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Lamp replacement - LED or original incandescent?!

steveUK

steveUK

Active Member
More often than not, replacing missing or faulty bulbs in a vintage receiver or tuner is a pain. Basically, replacements are often hard to find. You can find them most times, but it requires much research and web page flicking. There are also a few specialist suppliers, so yes, original - or very close - bulbs are available if you're prepared to look, and place orders abroad. Some people don't bother trying to source original bulbs and fit LEDs. Some people prefer LEDs.

Personally I prefer the soft glow of an original style incandescent bulb. To me it not only looks better but it's more in keeping with, and it preserves the look of a vintage receiver/tuner. Having said that, there have been times when an original replacement was not available (or I just couldn't locate one) and I had to fit a LED replacement. One such time was the festoon bulbs at each end of the dial scale on a Sony STR-6800. When fitted, the LED replacements gave off a light that was far too 'icy blue' so I had to experiment using stained glass filter paint to bring it back down to earth, including adding extra paint to the edges of the dial glass where the lamps were positioned.

So, that's me. My policy being to fit replacement incandescent bulbs whenever possible but if I have to fit LEDS I will adjust the colour using filters/filter paint to provide a light source as original as possible. Oh, I don't buy the LEDs run cooler argument. Yes it is true, but is it really an issue? Not for me at any rate it isn't. I'm generally not running my amps loud (and hot) and I live in the UK where the temperatures are generally very average. In any case, these receivers were designed to run with incandescent bulbs! I'm not being purist for the sake of it, if someone made LEDs that truly looked like the incandescents they replaced, then I'd use them. But often the sellers offer different 'colours' including 'soft glow' ones, but the ones I have tried just aren't the same as the originals they replace; too bright and incorrect hue - maybe I've been unlucky in that respect. I accept that LEDs will last much longer.

So, what's your view or procedure when replacing faulty lamps on a vintage receiver or tuner?
 
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Just a comment to the temperature effects Steve - yes, the amps / receivers etc. were designed originally with incandescent bulbs - but the (possible) issue with temperature I suspect is usually related more to the long term proximity of the bulbs to various 'plastic' components, rather than the amount of heat itself.

The plastics used generally, and thermoplastics particularly, were never designed for 20 - 30 - 40+ years service life - they do degrade with age, with various plasticizers, antioxidants, stabilisers, additives generally, being lost or destroyed over time, so the plastic properties also slowly change (degrade), e.g., I'm sure you've come across plenty of examples of 'yellowing' plastics, more brittleness, hardened wire insulation, etc. - all are plastics ageing phenomena.

Those types of plastic degradation are typically accelerated with increased temperature, so long term proximity to hot incandescent bulbs can be (very) disadvantageous for plastics - that's why plastic yellowing is often worse near hot bulbs - it's not burning, it's more likely to be discolouration from long term localised thermal degradation of the plastic.

In those areas with bulbs close to plastics, especially with any visible signs of heat stress, I would advocate replacement with LED's - to maximise the life of the plastic. Otherwise, it's largely a matter of personal taste, with little or no technical preference in my opinion.
 
Don't see an issue with using LEDs. White LEDs come in different color temperatures, and the brightness is proportional to the current you pass through them. So if you find them "too blue" or "too bright" you just aren't using the right parts.
 
i've used both an been happy
when possible i use the incandescent.. i usually have them
but i put an led kit in a marantz and it looks great. and i found yamaha look better with led than the original
 
steveUK said:
Oh, I don't buy the LEDs run cooler argument. Yes it is true, but is it really an issue? Not for me at any rate it isn't. I'm generally not running my amps loud (and hot) and I live in the UK where the temperatures are generally very average. In any case, these receivers were designed to run with incandescent bulbs!
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The temperature can be an issue in the marantz units with the plastic lamp housing. The housing begins to melt with age, especially if someone used bulbs that were too bright.
 
I've never seen an LED retrofit that looked "right". I replace with whatever was there originally whenever possible.

I admit LEDs have improved a lot though.
 
I like the advantages of LEDs for the cool running and low current draw, but I do prefer that everything look as close to original as possible, I'm not a fan of a 60's or 70's unit with "cool white" dial lighting.

However I have used the ones dgwojo sells, the "warm white" ones in a Sansui QRX-7001; that unit and ones like it are notorious for cooking the plastic dial lamp holders, I actually had to pull mine out and resolder all the lamp holders as the solder had cracked presumably from thermal expansion/contraction. The LEDs have a little bit of a green tint to them but it's not a big deal in a Sansui, I hopefully won't have to ever redo them. I also replaced the backlight for the trippy blue background for the "2/4" indicator with an LED, he didn't have LEDs for the actual numerals however so I used incans for those. Everything else worked so I didn't touch it.

Now this only worked because it was a Sansui, on a unit with no filter between bulb and glass I would probably not have used them.
 
LED's are hard to position, match color, and integrate into the circuit when AC is used originally, but I always try to use them. Why? They consume less power, barely create any heat, and you will likely never have to replace them again, which with how complex some amps and receivers are, I never want to do again.
 
Some incandescents aren't available out there it seems so are there easy and sensible ways to step down LED for the right intensity? (Color can be adjusted using film coatings I'm thinking.) I sure would like to find something that matches the look of Sansui's 8amp festoons.......? (There just has to be someway out of this LED vs. original dilemma dang it.)
 
When Mattsd was restoring my 1250, I insisted on bulbs. Didn't want LED's, tho Matt was trying hard, lol

I prefer the stock look. You might feel differently, and that's okay.
 
ON TUBE AMPS THE 6.3VAC Filament trasformer can suply needed voltage as shown in the attach.

add a dode if fliker is a prob.

for SS stuff just find a convenient point to get 6 or 12vdc for same ckt.
use R to adjust brite current accordingly.
 

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  • 6.3vac led pilot.png
    6.3vac led pilot.png
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I do replace with both. But any unit that is a royal PITA to work on get LED's!




Barney
 
100% aligned with you on this point, Steve... easier for me since I stock the lamps I need for the gear that's in my wheelhouse, but I'm pretty resourceful about sourcing lamps when it's something I don't work on regularly, too. I have never had to convert something to LED (but again what I work on doesn't present like say Marantz receivers where there's a poor design/heat damage issue, either) so far.

John
 
Thanks so far guys, very interesting views. One point, yes, LEDs do come in different 'shades of white' but not for every idiosyncratic voltage and size/shape of bulb that's out there fitted to receivers. In fact, mostly, having been through this exercise many times recently for different makes of receivers, I've hardly ever found different colour hues (shades of white) for what I need, let alone any LED that would do the job!
 
Many people prefer the incandescent bulbs, not just AKers. Hence you see many "decorator" bulbs used in modern interior design. My previous boss worked for Philips lighting, yes of course most tend to buy the 'warm white' , you can even get neutral white quite readily these days. The trouble with Leds are consistency, unless you are going for really high end bulbs, it is not uncommon to see the variances even with the same brand & same color temperature. If anyone suffers from OCD, bad batch of Leds will surely cause your eyes to twitch ;)
 
That's interesting, thanks. Slightly off topic, but we recently fitted an 'Xcite' 1500mm LCD batten in the kitchen and it gives off an incredibly 'natural' yet bright and diffused light.
 
steveUK said:
That's interesting, thanks. Slightly off topic, but we recently fitted an 'Xcite' 1500mm LCD batten in the kitchen and it gives off an incredibly 'natural' yet bright and diffused light.
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It's definitely improved in the past few years, both in the ambience, and the heat is minimised. We will have to wait and see if the lifespan is as long as the marketing claims, I have used various brands, Cree, Hera, Osram, Philips, Sylvania. The high end German made lights are still prohibitive in price for everyday consumers. As with anything else when the technology, production improves, the range will increase & price drops to meet mass consumer demands.
 
onwardjames said:
When Mattsd was restoring my 1250, I insisted on bulbs. Didn't want LED's, tho Matt was trying hard, lol

I prefer the stock look. You might feel differently, and that's okay.
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I too prefer incandescents in my 1250. I put LED’s in it thinking it was an upgrade and immediately switched back to the originals. Too cold even though they were supposedly a warmer white LED.
 
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