But what about Grommes?

[TriodeLuvr]

TriodeLuvr said:
That used to be known as an "economy supply." The center tap produces roughly one-half the voltage of the main output of the bridge. This was fairly common at one time in tube-type communications equipment for powering output tube screens. It's particularly well-suited to tubes like the 6146 and 807 that impose screen voltage limitations that are well below the voltage applied to the plate.

So the center tap is at the 6.3v heater string winding and then goes right to the cathodes so how does it get rectified to 12vdc? Its not a huge deal because the voltages are correct I’m just trying to learn something. View attachment 3179869View attachment 3179870

There seems to be some confusion here - My post was describing the HV supply. Your comment and the circled areas on the schematic reference the filament circuit. Two completely different things.

 

[zackthedog]

pron: Grow-mez

I never in the world would have guessed that! I've always said GROMZ.

 

[TriodeLuvr]

What's the source of this pronunciation? Everyone I've ever known (going back to the '60s) pronounced it as a word that rhymes with "homes."

 

[zackthedog]

Their answering machine says "GROM-us".

 

[Carbsandcaps]

He’ll I even spelled it wrong in the title

 

[opnly bafld]

Owned a pair of Little Jewel 6s and a PHI-26 (why did I sell it?), nice amplifiers.

Holm Audio in Woodridge, IL where I bought the PHI-26 and Electronics Diversified in Peoria, IL that had a pair of 360 monos I wanted (not enough spare coin at the time) both said Grom-mes.

I don't think these were ever made, but they did make and sell some 360s.

The 260A Limited Reissue

 

[Lucky Pierre]

I have a pair of Realist and Realistic Little Jewels which are rebranded Grommes LJ2. The first amps Radio Shack sold under their own name--Realist for a year or two until they changed the name to Realistic, due to a lawsuit on the name.

 

[Patrice B]

Just bought a Grommes LJ20 PP EL84 for a pretty low price and it came already recapped and ready to run. Sweet little amplifier!

 

[Carbsandcaps]

Did I mention the cool gold accenting on the cover. I thought it was rust at first but in the right light it shines

 

[tuberadios69]

Grommes (pron: Grow-mez) is still owned and run by the ancestors of Bill Grommes in the Chicago area, under the name Grommes Precision. They make commercial and industrial audio PA equipment and about 15 years ago they had briefly considered re-entering the tube audio business and built several prototypes. It's still listed as Grommes Hi-Fi on the website but as far as I know it never materialized. I was writing and editing articles for Vacuum Tube Valley Magazine at that time and interviewed their chief Engineer regarding their prototype amplifier and subsequently wrote and submitted an article on the history of Grommes (and also on Stromberg-Carlson) that were never published due to the death of the publisher and the end of the magazine. In any event Grommes made excellent products for the home audio consumer for many years starting in the early 1950s and into the early SS era, and still continues in the audio products business under the auspices of the original family. This should be an excellent performing receiver with proper restoration, well worth the effort.

It's a shame your two articles were never published. I wonder if you could get Tone Audio to publish them? I'm sure we'd all look forward to seeing them in print!

 

[Sue Anders]

Thanks, during a move and a fit of over-zealous purging and perhaps frustration I ditched all my old files and notes about 7-8 years ago. Retrospectively of course I wish now that I hadn't. The VTV Publisher Charlie K. and I had also started work on a re-do of his original "Vintage Hi-Fi Spotters Guide" and a big color book on McIntosh, with their (Denon in Japan) blessing but he got ill and Ken Kessler beat us to it. He did a great job on it though. At this point I'm too old and low energy to take on big research and writing projects.

Grommes is a German name and the last letter is typically pronounced, it can be Grom-us, Grom-ez, Grom-uz, whatever, the last letter is usually pronounced in some way... think like Por-scha for correctly naming the car.

 

[TriodeLuvr]

At this point I'm too old and low energy to take on big research and writing projects.

That's the story of my life lately. Don't know how I ever cranked out so many papers, proposals and ECOs years ago. Now I just sit around and watch tubes make music.

Jack

 

[Carbsandcaps]

Well I got the 6EU7 sockets converted to 12ax7, put some telefunkens in there, got all the capacitors replaced and threw some orange drops in for good measure and it’s definitely one of the best receivers I’ve heard. I left the case off because I like the run a fan on my tube stuff im using it at work for the time being. Definitely recommend it.

 

[tuberadios69]

Did you re-stuff the twist lok capacitors? I'd be surprised if the originals were still good.

 

[Carbsandcaps]

Did you re-stuff the twist lok capacitors? I'd be surprised if the originals were still good.

I don’t usually re stuff them i replaced them with individual caps. That’s what all the bigger green caps are under the chassis