I have an opportunity to pick up this Lafayette 550. It looks in very rough condition. Is it a decent amplifier worth restoring?
Lafayette 550 - Worth Restoring?
- Thread starter John Berard
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Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Please do some research on this amp and I'm willing to bet that you'll come to the conclusion that yes it's a decent amp worth restoring.
You'll probably run into info on the the KT-550 which was the kit version as opposed to the wired version
www.radiomuseum.org
You'll probably run into info on the the KT-550 which was the kit version as opposed to the wired version
Stereophonic Power Amplifier LA-550 Ampl/Mixer Lafayette Radio & TV |Radiomuseum.org
Stereophonic Power Amplifier LA-550 Ampl/Mixer Lafayette Radio & TV Corp; New York NY, build 1961 ?, 14 pictures, 10 tubes, United States of America
LAFAYETTE CATALOGS: Lafayette Electronics and Concord Radio
Lafayette Radio Electronics Corporation was an American radio and electronics manufacturer and retailer from approximately 1931 to 1981. The company began as "Wholesale Radio Service Company" and transitioned starting in 1938 to "Lafayette". For a period in the late 40's it was associated with...
www.worldradiohistory.com
peteCWA
Active Member
The amplifier and parts are roughly 65 plus years old. So most likely, all the resistors and capacitors need to be checked and/or replaced. If the transformers or other unique parts are bad, it might be a tad difficult to find replacements. I don't have any more unique parts for this amplifier.
The amplifier was sold in kit form as the KT-550 and as the factory wired version LA-550. The kit version tends to be more problematic depending on the kit building skill of the original builder.
The amplifier was sold in kit form as the KT-550 and as the factory wired version LA-550. The kit version tends to be more problematic depending on the kit building skill of the original builder.
Attachments
This is probably what the Citation II would have been if not for UL marketing. Don't care for that driver circuitry with the multiple loops and 30dB feedback. Would love to pull out those PCBs and take a whack at a simplified redesign.
Jack
Jack
Yes, it is probably audio heresy, but I would remove the circuit boards and replace them with an aluminum plate cut for an eight pin socket and a 9 pin socket and point to point wire up with a 5-20 inspired circuit. I would keep the original boards so it could be returned to stock. The output transformers and nice chassis are where the value is for me.
Yeah my thoughts as well, that is why I don't own any Dynaco's as I don't like those old circuit boards on top. But the OPT's and power Transformers look like some good build material.
Well, the responses are all over the map. LOL I think I will get it and decide what to do with it later.
I have the LA 70/ Kt600 Lafayette mono blocks. I did a quick and dirty recap 25 years ago and loved the sound. I think you'll enjoy it once it's brought up to spec.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Other then the cage looking a little dirty, which would probably clean up nicely, It looks to my eyes in the type of condition a 60+ yr old amplifier should look like a tad crusty & dusty definitely not "very" rough though.
Here's hoping you get it for a decent price and if you're so inclined keep us update on the restoration.
peteCWA
Active Member
The printed wiring boards used in the KT-550/LA-550 are made from paper phenolic material. The material is somewhat porous. If Deoxit gets on the material, it can be absorbed and react with the internal bonding agent and form internal resistive paths between places where you don't want them to be. Be careful how you clean the boards and what cleaner you might apply on or near the boards. Depending where the amplifier was stored for all these years, the transformer insulating material between the windings could have dried out leading to possible fireworks when full voltage is applied.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Not to derail the OP's thread, who actually manufactured in the US for Lafayette?
Many years ago I had a Lafayette LA-224A which was manufactured in Japan which I never found out who actually made it for Lafayette
The reason I ask is wasn't Lafayette similar to say Allied
Many years ago I had a Lafayette LA-224A which was manufactured in Japan which I never found out who actually made it for Lafayette
The reason I ask is wasn't Lafayette similar to say Allied
peteCWA
Active Member
1st question - There were multiple job shop vendors, and even some notable names who had their own line of products, over the years who manufactured and/or kitted "U. S." products for Lafayette.
2nd question - Most likely the manufacturer was Trio.
3rd question - Lafayette Radio and Allied were both very large electronic mail-order houses but had zero connection with each other.
KT-550 and LA-550 are 100%
American goodness, if not greatness...
Ed Duda (RIP, good fellow !), employed at Lafayette at that time, told me that the first 100 units had opt trans made by Acrosound ! After, the opts were Freed sourced, iirc...
Factory assembled units were crafted in house, at a Lafayette shop ! The crew of assembly techs were all legendary craftsmen. They also built the fantastic LA-600 preamp, plus they matched the mica caps for the phono EQ within 3%, for the initial, brass faced KT-600 kits !
To this day, a brass faced, KT-600 or LA-600 has the most accurate, multiple phono playback curves. The later fascia units, white and maroon, used ceramic phono EQ caps.
Maybe, @Nyjblbob knows even more info about the 1959-1960 Lafayette assembly crew. He was a closer friend to Ed Duda.
I do know that the kit design/assembly crew included Stu Hegeman, initially. Stu was pulled over to H-K, then designing the Citation gear.
American goodness, if not greatness...
Ed Duda (RIP, good fellow !), employed at Lafayette at that time, told me that the first 100 units had opt trans made by Acrosound ! After, the opts were Freed sourced, iirc...
Factory assembled units were crafted in house, at a Lafayette shop ! The crew of assembly techs were all legendary craftsmen. They also built the fantastic LA-600 preamp, plus they matched the mica caps for the phono EQ within 3%, for the initial, brass faced KT-600 kits !
To this day, a brass faced, KT-600 or LA-600 has the most accurate, multiple phono playback curves. The later fascia units, white and maroon, used ceramic phono EQ caps.
Maybe, @Nyjblbob knows even more info about the 1959-1960 Lafayette assembly crew. He was a closer friend to Ed Duda.
I do know that the kit design/assembly crew included Stu Hegeman, initially. Stu was pulled over to H-K, then designing the Citation gear.
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