• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Heathkit W5M - I can’t win…..

jobrewer1983

jobrewer1983

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I have been on the hunt for a nice set of W5Ms for a number of years. The journey that has not ended yet.

A buddy of mine years back landed a set from an estate sale for next to nothing, we agreed on a price of $500 as they didn’t work and would have needed to been gone through. No tubes either. He ended up flaking on me and keeping them to sale for a higher price to someone. That deal ended up not working out… he offered them to me again, I agreed, he flaked on me again and wanted to just hold on to them… ok whatever….

A few years later @spidermanwrx gave me a mint condition unit w/tubes, so I was half way there. Have been hunting for a match to it for roughly a year. Wanted them to look similar cond. so I held out and finally found one in close enough cond. that would be a match.

Paid up for it $600+ shipping as it came with tubes that were said to work…. They don’t one is shorted and the other is weak. The 55R4GY is also shorted. Not worried about the tubes as both amps will be restored and the tubes replaced with new tubes.

In my lack of attention to detail I didn’t realize the amp I purchased had the 16309 peerless output transformer and the 1st amp has the 16458 output.

IMG_2237.jpeg

Now I have 2 different amps.

Dose anyone know if the hole pattern on the transformers are the same? If by chance I find either transformers is it a drop in replacement?

I was also looking on google and I guess Hammond makes a set of replacement outputs.

SMH

Trying to figure out if I should just sale both and be done with the set or find transformers.

IMG_2239.jpeg

Any advice?

Anyone have a suggestion on where to find the 16309 or 16458, what one is better?
 
Register to hide this ad
nerdorama said:
You might consider buying a W5 and swapping the outputs to match your pair and reselling the extra amp.
Click to expand...

I was considering that but all the units I see now are not in the best shape. I put a post up in BT to see if anyone has a parts unit it wants to trade one.
 
There is a 16458 on the bay right now for 250$.

A 16309 recently sold for 200$ on the bay.

Reselling your extra transformer will be easy, Highly sought after.

Stick with the large ones.

Great amps~~! I've owned 11 of them over the years.
 
I was thinking more for whatever you pick up. If you are picking it up in person and its not in a state fit to demo, an ohm meter from pin 3 to pin 3 will confirm the primary isn't open.

Also worth checking across the HV secondary and mains primary on the power transformer. They seem to be not the most robust things either.
 
My eBay experience with 16309’s was horrible. Bought two from one guy, one was faulty. After a massive pissing match with the seller, eBay stepped in and he had to take one back.
Bought another and never received it. eBay to the rescue again and I got a refund.
So just be wary! Most sellers don’t know squat.

Bolt pattern is identical by the way.
 
Last edited:
In this thread I had talked about the gent who needed money for his kids school and how he flaked on me.

I had talked about how how he did not want to take money via PayPal and just wanted cash, and how he was calling my phone while I was at work.

There were members who also responded to it and now all that info is missing, and someone has edited what I posted.

I did not break any rules, that I am aware of, so what gives? Really odd!
 
Ken Boyd said:
That is odd.
Click to expand...

I went back and looked and all the info I had stated about me selling the marantz 140 and mentioned @Ben LaVigna being the grandson of the original engineer, and I was annoyed I sold it for so low to fund the deal.

Full posts or responses from members completely gone.

This is really strange!
 
MFRD said:
Is this what you're looking for...?
Click to expand...

Wow wee was I wrong! That is it, I was looking for a post in all my posts and couldn’t find it, I assumed it was in the W5 post I made. Man i seriously think I’ve been dealing with memory loss or something. Kind of embarrassing on my part. Really appreciate that!!
 
jobrewrer1983, I have a question.
Have you tested the 16309 transformer you have? You mentioned a shorted output tube and a shorted rectifier tube.
How about the power transformer?
 
RonSSNova said:
jobrewrer1983, I have a question.
Have you tested the 16309 transformer you have? You mentioned a shorted output tube and a shorted rectifier tube.
How about the power transformer?
Click to expand...

I hit it with a meter when it arrived and got resistance from it, have not powered it up or ran a signal through the amp yet.
 
The correct primary resistance for the 16309 is right around 320 ohms each side of the center tap. +/- a few ohms.

The 16309 were lighter duty. The core is smaller and the primary wire smaller than the 16458. As such the 16309 tended to be failure prone.

I have a lone 16309 that I’d like a mate for. I’ve been thinking of building a nice 6BQ5 amp and these would work well for that.
I also have 3 16458’s two are destined for another project.

If your 16309 is good maybe we can make a deal?

Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom