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Dynaco ST-70 or Eico ST-70? Which is best?

loomis

loomis

bland
If you had a Dynaco ST-70 amp and a PAS3 to go with it, and you also had an Eico ST-70 intergated amp, which one would you use as your main system?

The Eico has the better 7591's vs the Dyna's EL34's. The iron is better in the Eico.

The Dynas are more valuable and more customizable. The Dynas are easier to work on for beginners and have much more communtity support.

What other comparisons or opinions can you think of? Thanks
 
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Interesting topic, and one I can give somewhat of an opinion on. I have a Dynaco 70, and a Fisher KX200 which has heavy iron and uses 7591s. The Fisher has been freshened up, and the Dynaco is actually modded to the hilt, so maybe not the "fairest" of comparisons. I just never found a lot of magic in the Fisher, even after exstensive tube rolling. It's a great old stereo and dead quiet right down to the phono section, but it just doesn't make me say "wow". The Dynaco on the other hand is one of my very favorites. It seems to do whatever I (and the pre) want to feed it with gusto. I think Dynaco output iron is just in a class by itself when it comes to stuff that an average Joe like myself can afford. Never heard an Eico, just assuming it would compare with the Fisher, which could be a bad assumption. Just my 2 cents, Jay
 
I think that it's a fair comparison to say that the Eico sounds like a Fisher 500. Kinda hmmm, I don't know, bassy and laid back, whereas the Dynaco seems forward and peppy to me.
 
I won't comment on the sound, as it's impossible (and possibly dangerous) to compare my unrestored 30 year old amps, and that's the condition that mine are in. I do have a "Keggerized" ST-70 that sounds great, but you can't compare that to an original Dynaco in circuit alone, not to mention it's an all-new-parts build (everything except the chassis, sockets, and cloth lead output transformers). On a Restoration/DIY note, the Eico seems to have a bit larger output transformers, and lot more room to work in the chassis.
 
hey-Hey!!!,
I'd put it at even odds. I'd value the bigger chassis. The output iron is probably a wash too. As to as good as it gets at a price point, I'd have to disagree. I got Peerless 20-20 for less than $100 each last time I bought them...and that was with Nomex 'paper' insulation and Teflon on the leads. The Dyna and Eico stuff is OK, but far from a best value if you pay retail for it.
Best Regards,
Douglas
 
PakProtector said:
hey-Hey!!!,
I'd put it at even odds. I'd value the bigger chassis. The output iron is probably a wash too. As to as good as it gets at a price point, I'd have to disagree. I got Peerless 20-20 for less than $100 each last time I bought them...and that was with Nomex 'paper' insulation and Teflon on the leads. The Dyna and Eico stuff is OK, but far from a best value if you pay retail for it.
Best Regards,
Douglas
Click to expand...

$200 for just a couple of output transformers? That's a lot of money! I got this whole amp, with tubes, for a lot less than that! ;)
 
Squidward said:
$200 for just a couple of output transformers? That's a lot of money! I got this whole amp, with tubes, for a lot less than that! ;)
Click to expand...

New retail is one thing. Used and lucky is quite another, yes? Any way you slice it, skilled shopping is the way to save money. I've got negative money in a lot of my parts...which is even better than free...:)
cheers,
Douglas
 
You guys will probably want to kill me, but I paid $10 for my super-clean Dynakit ST-70 and $1 for my super-clean Eico ST-70. Both at estate sales recently.

I only have time to restore one of the two right now, so maybe I'll start on the Eico. I can't decide which one to restore first.

Thanks
 
PakProtector said:
New retail is one thing. Used and lucky is quite another, yes? Any way you slice it, skilled shopping is the way to save money. I've got negative money in a lot of my parts...which is even better than free...:)
cheers,
Douglas
Click to expand...

Well, I suppose if I wanted to sell off my Eico piece by piece I'd get to "negative money" quickly enough, but I don't think that was the point of this thread! And, if you're willing to pay $200 for a pair of outputs, some "skilled shopping" might turn up a used amp for around that much that includes tubes, chassis, sockets, and power transformer! (In fact, I've seen an Eico ST-70 go on That Auction Site for that much.)
 
loomis said:
You guys will probably want to kill me, but I paid $10 for my super-clean Dynakit ST-70 and $1 for my super-clean Eico ST-70. Both at estate sales recently.

I only have time to restore one of the two right now, so maybe I'll start on the Eico. I can't decide which one to restore first.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you don't have a preamp, or a phono preamp (and you use vinyl), the Eico might be the one to do first, as it's an integrated...

Nice score!
 
got me beat

loomis said:
You guys will probably want to kill me, but I paid $10 for my super-clean Dynakit ST-70 and $1 for my super-clean Eico ST-70. Both at estate sales recently.

I only have time to restore one of the two right now, so maybe I'll start on the Eico. I can't decide which one to restore first.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I paid $15 for my Eico ST-70 and $10 for a Eico St-40 at a garage sale from the guy who built them originally, I recapped the 70 and its now my main amp. No complaints, it sounds great to me.
 
Always wanted to try an Eico ST70

When I was about 8 my best friend's father had an Eico ST70. It was my first experience in hearing real high fidelity. I've always wanted one of these. Interesting tube mix.....12AX7, 12DW7, 6SN7 and 7591. That should sound very different vs. Dynaco.

My recollection as a kid was that the Eico was a very lively piece. But at 8, what did I know? My only reference was my dad's Telefunken Jubilee table radio.

MAK
 
loomis said:
You guys will probably want to kill me, but I paid $10 for my super-clean Dynakit ST-70 and $1 for my super-clean Eico ST-70. Both at estate sales recently.

I only have time to restore one of the two right now, so maybe I'll start on the Eico. I can't decide which one to restore first.

Thanks
Click to expand...

good idea..sell me your st-70 to fund the eico restore. I'll let you make a small profit on me.
 
Hmmm....

So really no one has any opinions as to which one to shoot for? The Eico seems a little better to me overall, but I'm not clear which mods need done and how to do them, so I'd have to really do some research. Unfortunatelly, that Eico mod page hasn't been updated in quite some time, and the yahoo group is kind of a mess.

Thanks,
 
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