Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Yeah... He's got two parts of my dream setup in there, and he got them for free. There's no justice in the world.
Leak Stereo 50 amp?
- Thread starter nubrand
- Start date
Yeah... He's got two parts of my dream setup in there, and he got them for free. There's no justice in the world.
markshan
Sir Thrift a Lot
I thought those fusable caps were originally green. If that was replaced, make sure the tech just did a solder joint and didn't wrap the wires around the spades. That is supposed to drop off if it gets too hot.
Tripod
Well-Known Member
Here's my Leak Stereo 20 amp which I have owned for about 20 years. I also have the matching Point One Stereo pre-amp, as well as a Troughline FM tuner.
All were refurbished expertly by a local tube specialist tech Rudy Gilleson. Some further improvements were made to the amp a few years later when a Johannesburg tube stockist designed 2 pcbs which replace the two canned capacitors. The pcb'ed caps attach below with double-sided tape and the cans were disconnected but left on top for originality.
I have also changed the 2 original rca jacks and replaced them with Tiffany items.
A fairly recent change was to remove the Maplin style speaker binding posts with some WBT items I had laying around but I think these are a little 'over the top'.
The Point One pre, although also refurbished - sounds OK but nothing to write home about.
It may sound like sacrilege but I get fabulous sound by using my vintage s/s Kenwood C1 Stereo control amplifier. The Leak also sound very good with a Rotel s/s pre RC980BX.
OP: Good luck with the Stereo 50. Don't connect it to the mains. If you can't resist, use a dim bulb device.
tripod
All were refurbished expertly by a local tube specialist tech Rudy Gilleson. Some further improvements were made to the amp a few years later when a Johannesburg tube stockist designed 2 pcbs which replace the two canned capacitors. The pcb'ed caps attach below with double-sided tape and the cans were disconnected but left on top for originality.
I have also changed the 2 original rca jacks and replaced them with Tiffany items.
A fairly recent change was to remove the Maplin style speaker binding posts with some WBT items I had laying around but I think these are a little 'over the top'.
The Point One pre, although also refurbished - sounds OK but nothing to write home about.
It may sound like sacrilege but I get fabulous sound by using my vintage s/s Kenwood C1 Stereo control amplifier. The Leak also sound very good with a Rotel s/s pre RC980BX.
OP: Good luck with the Stereo 50. Don't connect it to the mains. If you can't resist, use a dim bulb device.
tripod
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Who said Leak amps are rare, I see them all the time for sell, I just don't think its wise to give the OP some false impression that he has a piece of historic treasure. In most of my searches for tube amps, the leak is usually for sale at much less money than the Mcintosh tube amps and for the most part might be a bit harder to deal with as far as parts and service.
Its not an amp for the average guy who just wants some decent music, the OP would probably be much better off just selling it, as is, not even dusting it off take the money and buy something that he wants, whatever that might be, hell it might not even be a amp, maybe a fishing pole for all that matter.
To restore that amp is going to cost money, and then you need a decent preamp to match it, and maintaining it. Maybe the OP really would like to have it and use it, then listen to the advice and get someone who really knows Leak amps and have them do the restoration. Other wise my suggestion is sell it to someone who knows what it is, take the money and use it wisely on something that you need or want.
Same thing with that Sansui amp, if its anything like the 1000a they look like a bitch of an amp to work on.
I should add if you really feel attached to the the gear you found, the Leak amp, a good pre to go with it, and a nice pair of speakers would be a very nice system.
Its not an amp for the average guy who just wants some decent music, the OP would probably be much better off just selling it, as is, not even dusting it off take the money and buy something that he wants, whatever that might be, hell it might not even be a amp, maybe a fishing pole for all that matter.
To restore that amp is going to cost money, and then you need a decent preamp to match it, and maintaining it. Maybe the OP really would like to have it and use it, then listen to the advice and get someone who really knows Leak amps and have them do the restoration. Other wise my suggestion is sell it to someone who knows what it is, take the money and use it wisely on something that you need or want.
Same thing with that Sansui amp, if its anything like the 1000a they look like a bitch of an amp to work on.
I should add if you really feel attached to the the gear you found, the Leak amp, a good pre to go with it, and a nice pair of speakers would be a very nice system.
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markshan
Sir Thrift a Lot
This is exactly my experience (except I got best results with a Marantz pre),
markshan
Sir Thrift a Lot
Context, Ken. We are telling him how good it is that the stuff was saved from the trash. You are telling him that it is "only" an Aston-Martin and not a Jaguar.
As far as historic treasure goes, I said that Abbey Road used Leak amps (not this model) to mix on up until '68, and that is not an opinion, it is a statement of fact.
I won't discuss value and get this moved to D&S, but you talk like this is a '70s Pioneer Receiver.
