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Big V-FET thread

I read on a 3rd party web site that suggested that Sony posited that their vFet amps had the sonic attributes of a 2a3 amplifier. Is that even remotely true, or pure marketing hyperbole, in your opinion?
 
I have not heard a 2a3 amp, however right before I had the 8650 I had a Mac 240 with a Mac tube preamp/tuner, the Sony does sound very tube like... but with more detail.
I hope others have more comparisons to share.
 
Nor have I heard a 2a3. I've heard an EL84 SEP and a Soviet 6P1T based push-pull (6AQ5 equiv) and eared them both favorably.

I see in another thread that you just bought a 4650 and are in the process of refurbing. I have a 4650 incoming that has had the diodes-of-death issue addressed and has been freshly biased. I'll be looking at recapping this coming summer when AKer Blahgstrom is back in town (are you listening Blaine!? :D)
When you've got it done, it might be helpful if you posted a parts list or scanned your invoice(s) from the parts outlet. I know I'd certainly appreciate it! This has really been an invaluable thread.
 
I am a big believer in damping components- the thin metal rings like a bell.
I have done the bottom and top, the inside is about half done as I am waiting to see how the big caps fit.
 

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The very last part of the "damping" will also be cosmetic- I have made solid oak side panels for this unit.
 

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Guys, my Hakko 951 died on me... and while I wait for my replacement I was getting some of the wires ready. I Dremeled out the connection for the output wires and to my amazement the stock power wire is a whopping big 22AWG. That is fine for interconnects, but tiny for power output.
I also got my filter caps and they are the same height as the old ones- which is good. The pins fit right into the old holes so I will just solder them in place.
I will post pix when I get to that point.
Wish I was not so generous to friends- I gave my second Hakko to a friend that was using a cheap soldering iron!!! now I just have to wait... but I did buy two again.
This 4650 is shaping up to be a nice amp when it is done!
 
^^^ silly picture, the diagram shows cathode on the right then the actual diodes are oriented the other way. As this is meant to be educational, you'd think that they would have the diagram and and the actual diodes facing the same way. Could be confusing to someone learning this for the first time
I learned to remember diode polarity like this: the stripe on both the symbol and the actual part resembles a "minus", which indicates the negative (-) side of the diode (=cathode)
 
I read on a 3rd party web site that suggested that Sony posited that their vFet amps had the sonic attributes of a 2a3 amplifier. Is that even remotely true, or pure marketing hyperbole, in your opinion?
I had a 5550 that I recapped and so on. It sounded very sweet compared to my Quad 909, but I eventually dumped the 5550 because of its very weak bass response. Hopefully I will get my hands on one of the more powerful models in the future...
 
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I had a 4650 that I recapped and so on. It sounded very sweet compared to my Quad 909, but I eventually dumped the 4650 because of its very weak bass response. Hopefully I will get my hands on one of the more powerful models in the future...


Since my last post, I've taken possession of a 4650. It will need a recap, but so far, I am favorably impressed. The lean bass output somewhat tempers the fat low end of my ADS speakers. Gotta love synergy. Of course, I too will be on the lookout for something more powerful in the vFet line, but only if occasion should present itself.
 
Since my last post, I've taken possession of a 4650. It will need a recap, but so far, I am favorably impressed. The lean bass output somewhat tempers the fat low end of my ADS speakers. Gotta love synergy. Of course, I too will be on the lookout for something more powerful in the vFet line, but only if occasion should present itself.

Love my 4650, has been in continuous use since I got it in 1980. It does seem to favor some speakers over others, but I'm guessing synergy is an issue for most amps and soeakers.
 
I have a Sony TA-8650 amp with 80 watts per channel. I love the sound but why Sony used such a stupid speaker wire connector is beyond me... It does not hold the wire firmly and I such an obscure design you cannot use anything other than plain 16 gauge speaker wire....
 
I have a Sony TA-8650 amp with 80 watts per channel. I love the sound but why Sony used such a stupid speaker wire connector is beyond me... It does not hold the wire firmly and I such an obscure design you cannot use anything other than plain 16 gauge speaker wire....

Is it the pinch/squeeze connector?
 
I got my soldering stations and am up and running again. I soldered in the big caps and the new wires that will go to the speaker terminals (I ordered new 5 way terminals that I will install once they arrive).
I will not be able to use the cool lock down that the old caps used as the new Nichicon's are skinny in comparison- but the contacts fit in through where the old ones screwed in & I soldered them in place.
 

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I got my soldering stations and am up and running again. I soldered in the big caps and the new wires that will go to the speaker terminals (I ordered new 5 way terminals that I will install once they arrive).
I will not be able to use the cool lock down that the old caps used as the new Nichicon's are skinny in comparison- but the contacts fit in through where the old ones screwed in & I soldered them in place.

How will you support that board?
Was it sitting on achored caps that were much larger?
I don't have that unit, but the Sony TAE 8450 power supply board is very similar.
 
might want to rename this the "Big Sony VFET Thread"? you can flag down a mod since they're the only ones that can do that once the title is created.
 
I tried to change the name of the thread since I started it... but it didn't work.
I think it is still a good name as Sony sold V-FET gear over 100 to 1 over the competition. Yamaha and others were scrambling to try to make VFET's when Sony was making them in droves. They even have an ad about it.
 
This is what I did for the board that goes on top of the filter caps. First- the caps are the same height as the securing ground post and the old caps- that makes it easy. I cut a piece of solid hickory to size, painted it black to look perdy and silicone glued it in place (circled in photo). There was a large solder spot on the underside of the board so I Dremeled a divot for it to go. Once I get the new speaker posts in... I will use black silicone glue to put every thing in place. There are a few nice things about silicone glue are that it dampes and it is easy to remove.
 

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Is it the pinch/squeeze connector?

No... It's a design that was only on the TA8650 and TA8550 amps. You stick a 1.5" bare lead into a hole and a lever clamps a metal bar down on the bare wire. I have always thought about removing the connectors and replacing them with banana types.
 
No... It's a design that was only on the TA8650 and TA8550 amps. You stick a 1.5" bare lead into a hole and a lever clamps a metal bar down on the bare wire. I have always thought about removing the connectors and replacing them with banana types.


That's what I did on my TAN-8550, using a scrap of plexiglass as a mounting plate and these binding posts (they also come in red)

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Pomona/3770-0/?qs=/ha2pyFaduivCO3Ht1C0RXpn7s81Z1DfQ0A2y89vgME=
 
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