RCA LMI-32216 amp, such a beauty not sure what to do.

[Ken Boyd]

This came up on the auction site a few weeks ago, and I just couldn't help myself, this thing is like brand new. But now is the delimna should I even touch it. Even the old caps are a thing of beauty. This RCA was done in England under license.

I don't think I will mess with it at least for now. I don't have a match for it to get a stereo pair, and I have pulled my mono table as I wasn't happy with the plinth. It was just a hollow unit, so I want to build a high mass plinth like my stereo turntable and then get a good single channel preamp that has all the old equalization curves for the different mono records. And then even after all that with all the records I own, how often will I use it and the room that will all take, or the decisions.

Anyway, here is some good English Craftsmanship.

 

[blademan13]

Very cool. Looks like a joy to work on

 

[Ken Boyd]

Anyhow first thing tomorrow get with my waterjet guy and cut out a bottom plate and cut some cooling slots and pop some holes for feet to elevate it.

 

[Ken Boyd]

Very cool. Looks like a joy to work on

Really with builds like this even the most newbies of us that can solder should be able to recap this.

I think it is all original.

 

[gadget73]

sure is pretty

 

[radioactive]

This came up on the auction site a few weeks ago, and I just couldn't help myself, this thing is like brand new. But now is the delimna should I even touch it. Even the old caps are a thing of beauty. This RCA was done in England under license.

I don't think I will mess with it at least for now. I don't have a match for it to get a stereo pair, and I have pulled my mono table as I wasn't happy with the plinth. It was just a hollow unit, so I want to build a high mass plinth like my stereo turntable and then get a good single channel preamp that has all the old equalization curves for the different mono records. And then even after all that with all the records I own, how often will I use it and the room that will all take, or the decisions.

Anyway, here is some good English Craftsmanship.

View attachment 3856005


View attachment 3856007


View attachment 3856008

What mono t.t ?
Here's mine that I just need to get arm McCurdy s3103 broadcast t.t from the c.b.c Winnipeg mb

 

[radioactive]

As for mono preamps for it you have alot of choices for that with all the eq curves..I'm sure there's a few worthy being hooked up to that beautiful amp.

 

[tubeactive]

Beeeyoutiful!!! Brings back good memories !
Before I went with "all triode" amps in the late 1980s, a pair of these British RCA amps came to be my reference.
From the mid 1970s to the early/mid 1980s, I think I tried more Williamson and UL amps than anyone else I knew. The LMI amps were so sweeet sounding, I started selling and trading away my other tube amps.

In the mid 1980s, I continued my search for the Brook amps. Finalky, a pair of Brook 22 integrated amps displaced the British RCA pair to be my "back-up" amps. By the late 1980s, I was building my own all-triode amps. Then, all the remaining Williamsons and ULamps were sold to fund my triode tube obsession, including the pr. of LMI-32216As.

@Ken Boyd, If you can locate a match for that LMI amp, they sure do sound nice !

 

[Ken Boyd]

My mono table is a REC-O-KUT BG12H if memory serves correct me on that model number, And I have the AT new cart that was made for mono systems. I also have a few of the stick shift jobs those Russco's have yet to go thru them.

 

[radioactive]

My mono table is a REC-O-KUT BG12H if memory serves correct me on that model number, And I have the AT new cart that was made for mono systems. I also have a few of the stick shift jobs those Russco's have yet to go thru them.

Sounds like your all set.

 

[radioactive]

Of course @Ken Boyd you really should seek out the matching preamp.

 

[radioactive]

What a cute couple they make.

 

[Ken Boyd]

No that's nice but I have my eyes on a preamp that does what I want. Just not sure if I want to spend the money right now, I have other projects I am working on, and I don't need to rush anything. I wouldn't of even bought this other than the fact it was so clean for its age. And I am working on building two RCA SP20 clones which is a mono block version of this amp. I have to do all the punchouts and water jet the transformer openings prior to sending the chassis to get anodized green

I have a number of nice preamps just not many with the Equalization curves that I would like. The old Fishers and Macintosh did.

 

[radioactive]

The sp20 are nice and use my favorite output tube.What transformer are you going to use for the sp20?Anodized green? Interesting.
What preamp did you have in mind?

 

[radioactive]

The sp20 are nice and use my favorite output tube.What transformer are you going to use for the sp20?Anodized green? Interesting.
What preamp did you have in mind

 

[Ken Boyd]

Waterjet guy popped me out a bottom cover, now I just need to match drill some holes to secure it to the bottom.




Normally I would have him blast open the holes for the mounting screws, but I forgot to measure them so now it will be the old fashion way, a drill.