Ampex Crescendo Console

[MusicLover76]

Hi, I just joined AK today, although I have been visiting for many years. i am sharing my second Ampex console very nice Crescendo I acquired from the South in August 2023. I first wanted to thank the Ampex Console aficionados who unknowingly guided me through to purchase and two restorations. I cam’t tell you how valuable your discussion, pictures, and knowledge imparted is. I will post the first purchase a barn find Custom in a couple of days.
i deciphered this to be Serial number #3 in the year manufactured.
The cabinet was as you see it, with minor touch up completed upon arrival. It was completely disassembled and gone through by a professional vintage tech. Amps recapped etc.
Thanks to you all!

 

[Dswankey]

Looks to be a 1961 Crescendo in Traditional Mahogany per this thread (post #16)

Ampex Signature Console 1959-1961? - Production Variants?

1961 Ampex Signature Promotional Photo I’ve enjoyed Bryce's museum tour of his Ampex console collection for a few years now -- and with some patience and persistence I finally found a very nice intact Ampex Signature for restoration -- at a time that it finally fit the budget. In the interim I...

audiokarma.org

Very nice looking unit, congrats on your acquisition!!!! and thanks for sharing the pics

 

[MusicLover76]

Thank you. Here are additional photos from the rear looks like the cabinet was made in 1959. (I maxed out on pictures in the previous post).

 

[mrwood200]

Ampex console in v.nice condition. Well Done!
You got to like those crossovers. What are the drivers?
Any info on the record changer?

 

[MusicLover76]

@mrwood200 Thanks. On this one I didn’t pull the back of the speaker cabinet off, just crossover testing. Do you know if the grill can be removed from the front?
TT is a Garrard RC88/4

 

[mrwood200]

Do you know if the grill can be removed from the front?
TT is a Garrard RC88/4

Not sure on the grills, but looks like the rear panel is removable.
Nice turntable. I thought it looked like a quality changer, but the mat confused me a bit....

per this thread (post #16)

This is clearly a high-end console. Whatever drivers you got are probably v.good, but per the excellent post referenced above, sounds like there may be some variations.
I was just curious & hoping for some Ampex drivers! No need to open it up. Maybe ask your tech; they may have opened already.

 

[zenith2134]

That's a NICE one.

 

[MusicLover76]

Not sure on the grills, but looks like the rear panel is removable.
Nice turntable. I thought it looked like a quality changer, but the mat confused me a bit....

This is clearly a high-end console. Whatever drivers you got are probably v.good, but per the excellent post referenced above, sounds like there may be some variations.
I was just curious & hoping for some Ampex drivers! No need to open it up. Maybe ask your tech; they may have opened already.

If I can access it fairly easily . I will post back here

 

[MusicLover76]

That's a NICE one.

Thanks …..nice to listen to as well

 

[Dswankey]

Do you know if the grill can be removed from the front?

It's hard to tell from the pictures, my guess is no and if it were me I wouldn't want to try and mess up the fabric.

Having owned and still own an Ampex console I can tell you it's relatively easy to access the speakers from the back. You'll just need to unscrew the back panel.

Some of the Ampex consoles from back then had JBL's in them and a current AK'er had Stephens Trusonics in his.

 

[kvflyer]

Very, very nice. Not too many people would appreciate what you have. Did you clean the chassis or was it already that spotless?

 

[MusicLover76]

It's hard to tell from the pictures, my guess is no and if it were me I wouldn't want to try and mess up the fabric.

Having owned and still own an Ampex console I can tell you it's relatively easy to access the speakers from the back. You'll just need to unscrew the back panel.

Some of the Ampex consoles from back then had JBL's in them and a current AK'er had Stephens Trusonics in his.

@Dswankey Thanks for the feedback on messing with the grill, makes sense. I did open the back of my Ampex Custom to remove and test the bullet tweeter which was unfortunately DOA.

 

[MusicLover76]

Very, very nice. Not too many people would appreciate what you have. Did you clean the chassis or was it already that spotless?

I did clean the chassis up, but they were already in very fine condition.

 

[kvflyer]

So far as I know, Sylvania developed the 7199 and no Euro maker ever produced a version so no surprised those are US made. I believe those specific ones were made by RCA, or at least it sure looks like the RCA "stop sign" tube number style.

More has been written about the ST-70 than probably any other amplifier produced. Its a solid first amp. They sound good, its got good transformers, and parts are available. Too many opinions are also available but to offer one anyway I'd say rebuild the power supply and bias supply, and maybe replace the caps on the driver board. Run it stock but properly working and see what you think. Tons of things you can change on it later but a baseline is useful and the power supply needs to be rebuilt anyway.

