exracer
music speaks
Been a while since I posted!
I haven't seached to see if someone else has done this or not, so my apologies if someone else has gone this route, but in seach of some lamps for my MC7300's and C38 I did some investigation and found some LED's at a company in California: JKL components. I checked out the website online regarding direct replacement with the 7373 lamps that have all burned out of one of my amps, as I found one LED that was the same size and close to the same voltage. (12V vs 14V for the 7373's) It was difficult to compare the lumen output online as one was rated in milli candelas (mcd) and the other in flux, but the current ratings were way off anyway, so I called and spoke to Vince in sales. He wasn't sure either, but was nice enough to send a few samples as they only had a few left in stock so I could tell how they compared once soldered in. Proof is in the pudding as they say.
So here is how they look, sort of*:
There are only 5 LED's on the amp on the left, while there are 10 working 7373's on the right.
The left amp has 2 LED's in each meter window, and one behind the Mcintosh logo.
The right amp with incandescent 7373's have 4 in each window, and while the logo looks brighter, *it is not really true as the cellophane is much older in that amp, and discolored/oxidized. (and one bulb working below the meter. The left amp has been refurbished by Mcintosh previously. That is why the left amp also looks much bluer; as the meter windows have updated cellophanes; which are probably bluer now then they were 30 years ago... (Ron might be able to comment on this...) and they are much greener in real life then they showed up with this phone photo!
So needless to say the LED's are brighter. I only put 2 in each window as I only was sent 5 samples, but I might not put in the other 2. I think I like the darker look.
They will definitely be on the bluer side, as they only have pure white as a color option, and of course regular incandescents are much yellower, which will make things greener, but I am happy to burn less electricity.
and speaking of electricity I quickly did a calculation: at 10 cents a KWh, if one of these amps is on 24/7, it will consume $12 a year in electricity! just from the bulbs! The LED's (given that I put all 12 behind the glass panel, which I don't think I will do,) would cost $2 a year. So both amps, plus the C-38, with LED's if they are always on I would save over $25 bucks in electricity, and of course they should never need replacing again.
I have ordered more and will replace all in both amps and the pre-amp. (I don't even know which bulbs are in the C-38 yet, but I am hoping they are 7373's....)
They retail for $3.50 each, the part number is LE-BP-12W
I haven't seached to see if someone else has done this or not, so my apologies if someone else has gone this route, but in seach of some lamps for my MC7300's and C38 I did some investigation and found some LED's at a company in California: JKL components. I checked out the website online regarding direct replacement with the 7373 lamps that have all burned out of one of my amps, as I found one LED that was the same size and close to the same voltage. (12V vs 14V for the 7373's) It was difficult to compare the lumen output online as one was rated in milli candelas (mcd) and the other in flux, but the current ratings were way off anyway, so I called and spoke to Vince in sales. He wasn't sure either, but was nice enough to send a few samples as they only had a few left in stock so I could tell how they compared once soldered in. Proof is in the pudding as they say.
So here is how they look, sort of*:
There are only 5 LED's on the amp on the left, while there are 10 working 7373's on the right.
The left amp has 2 LED's in each meter window, and one behind the Mcintosh logo.
The right amp with incandescent 7373's have 4 in each window, and while the logo looks brighter, *it is not really true as the cellophane is much older in that amp, and discolored/oxidized. (and one bulb working below the meter. The left amp has been refurbished by Mcintosh previously. That is why the left amp also looks much bluer; as the meter windows have updated cellophanes; which are probably bluer now then they were 30 years ago... (Ron might be able to comment on this...) and they are much greener in real life then they showed up with this phone photo!
So needless to say the LED's are brighter. I only put 2 in each window as I only was sent 5 samples, but I might not put in the other 2. I think I like the darker look.
They will definitely be on the bluer side, as they only have pure white as a color option, and of course regular incandescents are much yellower, which will make things greener, but I am happy to burn less electricity.
and speaking of electricity I quickly did a calculation: at 10 cents a KWh, if one of these amps is on 24/7, it will consume $12 a year in electricity! just from the bulbs! The LED's (given that I put all 12 behind the glass panel, which I don't think I will do,) would cost $2 a year. So both amps, plus the C-38, with LED's if they are always on I would save over $25 bucks in electricity, and of course they should never need replacing again.
I have ordered more and will replace all in both amps and the pre-amp. (I don't even know which bulbs are in the C-38 yet, but I am hoping they are 7373's....)
They retail for $3.50 each, the part number is LE-BP-12W
Last edited:
