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Packard bell tube amp?

janikphoto

janikphoto

Lunatic Member
I'm on my mobile, so I'll have to post a pic of the tube amp at home, but I was wondering about a P-B console from early to mid sixties I just saw at a local thrift. The thing sounded great. I can't ID tube amps by sight, so I had no idea if it would be a good candidate for pulling from the unit or not. I didn't see a model # on the console, but it seemed to have stereo three-ways, tuner, and a garrard at6 table, I think?

Anyone know much about it from my brief description, sans pics?!?
 
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I'm more familiar with Motorola 3 channel stereo amps, but a quick google showed that PB did also make them.

I assume that you got the 3 channel thing by counting three output transformers. Can you see the output tubes? If you have three pairs of them (6V6, 6BQ5, etc) then it's PP on all three channels and I'd consider it a candidate. If there's just three single output tubes (or, more likely, two single ones plus a pair for the bass channel) then it's SE (or two SE plus one PP) and I'd be inclined to pass.

But that's just my opinion and it could change, depending on how cheap it is...
 
If the price is right then get it.....PB has a few models that are good candidates for pulling. They also had a bad habit of making hot chassis amps. Hard to go wrong if it sounds good though....
 
I meant that it felt like 3-way speakers on each side under the grills, not 3 channels. Sorry for the confusion. It takes more effort to type on this phone, and so I leave out some important clarification.

And, yeah. I was wondering if it was a hot chassis or not. I know they are in some consoles of this era. This unit sounded really nice, but they wanted too much... $175. I might be able to get them down to $100, though.
 
Sounds like you know your stuff. At least from the minute I spent looking at it, I saw what I thought were external speaker connections with odd four pronged connectors. Here's what I snapped in the dark store with my iPhone...

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Do you see anything worthwhile here? I'd basically be salvaging the amp and speakers... and grill cloth.
 

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Yep, that's the one. Supposed to be a nice little amp, there are some threads here about it. I sold the one I had without ever firing it up.
 
So, value-wise... what are we talking? If I go back in a couple weeks and the console is still sitting there, I want to know what that little amp is worth.
 
Best thing about those amps... They originally came with a quad of Amperex EL-84's branded as Packard Bell. Or at least the one I had did. Those are worth a bit in and of themselves. Although I have to say I wasn't all that impressed with the sound of the amp itself.
 
Under-rated amp. I've had two. Liked them as much as my fisher 500b and hh scott 233. They are el84 with 12ax7 and I think 5u4 rectifier. They usually sell for about $150 on ebay.
 
I'd say that's fair for the bare chassis, some nice tubes would make it worth a bit more.
 
It's a $175ish amp. They're really nice. Bob Carver extensively upgraded a couple of them and they sold for $800-900 I believe.
 
roberttx said:
Sounds like the decision is clear. And that's before considering what value the drivers may have. :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Well, I'm expecting some good drivers, since the thing sounded so crisp and precise in that dank, dark thrift store with a scratchy Mancini album...
 
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