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Heathkit W-6 Amp

DanO55

DanO55

Radar - BSFR
I seem to remember seeing a set of Heathkit W-6 amps posted on this site. I did a search of threads and came up negative. Does anyone have any experience with these amps. My reading on line seems to indicate they were problematic. Any info is appreciated.
 
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There is one on epray right now. The seller lives about 30 mins away. He said he had it fixed by a "reputable" shop. I have been in that shop before and I would never, althought I repair my own sheet anyhow, put any gear I own in there for repair. Take at look at it Jay. Tell me what you think after you look at the pic of the underside. The amp looks great, I however, would not even think of firing this puppy up in the electrical condition I see it in. And, he wants way too much for it me thinks.
 
Here ya go Jay some eye candy for you.

heathkits.jpg


REGARDS JIM
 
That must be a rare bird. I like the cage and the iron, and it definitely looks like the missing link between 5 and 7.:yes: Be fun to see what it goes for.
 
Jim are those really nice amps the W6-A's? They look like it with the added bias pot on top between power tubes & 12BH7A and ON-OFF switch.

Some of latest Info over at audioasylum:

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC&r=

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...um=ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC

More info if you search around that site. Upgrading to W6-A with a few mods helped with biasing problems apparently as the 12BH7A is directly coupled to the power tubes. He added chokes too like HK Cition II PS, with Jim McShanes kits.
 
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Pretty rigs you got there Jim. Cosmetically heathkit gear has always been hit or miss for me. Either butt ugly or beautiful in a 50's, 60's kind of way.

All Eico gear has always been butt ugly to me.

Fisher has always had the best looking vintage gear IMO, with Scott not too far behind.

Kory
 
Shadowdog said:
Jim are those the W6-A's? The look like it with the added bias pot on top between power tubes & 12BH7A and ON-OFF switch.

Some of latest Info over at audioasylum:

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC&r=

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...um=ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC

More info if you search around that site. Upgrading to W6-A with a few mods helped with biasing problems apparently as the 12BH7A is directly coupled to the power tubes. He added chokes too like HK Cition II PS, with Jim McShanes kits.
Click to expand...
Yes those are the A versions. Hers a pic of the M version.

kpaxfaq said:
Pretty rigs you got there Jim. Cosmetically heathkit gear has always been hit or miss for me. Either butt ugly or beautiful in a 50's, 60's kind of way.

All Eico gear has always been butt ugly to me.

Fisher has always had the best looking vintage gear IMO, with Scott not too far behind.

Kory
Click to expand...
Thanks Kory but there not mine, I wish :D I borrowed the pic. I agree Fisher gear looks and sounds great but even back in the day to be fair Fisher gear was pricy much more so than the Heathkit items, A presidential ll console for example back in 1955 was roughly $2600.00 the price of a decent new car!! versus you could have most likely bought 20 or more of the W6 amps for the same price in 1958



REGARDS JIM
 

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That's my pair of Heath W6A amplifiers. From what I have researched, there were some issues with the W6M model, and Heathkit made some modifications to correct them with the "A" model. I have never seen any of the W6A amps for sale, or see anyone post that owned one of them.

I recapped the amps after I acquired them, and replaced the selenium rectifiers with diodes. Other that that, they are basically stock. An output tube failed when I had a bias meter on, and it blew the meter. I couldnt find a matching one with the green background, but found a pair of identical meters in white. They have been rock solid, running daily for around two years.
 

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That audio express article I forgot about, as I told Brad redoing his about it at AA and he incorporated those mods into his, along with upgraded capacitance like Jim McShane did for the Citation II's with his kit's.

There was a fellow in the Citation Sound Yahoo group who upgraded his W6's the same way last year and he and his friend's liked them better in back to back tests, then the Citation II's he had been redone with all the kits too!

I bought a pair of W6-A's too after reading the Citation Sound post. One with the cage and aluminum knobs, which look factory, as they go with the silk screening on the front. The other one is funny in that it doesn't have the added bias pot, but is otherwise like the one's in the pic's above, so it must be a very early version. Mine are originals, as above and don't know how if I should drill a hole to say add the bias pot etc. They should be recapped etc.

Please If anyone has a under chassis clip to hold tube cover on I'm looking for one along with a couple of plastic caps to cover bias pots.

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...um=ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC
 
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hey-Hey!!!,
I have a pair of W6m running the bass in my bi-amp set up. Original circuit is gone. E-Linear 6AC7, added 169T choke with ~440 uF of Jim's capacitors on each side. Rectified with Cree SiC Schottky. Quite tasty. Makes near original rated power w/o the grid drive cathode folllower and Type III KT90. I'll not part with them...:)

Going to try 6AG7 input tubes at some point as they're mostly pin compatible.

Production wasn't very high; the number I've seen around was 1000...so they're pretty rare now.
cheers,
Douglas
 
WoW. I have a line on a pair for $1400 plus shipping that have been reworked by someone who knows what they are doing. Fairly nice condition. New caps all around, meters good, etc. Guess that isn't too bad of a price.
 
I can help, sorta

Shadowdog said:
That audio express article I forgot about, as I told Brad redoing his about it at AA and he incorporated those mods into his, along with upgraded capacitance like Jim McShane did for the Citation II's with his kit's.

There was a fellow in the Citation Sound Yahoo group who upgraded his W6's the same way last year and he and his friend's liked them better in back to back tests, then the Citation II's he had been redone with all the kits too!

I bought a pair of W6-A's too after reading the Citation Sound post. One with the cage and aluminum knobs, which look factory, as they go with the silk screening on the front. The other one is funny in that it doesn't have the added bias pot, but is otherwise like the one's in the pic's above, so it must be a very early version. Mine are originals, as above and don't know how if I should drill a hole to say add the bias pot etc. They should be recapped etc.

Please If anyone has a under chassis clip to hold tube cover on I'm looking for one along with a couple of plastic caps to cover bias pots.

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.h...um=ALL&sortRank=None&sort=date&sortOrder=DESC
Click to expand...

I have the caps but not the clip. PM me with your address and I will get you a couple and a spare.
 
Douglas, aka Pak Protecter would be the expert for these Heathkits. Bought a pair here in Hawaii from a tube expert but have had some problems early on. After two years and several mods I think I have something special that is quite unique. Drivable in either triode(30 watts) or pentode(60 watts) I've heard nothing to compare. Running V-caps, Oldie Lions in the KT88 configuration, and a heavy mod to the Mullard system and eliminating the Williamson scheme. Sound is vibrant, "you are there" and are not ideal for all. But for the jazz trios and quarts, percussion, vocals--superb. Belated apologies to Doug as the seller would not part with his second set.
 
I should mention that in the form I first received these, they were excellent. Smooth, responsive, really all I could want in big tube monos. They were a cut above even the MC60s I later sold. They are now driving A pair of ML SL-3s, PD75 Pioneer CDP, And an MFA Lumi C with Bad Boy tubes and also Vcaps as in the amps. Those transformers are very special and square wave over 100,000 cycles. Find a good tech or beg Pak to do the mods, if he is willing. I've nearly forgotten my SET 300B with modded A5s Altecs.
 
Beanstocks said:
Belated apologies to Doug as the seller would not part with his second set.
Click to expand...

hey-Hey!!!,
One pair is enough for me. I'd love to find a second set, but it isn't like I've got a shortage of good amps, or bits for projects to make more. I did get mine one at a time, and even so they are not inexpensive...quite more than I thought I'd ever pay for a set of 'off the rack' valve amps. Their output Iron is very much worth the expense, and if I could fine a third it would make an excellent teardown sample for the good folks at Heyboer.
cheers,
Douglas
 
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