I did clean the chassis up, but they were already in very fine condition.

Thanks for the response. They look super.

 

[gadget73]

.....umm, where on earth did I say that in this thread? I think there is a glitch somewhere, now to figure out whether its the forum or in my head LOL. One is ignorable, the other maybe I ought to see a doctor about.


It is a nice console though, if you're gonna have one may as well get one thats at the top of the food chain so far as consoles go.

 

[Dswankey]

.....umm, where on earth did I say that in this thread? I think there is a glitch somewhere, now to figure out whether its the forum .

You didn't, my guess is @kvflyer was replying to your comments in this thread

My very first tube amplifier. Excited!

So far as I know, Sylvania developed the 7199 and no Euro maker ever produced a version so no surprised those are US made. I believe those specific ones were made by RCA, or at least it sure looks like the RCA "stop sign" tube number style. More has been written about the ST-70 than probably...

www.audiokarma.org

 

[CoastinHome]

SUPER nice example of a 1961 Crescendo in Traditional Mahogany from the final year of production!

The “-2” in the model number refers to the revision of the 6973-output “15W” amplifiers of the 1959 and 1960 models to the 35W 6L6 amplifiers.

Thanks for posting all the pictures. Very interested in info on the drivers used in this #3 for 1961 Crescendo.

 

[CoastinHome]

@Dswankey Thanks for the feedback on messing with the grill, makes sense. I did open the back of my Ampex Custom to remove and test the bullet tweeter which was unfortunately DOA.

One great advantage of the Crescendo design over that of the Signature is that the crossovers are on the outside of the speaker enclosures, avoiding the need to dig into the enclosures to re-cap the crossover.

There have been countless variations on drivers over the three model years. Some of the drivers mount from the front of the baffle board; others from the back. If all the drivers work, don't open the back of the speaker enclosures -- doing so just creates a lot of unnecessary work.

If you need to remove the speaker grills on the Crescendo you MAY need to first remove the two cabinet doors. It won't be obvious at first why that is -- but it has to do with the fact that the baffle boards are angled outward. I say "MAY" because on the CUSTOM model it was necessary to remove the doors first. I haven't yet removed the grilles on my Crescendo.

Then for each grille there are two self-tapping sheet metal screws (5/16" socket) that go through the plywood floor of the cabinet into the bottom edge of the stamped steel frame for the grille.

You’ll probably need to hook the frames of the grilles with a paperclip etc. to remove them -- but they should come out easily without damage.

The cloth is very durable if the grille assemblies need to be cleaned. I used a soft brush and dissolved Oxi-Clean powder, keeping the grille assemblies wet. Just be sure that if you soak them like this, they need to be dried quickly -- or you risk the frames rusting and rust stains bleeding into the cloth.

Hope this helps...Congrats on your find!

 

[MusicLover76]

@CoastinHome Sorry for the delay in responding. Thanks so much for the informative reply. You have been an excellent source of knowledge in my acclimation to the world of Ampex consoles beginning in late 2022 with my barn found Custom console acquisition.

Here in the Northeast there is a small group of us that became acquainted through the repair shop we visit quite often with our finds and purchase. One highly respected member was excited about both of the consoles I acquired, and his enthusiasm recently led him to what I understand to be a very mint Signature console.
So this Ampex forum has a definite and ripple on effect, well beyond those who participate in the discussions in keeping these beauties alive and cherished.

The drivers in the Crescendo all work great and both channels are balanced, therefore I won’t remove the grills, although I am also curious about the drivers.

 

[CoastinHome]

Thanks so much for the informative reply.

Glad to share.

The Signature is a nice piece of kit -- but your Crescendo would be my preference.

For your 1961 model all the components are generally the same between the two except for the Signature's 15” LF drivers vs 12" on the Crescendo -- and the rare optional Garrard 301/Garrard TPA-12 alternative to the RC-88 changer for the Signature.

The rarity of the 301 is at first surprising - considering that that the upgrade from the RC88 to the 301 was an under-$100 upgrade to a $2600 console, and given the difference in quality and their relative value today. It seems that rather than appealing to an audiophile market, Ampex marketing was aimed at the broader market of those seeking a status statement. From that perspective it makes sense that most users in that market would opt for automation.

As far as preferring the Crescendo - it’s no small point that the center drawers for the turntable and tape deck are behind the center door on the Signature. It’s not practical to get the turntable or tape deck rolling then push in the turntable or deck drawer and close the cabinet door, losing access to the “control center” controls. At the same time it’s not practical to leave that big partition open between the speakers. The Crescendo doesn’t have that problem.

Please share details on the Signature!