Tripod
Well-Known Member
Gruvin'
Active Member
I also have a Stereo 20(240V) and a Point One preamp;which were practically free; and I haven't been able to make up my mind about what to do next.
I've also read about the issue with modern preamps and a lot of folks suggesting using a passive pre with the amp.
I'll be following this thread and maybe get some ideas as to who/where to send to for restoration or otherwise.
Thanks folks:thmbsp:
I've also read about the issue with modern preamps and a lot of folks suggesting using a passive pre with the amp.
I'll be following this thread and maybe get some ideas as to who/where to send to for restoration or otherwise.
Thanks folks:thmbsp:
petehall347
the brandy coffee man
Aston-Martin for me any day
..jags are only worth scrap ..well most of them are over here .. i wish i had found that amp when i had the correct speakers to go with it .
i had the correct preamp at one time but that went because i didn't have the other bits .
i suggest the op hang on to it and find the other relevant bits to match it .in the meantime get it looked over by someone who knows what they are doing .. these things aren't being made any-more . it needs looking after ..
I made it pretty clear in another thread when he first posted his list of items that he found. I pointed out the Leak was the find of the bunch, and I didn't mean to discount it not being a good amp, but only to keep it within some reasonable context of the find. He is new here and based on some of his other post in another thread, he doesn't seem like some of us rabid audio hounds but rather just a guy helping out an old lady. Audio might not be a priority in his life and just to keep things within context overdoing something might get someone's idea of value a bit exaggerated. We have all seen the Ebay and CL listings of amps and audio gears with prices so far above their actual selling price so its not uncommon for someone to get a misunderstanding of an items value.
There is a youtube video of a Leak amp and big Warfedale speakers and even though its on Youtube, the combination is abosolutely stunning.
There is a youtube video of a Leak amp and big Warfedale speakers and even though its on Youtube, the combination is abosolutely stunning.
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MrIgotNomoney
Well-Known Member
Hello
Im very familiar with Leak. The Stereo 50 as well as the Stereo 20,Stereo 60 TL12,TL25,TL50 would all be used with either a Point One preamp or a Varislope preamp. Both EF86 based. powered by the octal socket on the amp its self.
The matching tuner would be a Troughline.
The Stereo 20,50,60 were stereo amplifiers, the TL were mono.
I would be very careful with the amplifier, no modifications what so ever.
From your photos, it is in original condition.
Id think the 3 filter caps are bad by now, as well as coupling caps leaky.
With my Leaks I did a careful rebuild, replacing the out of spec resistors and caps, even to the extent of emptying the cap cans and sliding in modern caps, I absolutely wanted the amp to look stock and perform the same. It has been going strong for the last 10-12 years. The Leak amplifiers are truly among the very best of the time.
Top shelf gear.
Leak's on Tannoy's incredible.
bob
Im very familiar with Leak. The Stereo 50 as well as the Stereo 20,Stereo 60 TL12,TL25,TL50 would all be used with either a Point One preamp or a Varislope preamp. Both EF86 based. powered by the octal socket on the amp its self.
The matching tuner would be a Troughline.
The Stereo 20,50,60 were stereo amplifiers, the TL were mono.
I would be very careful with the amplifier, no modifications what so ever.
From your photos, it is in original condition.
Id think the 3 filter caps are bad by now, as well as coupling caps leaky.
With my Leaks I did a careful rebuild, replacing the out of spec resistors and caps, even to the extent of emptying the cap cans and sliding in modern caps, I absolutely wanted the amp to look stock and perform the same. It has been going strong for the last 10-12 years. The Leak amplifiers are truly among the very best of the time.
Top shelf gear.
Leak's on Tannoy's incredible.
bob
Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Yup... That's the guy that got me looking hard at the Leak stuff. There's no hiding that killer sound he's getting, even recording it with a camcorder. That's the kind of thing I'm looking for with my setup. The guy with the old Rogers tuber and the original Airedales (Same guy that has the W4's). It doesn't get much-more-inviting than that. But if I try some different tubes/caps in certain spots on my Fisher, hopefully I can warm things up enough to keep me happy UNTIL I get the right British receiver/amp. I truly-love the Fisher, but I still want a British amp/receiver (the RIGHT British one for my Wharfedales, so I can have that lush, old-school British sound I've been craving so-long... It's like with my guitar amps... I have a nice US-made rig, but I still crave at least one killer British one to satisfy that jones, like a mid '60's Marshall).
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So I ended up going back over there and I was able to find the Leak Point One Stereo preamp, the thing looks new! The only downside is one of the knobs busted (50 year old plastic I am guessing) but it does not look used at all, it has a tag on it and everything. I also found some other stuff too, but I'm not sure about it all yet.
