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Eico HF 81 VS Dynaco St 35 DG Style?

Tubeglowpio

Tubeglowpio

Active Member
I have yet to find any EL 84 stereo that sounds as good as my rebuilt Eico HF 81, I've read such good things about the St 35 using Dave's boards and wonder if anyone has heard both the modded st 35 and hf 81 and can compare them. The Eico is so musical sounding and sounds way more robust and powerful than one would expect. Hoping the ST 35 can beat it with the mods. I know the Eico has help with the tone controls but still wonder how the amps sounds compared to eachother. Wonder what you all think? Thanks
 
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Tom Bombadil said:
It isn't all that easy to best a rebuilt Eico HF81. They can sing.
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That's seems to be the case, I've heard a number of well regarded sub 1000 and have enjoyed the Eico the most probably, its not perfect but it gets me into the music everytime. It kind of reminds me of a modded Maggie 8601 I had but with more power and bass, slightly less 3d sounding too, but those two amps have been the most musical for me. I still need to fix up my fisher 400 and see how that compares.
 
Tom Bombadil said:
It isn't all that easy to best a rebuilt Eico HF81. They can sing.
Click to expand...
I do wish I could find replacements for the treble pot/switch only one I can find is sold by a horrible guy on Ebay, he sell junk for high price and screws over most people then changes ebay name.
 
John Atkinson did an in depth review in Stereophile on the Eico HF-81 on June 2, 2006. It's still available online because I just read it. This amp has such terrible specs. only an audiophile could appreciate it. Read the review to fully enjoy the miserable specs. and high distortion this amp can produce. Two amps were fully restored by professionals before testing was done. Hard to believe how many people still hold this amp in high regard.
 
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Tubeglowpio said:
I do wish I could find replacements for the treble pot/switch only one I can find is sold by a horrible guy on Ebay, he sell junk for high price and screws over most people then changes ebay name.
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What pot are you looking for? Can look through my collection....

Andy
 
regore said:
John Atkinson did an in depth review in Stereophile on the Eico HF-81 on June 2, 2006. It's still available online because I just read it. This amp has such terrible specs. only an audiophile could appreciate it. Read the review to fully enjoy the miserable specs. and high distortion this amp can produce. Two amps were fully restored by professionals before testing was done. Hard to believe how many people still hold this amp in high regard.
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Yeah I think I did read that but it didn't turn me off from getting one because a lot of people like the way they sound, if you go by specs than a MCIntosh wouldn't be as good as some 100 dollar stereos today with their .01 percent distortion.
 
regore said:
John Atkinson did an in depth review in Stereophile on the Eico HF-81 on June 2, 2006. It's still available online because I just read it. This amp has such terrible specs. only an audiophile could appreciate it. Read the review to fully enjoy the miserable specs. and high distortion this amp can produce. Two amps were fully restored by professionals before testing was done. Hard to believe how many people still hold this amp in high regard.
Click to expand...
Do you listened to it? You have one? Forget the specs. I listen a lot to vinyls with my Grado headphones (homemade headphone box connected to the Eico) and it’s a really good but ugly amp.
 
regore said:
John Atkinson did an in depth review in Stereophile on the Eico HF-81 on June 2, 2006. It's still available online because I just read it. This amp has such terrible specs. only an audiophile could appreciate it. Read the review to fully enjoy the miserable specs. and high distortion this amp can produce. Two amps were fully restored by professionals before testing was done. Hard to believe how many people still hold this amp in high regard.
Click to expand...

You are referring to the review which contained these statements?

"The EICO HF-81 is simply a fantastic-sounding amplifier that, properly restored, can sound better than most any single-ended triode (SET) amp of similar power."

"The HF-81 fed it all back to me—I heard the synergy, felt the music—just the way a single-ended amp delivers. It was amazing—and to ice the cake, the HF-81 didn't soften the bass or roll off the top. It was as if I'd taken a Krell, a Spectral, and an Ongaku amp, put them all in that transporter pod in The Fly, then thrown the switch and opened the second pod and, presto—the HF-81."

"Toss in a full restoration, and for well under $2000, the HF-81 can beat the pants off many amps and shame the SETs at their own game. I unconditionally recommend that you find an EICO HF-81, restore it, and hear for yourself what the fuss is all about."
 
Patrice B said:
Do you listened to it? You have one? Forget the specs. I listen a lot to vinyls with my Grado headphones (homemade headphone box connected to the Eico) and it’s a really good but ugly amp.
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I have not tried my homemade headphone box with it but will, I know one downfall of these is they are a tad noisy with efficient speakers but I may do some mods to get rid of that, I wonder if they could tame my hd 700s, that is a difficult headphone to make it sound good, great headphone with the right amp though.
 
Tom Bombadil said:
You are referring to the review which contained these statements?

"The EICO HF-81 is simply a fantastic-sounding amplifier that, properly restored, can sound better than most any single-ended triode (SET) amp of similar power."

"The HF-81 fed it all back to me—I heard the synergy, felt the music—just the way a single-ended amp delivers. It was amazing—and to ice the cake, the HF-81 didn't soften the bass or roll off the top. It was as if I'd taken a Krell, a Spectral, and an Ongaku amp, put them all in that transporter pod in The Fly, then thrown the switch and opened the second pod and, presto—the HF-81."

"Toss in a full restoration, and for well under $2000, the HF-81 can beat the pants off many amps and shame the SETs at their own game. I unconditionally recommend that you find an EICO HF-81, restore it, and hear for yourself what the fuss is all about."
Click to expand...
Yeah it always surprises me how clean and extended the treble sounds but never harsh, especially for a 1950's stereo. What coupling caps is in yours? I rebuilt most of my amp but didn't change out some of the ceramics, I actually used sozo blues for the finals coupling caps, I think they do indeed have that vintage flavor and actually think I seen some in a Dennis Had amp recently so I guess it wasn't a bad choice. Usually go pio but wanted to keep it close to original.
 
It is hard to relate John Atkinson's negative view of the measurements to Peter Breuninger's ecstatic listening review. There ought to be some correlation or explanation. I seem to recall Dave Gillespie talking about this in an earlier thread. It's something to do with circuit synergy.
 
I don't think I ever heard an 81.
The conversation goes back to the , " the specs clearly don't tell the whole story" premise, which I feel many (most) of us subscribe.
 
Measurements can tell if the subject device is working properly and how well to establish a firm baseline, how it sounds under real world conditions, operating as intended, tells the rest of the story for the practical result.
 
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