Help on info on Lafayette LA-90B Integrated Tube

[bolddonkey]

Hi all,

I am looking for some information about Lafayette LA-90B integrated tube amp:
When was it made? Audio quality and so forth... Google didn't help anything.

Any help from the forum's members is kindly appreciated.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I don't know anything about it but an LA-90 sold on the 'bay recently, so there is info and pics in that listing (I have no affiliation with it). Look up item #270328533578.

 

[bolddonkey]

Thank you Tinkerbelle

 

[fairchild]

You didn't mention if it was mono or stereo. Many of the Lafayette stereo units were made by Trio (Kenwood) in Japan, starting about 1960, I do believe. If so, it will say Made in Japan on the back of the chassis. They are actually pretty well made with typical Japanese build quality (fit & finish) and they sound good, although the output trannies were known to be weak points (fail), iirc. All tubes were provided by OEM Matsushita. Earlier USA made mono Lafayette units were of excellent quality, but I don't think they made it to the stereophonic era, however I am not positive about that working from memory, and I can't recall who made them, it might have been Bell. ... can you post some pics? RA in NY

 

[Tinkerbelle]

It's a stereo integrated with PP 6BQ5 OP tubes with 4 x 12AX7 and 2 x 6V4/EZ80 rectifiers. If you look at that listing number I posted above you will see several pics, including the inside layout, underneath, front and rear. The OPTs are open frame.

 

[fairchild]

OK - took a look, the listing says USA, and from the look of it its very similar to a US built Laffie 6L6 mono that I had a few years ago, a real quality piece. The output trannies look a tad on the smallish side here, then again, but so are the ones on a Heath AA-32, which sounds fabulous (when matched with the right speakers).

 

[Tom Bavis]

The original LA-90 (no 'B') is in Sams folder 444-8, 1959.