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Opinions on Infinity QLS speakers anyone?
- Thread starter Bucky Badger
- Start date
Now you got me scared, do the PL series II have the same problems as the older models?
CarnahanBB
Super Member
My tech has a Phase Linear 700 Series Two for sale and has said on numerous occasions that the Series Two did not have the same issues as the originals.
CarnahanBB
Super Member
What type of tube amp would a person need to power just the mids and highs using the standard passive XOs?
I've seen some that Bob Carver built on ebay that would do the trick. IIRC, they were mono blocks at 200 watts? Four-figure prices too.
EDIT: I should say, I think the QLS's are pretty warm and smooth sounding as is. Tube amps might take them too far in that direction for me.
EDIT: I should say, I think the QLS's are pretty warm and smooth sounding as is. Tube amps might take them too far in that direction for me.
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CarnahanBB
Super Member
Not a bad point at all quite frankly. I suppose I should just be happy as is but I just can't stop thinking that I could make an improvement on the mids and highs by swapping in a different amp. I wish I could sample some!
jimreeves: cute avatar btw...is your friend ok?
Old picture, he passed last year. Broke my heart. My daughter came accross the picture and sent it to me a couple days ago. He just looks so stupid in that cone! Suited his personality.
I still think you might want to ask in the vintage solid state forum about a alternative to your 555. There's bound to be someone here that's owned one and found a upgrade.
I still think you might want to ask in the vintage solid state forum about a alternative to your 555. There's bound to be someone here that's owned one and found a upgrade.
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CarnahanBB
Super Member
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that jimreeves. It's tough to lose a friend like that. I will have to drop on by that forum this evening when I get home. Thanks for the input!
I have a PL 700 II thats needs some work, me and a friend were working on it. I purchased one of those kits which includes all new caps for what I think are called the pre-driver boards, we have soldered all them in place. And I was going to buy one of those kits to replace all the main transistors on the back replace the insulators and new grease. But I am a little worried about spending the 185 dollars and then something not being right, my friend might feel bad if it doesn't work after I spend the money I kind of hate shipping it around due to cost and possiblities of damaging it but I would if I found someone that has found a person who really knows these amps. Does anyone know of a good tech that can go thru Phase Linear amps and restore them? They have two big main power caps that might be hard to find, not sure but they probably need replacing as well as I am not sure if they are any good anymore. In the future after I get this amp repaired I would like to get another one so I can bi-amp my QLS=1's with a pair of them.
I know Conrad Johnson made some tube amps that would probably be pretty good. Some of their early Premier amps, I think some were 140 watts RMS, and 200 wats RMS. The only problem with older tube amps is making sure that the tubes are still good, sets of tubes to replace them are pretty expensive. I am not sure what the useful life is but its one thing to consider if you use them a lot is the cost of replacing tubes. I personally like the sound from my old Phase Linear amps, much more than my SAE amps, thats for sure. I think I am plenty happy with the sound of them on my QLS's but on the Kappa 9's I think a set of tubes for upper end I might like. Unlike the QLS's the Kappa 9 sounds very bright, even for my taste, much more so than the Kappa 8's.
Yup Jim, poopster looks very happy to lend a ear to what looks like a poly cone from an old Wakins Driver.
I have a tech that I use up here in the PNW. I would have to dig out my receipt but for 340+ he went over the whole thing and did his magic. If you would like his link, let me know. I have taken all of my PL and Carver gear to him and been happy with his work. He is an authorized Carver/PL tech and a bit cheaper than Rita's.
If you could pm me with is name and number I would like that, I would like to get this amp restored, before I purchase another one thanks.
I gave him a 700B that was in beautiful cosmetic condition but the prior owner got into it with a chain saw and did some damage. When I got it back it surprised me at how really good it sounds. PM incoming.
i would try Paul at Many Moons Audio. nice, knowledgeable guy and an AK sponsor. Avionic had a pretty full queue last time i talked to him.
QLS's, Nostalgia
I picked up a fresh pair of QLS's when they were still in production, for minor ducats from a dealer who was going under. Dragged the two coffins home and hooked them up to my Special Edition Sansui integrated (remember that lovely claret red and black piece?). Rated at 170 watts per channel, I figured it would be adequate.
Hooked everything up, and put on some Fleetwood Mac or some sort, and set back to be overwhelmed. The Sansui promptly cried out in protest and shut down.
Hum ... off to the store for something beefier and was told Ampzilla, or Krell. Economic reason favored the zilla. It was fun watching the clipping lights continually lighting up, so I threw in a Dynaco 400 (along with the Zilla), the Dynaco lasted a couple of months and self-destructed.
Then a second zilla. Could still get both amps to clip at fairly moderate volumes (especially if there was an abundance of LF). Chic Corea's Romantic Warrior popped some sheet rock and made the house buzz.
I even wrote to the company inquiring if a nuclear reactor could be used and they said yes, but it would void my warranty.
I suspect that nowadays there are any number of high-current designs up to the task (the BAT VK-600-SE, Boulder's, etc.), but those are pretty pricey front-ends for a 30 year old speaker.
That being said ... I enjoyed them a lot, and it was a long time and many speakers later before I got to the sheer impact of those beasts.
Good times, good times ...
I picked up a fresh pair of QLS's when they were still in production, for minor ducats from a dealer who was going under. Dragged the two coffins home and hooked them up to my Special Edition Sansui integrated (remember that lovely claret red and black piece?). Rated at 170 watts per channel, I figured it would be adequate.
Hooked everything up, and put on some Fleetwood Mac or some sort, and set back to be overwhelmed. The Sansui promptly cried out in protest and shut down.
Hum ... off to the store for something beefier and was told Ampzilla, or Krell. Economic reason favored the zilla. It was fun watching the clipping lights continually lighting up, so I threw in a Dynaco 400 (along with the Zilla), the Dynaco lasted a couple of months and self-destructed.
Then a second zilla. Could still get both amps to clip at fairly moderate volumes (especially if there was an abundance of LF). Chic Corea's Romantic Warrior popped some sheet rock and made the house buzz.
I even wrote to the company inquiring if a nuclear reactor could be used and they said yes, but it would void my warranty.
I suspect that nowadays there are any number of high-current designs up to the task (the BAT VK-600-SE, Boulder's, etc.), but those are pretty pricey front-ends for a 30 year old speaker.
That being said ... I enjoyed them a lot, and it was a long time and many speakers later before I got to the sheer impact of those beasts.
Good times, good times ...
.