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Altec "1590BT" amps

Ken Boyd

Ken Boyd

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Picked up these off an Audiomart ad, seller had a pair and after the sale offered me a deal on a third one for parts. I not sure why its considered a parts unit as it is mostly complete other than a face plate and tubes. Anyhow just created this thread to post my progress with these amps and offer and ask any advice as needed. Not sure how many people use these for home audio as they do have high voltages but with the cages on and limit switch in place I consider them save when running with all the safeguards in place. I am going with the plexiglass face plates on these as well, gives you a clear view of all the action inside. The water jet already has the program in place just needed to modify it for an opening for the gauge and switch hole.

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I had one of these many years ago, but just the one so I sold it. It was used in a church, along with pair of 1569 which I still have.

I assume you know about the Tom Tutay mods...
 
gadget73 said:
three potato mashers and a regular 5R4? Thats a heck of a stout power supply.

What do these run for output tubes?
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These run a pair of 811 tubes, basically these are the same amps as the 1570B, only these have the gauge to check tube bias. But I did notice what looks like a choke underneath the chassis that the other amps I have don't have; it is right on the supply lead prior to the power switch. I need to look into that to see what it is.


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kirk57 said:
I had one of these many years ago, but just the one so I sold it. It was used in a church, along with pair of 1569 which I still have.

I assume you know about the Tom Tutay mods...
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Yes I have his drawings and in another thread which I created with the 1570B model amps a member posted the link to an article about all the Altec Amps and included a section on Tom Tutay's mods.
 
I saw that too. That must have been from the very early NASA days if that is a NASA sticker. I had a piece of equipment with NASA stickers. It was that weird MCS B&W TV that was used to monitor VHS shows being taped, as a closed circuit monitor, or stereo watt meter. It had dated and signed calibration stickers, and a "Launch Pad 9" sticker on it as well.
 
Ken Boyd said:
Picked up these off an Audiomart ad, seller had a pair and after the sale offered me a deal on a third on for parts. I not sure why its considered a parts unit as it is mostly complete other than a face plate and tubes. Anyhow just created this thread to post my progress with these amps and offer and ask any advice as needed. Not sure how many people use these for home audio as they do have high voltages but with the cages on and limit switch in place I consider them save when running with all the safeguards in place. I am going with the plexiglass face plates on these as well, gives you a clear view of all the action inside. The water jet already has the program in place just needed to modify it for an opening for the gauge and switch hole.

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Those are some very nice amps. And they look to be in great shape.
It would be easy enough to buy some perforated steel to make a new front for the cage on the one.
 
I copied what I did with my 1950B amps, only I programmed in for the gauge opening, I took 1/4 plexiglass for a front panel, that allows for you to view everything from the front as I also removed the dividing wall and relocated the big resistor to underneath the chassis. That brown is protective covering for the clear glass face, it just peels off.

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Last night a batch of Altec 256C were up for sale, I must say I really did well and resisted buying them. I really wanted them but with so many projects I already have going on, and really no need for any more amps, I sweat it out and didn't buy them. I know with the AK spirit I should have had room for a few more amps, but I already have a number of big amp racks full of SAE, and Phase Linear gear that I never use now that I am into tube amps, the last thing I need is more stacks of rack amps. Plus, I am quite busy working, so I don't have a lot of free time. But I must say I really wanted those amps, they used 807 tubes.
 
kirk57 said:
I had one of these many years ago, but just the one so I sold it. It was used in a church, along with pair of 1569 which I still have.

I assume you know about the Tom Tutay mods...
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I have a number more of these without the gauges and could look into the Tom Tutay mods. They seemed pretty extensive, and I do enjoy working on these things, but when it comes to major mods, and original purchase cost, I can usually find a very good amp for less money. Most of the amps I try to find are project amps that the owners don't price them at some outlandish cost with rare or collectable inflated prices tacked on. From what I saw, the Tutay mod might cost some money, more than I think the amps would be worth, so I would have to think it over carefully. .
 
Ken Boyd said:
And yes these were all Property of NASA. I have to hope that no NASA personal try to take them back. I have NASA, Space X, Blue O, and ULA workers here all the time. :rflmao:
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This made me think of an experience long ago I had with a water bottle company. I used to race motocross and I had an empty 5-gallon plastic water bottle crate like the old milk crates but a bit taller, and I used it to sit my bike on at the races. Was in a store parking lot and a water truck pulled in to change out their bottles and he demanded I return that crate to him as it had painted on it property of Culligan water company. He was going to call the cops if I didn't hand it over, so I lost my race bike pit stand that day.
 
Dswankey said:
Good eye!
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Yeah, that heritage was a cool factor for me as I am an aerospace worker and build a lot of articles for NASA and other aerospace companies, thought it fitting for them to be on my amps. NASA managers gave me a three D printed Artemis capsule a while back for building an Artemis Training Capsule for them to certify the Navy divers for extraction of the Astronaut's. Plus, I assembled a bunch of things for the Artemis Mobile launcher.

I wasn't kidding about them walking thru the shop all the time. I am in the process of doing FAT testing as we speack so a bunch of teams will be working in here tomorrow.
 
^ Very cool that those amps are now in your possession.

Just wondering out loud, did NASA have specific tube specifications in the same vein as JAN marked tubes for the military?
 
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