the amp and the housing.
Also the design is sort of timeless: it still looks great, and not "oldtimerish", and the fact that it possible to hook up a modern computer using todays standard cables is just fantastic.

A very timeless amp, both in design and usability

:music:
 
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Gunnar02,
I have to back up and apologize. I was thinking X-101-B not X-100-B. The mistake is entirely my fault. You wrote it correctly and I saw and interpreted what you wrote incorrectly. The front panel does resemble an X-101-B though.

That's a nice looking amp in good condition.

Are the outputs 6BQ5 (EL84) or 7189? You should be able to read the nomenclature on the chassis so even though the tube lettering itself is gone, you should still be able to tell.
That amp should have wonderful microdetail. The fact that it has a rectifier tube instead of solid state rectification probably works in your favor in terms of starting up after years stored away.

Congratulations.
 
One of these (or similar) has come into my possession a few days ago as well. I'll start my own thread later so not to hijack this one.
 
The Outputs are the EL84/6BQ5/7189 type. I'm going to try some 6P14P-EV I have some day.

I must say I'm really amazed by the sound and the detail this amp is offering.
And even though the tubes are that old they still sound great.

I'm looking forward to dive into this amp and get to know it, this amp will for sure last my lifetime out, given the right care.

One little issue though: the mainfuse is blown and someone has stuffed aluminiumfoil in there.
But besides that: nothing....no scratchy pots, no functions that doesn't work as expected...just simply amazing sound :)

So now It's gonna get a total shine up overhaul, check the voltages running a.s.o.
and the maybe a slight modification: a power-on button on the back, and convert the on/of function in the master volume pot to standby on/off
 
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Aluminum foil is called a "noblow" fuse because it essentially takes the fuse out of the circuit. You really should replace it with a proper rated fuse before you do anything else. I'd suggest that you have a few around until you figure out why someone bypassed the fuse. I'd personally do that before even turning it on again.
 
Welcome to AK. Very nice amp for sure. You will enjoy the sound of the 6P14P-EV tubes. I have been using a quad in my Fisher TA-600 for a while now. They sound really nice although mine took quite a few hours to settle in. They were very bright at first.
 
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