Quillgordo
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Does anyone have an owners manual or resource for the Bell 2300 amplifier? Thank you
Owners Manual Needed
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I restored one of these and it is a very interesting design, quite advanced for a mono amplifier. It's also a fine looking piece of gear, with a nice MC modern look.
It has a cathode feedback winding on the output transformer (as do other Bell amps) and uses the (fixed) DC cathode bias voltage from the 6L6GB output tubes to power the heaters of the first 12AX7 phono amplifier stage and the 12AV6 cathode follower tubes. It also elevates the AC heaters on the rest of the tubes with a DC voltage take off from the B+ supply for noise reduction. The addition of the cathode follower between the phono amp and the power amp stage is notable.
Measured 21W out with new output tubes into 8 ohms at 1 kHz. The output tubes are run pretty hot for 6L6GB (right at maximum plate dissipation), so 5881's or 6L6GC would be better choice for the output tubes. Output tube bias is not adjustable for the 2300.
I also found hardly any documentation or resources on line for the 2300. Attached is the Bell ad for the unit that describes its operating features and basic specifications. I could not find a schematic, but the schematic for the 2325 appears almost identical except it has an output tube bias adjustment feature not found in the 2300 and adds a 100pF compensation capacitor across the 16K NFB resistor. I'll attach the 2325 schematic, but have a close look comparing it to your unit. The differences I found seem to be the only ones, but compare closely if you use it.
Best of luck with your 2300. Very interesting amplifier, great sounding, and maybe (with the 2325) the peak of Bell mono amp evolution!
Hope this helps!
Dave
It has a cathode feedback winding on the output transformer (as do other Bell amps) and uses the (fixed) DC cathode bias voltage from the 6L6GB output tubes to power the heaters of the first 12AX7 phono amplifier stage and the 12AV6 cathode follower tubes. It also elevates the AC heaters on the rest of the tubes with a DC voltage take off from the B+ supply for noise reduction. The addition of the cathode follower between the phono amp and the power amp stage is notable.
Measured 21W out with new output tubes into 8 ohms at 1 kHz. The output tubes are run pretty hot for 6L6GB (right at maximum plate dissipation), so 5881's or 6L6GC would be better choice for the output tubes. Output tube bias is not adjustable for the 2300.
I also found hardly any documentation or resources on line for the 2300. Attached is the Bell ad for the unit that describes its operating features and basic specifications. I could not find a schematic, but the schematic for the 2325 appears almost identical except it has an output tube bias adjustment feature not found in the 2300 and adds a 100pF compensation capacitor across the 16K NFB resistor. I'll attach the 2325 schematic, but have a close look comparing it to your unit. The differences I found seem to be the only ones, but compare closely if you use it.
Best of luck with your 2300. Very interesting amplifier, great sounding, and maybe (with the 2325) the peak of Bell mono amp evolution!
Hope this helps!
Dave
Attachments
One other note: the 2300 uses a variable "Loudness" control in addition to the "Level Set" control. The Level Set control is what we would call the traditional Volume control. The Loudness control, which was featured in a few higher end amps of the age, is akin to the "Loudness Switch" found on other amps, whose purpose was to boost bass and treble response at lower listening levels when switched in.
The 2300 Loudness control is not a switch, though. It is a variable Loudness control and allows adjustment of high and low end response to the best sounding boost (or none at all) depending on the listening level in dB depending on the knob setting (see the scale around the Loudness control knob). Also a pretty advanced feature.
Dave
The 2300 Loudness control is not a switch, though. It is a variable Loudness control and allows adjustment of high and low end response to the best sounding boost (or none at all) depending on the listening level in dB depending on the knob setting (see the scale around the Loudness control knob). Also a pretty advanced feature.
Dave
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