Almost ready to go back to it’s owner.. After some extensive mod’s, this now excellent sounding Harmon Kardon Citation II is near complete. Now it’s in final burn in, prior to setting bias/balance and AC balance. The sound? startlingly clear, fast, detailed, rich, deep solid bass…
I thought it would be fun just to snap some action pictures of work around the shop today. November 4, 2011..How good are you at guessing what you see in the photo’s?.. Components, Test Gear, Etc.. Do you think you know vintage audio? If you name all of the audio/stereo/tuners/components.. you can win? win what you say?.. a feature about you and your audio system right here in the main “Blog” you can show all your buddies! cool right?.. well…get started..I will post comments as they come in..5000 plus visitors a month will see your name up in lights!
Most of all have fun!
“Pat” the “Tubeology” Guy
PS: you can click on the pix’s and enlarge..
I have always been doing high quality tube testing and matching with an extensively modified Hickok 539C test unit. But very soon a new “ULTRA” performance testing, matching and real operational performance results will be offered.
8-3-2011
We are getting closer to offering a most unique service for the ultimate in tube testing/matching/selecting (a world wide service) real tests, actual printed/documented results in performance under real operating conditions
Have you ever wondered if the “designer” expensive tubes you have purchased are really up to the claimed results? I know that you pay top money for these tubes. Brands like Telefunkin, Amperex, Mullard, RCA, Tung-Sol, GE..ETC. the service offered will be to put these tubes under actual real world load and signal conditions and provide documented test results with photos of the curve trace and true gain (mu) all parameters will be documented with the tube along with several B+ (high voltage) test and curve plots. various bias set points. among a dozen other tests. The results will come with the base line reference from the manufacture so you can see what the NOS tube should test as and what your tubes test as. I also will offer bulk matching and sorting for multi tube (matched use)
More details and sample results will be posted soon. As far as I know no one is offering such a high quaility and precision test service.
UPDATE: Sept 25….. I’m as usual behind, but this project/service is going to be great. I have now been working on a process to add an additional service with this premium Tube testing/grading offering. 24K gold plating on for the pins. Why, you ask?.. for vastly improved contact between the tube and the mating socket, a non resistive connection and improved signal transfer. I will not only glass bead blast clean the pins on the tube I will then chemically etch and clean, then 24K direct plate the pins. “does it work?, can you hear it?” you bet you can. I hope to have photos posted of the entire process soon
It’s gotta glow to be real
Have you ever wanted to know what makes a tube glow blue? I have – until I found this
click on the image to read all about it.
I have added a few more projects that are in process of rebuilds. Also some of my updated tech bench’s, high tech lighting now in my shop “The futures so bright I gotta wear shades” yes, it was a song from? can you name that group?
Enjoy!
Lot’s more to come..stay tuned
I have several McIntosh projects underway- 240 and C-20.. also an HK Citation II, Fisher 800 B & C also 500 B, a very rare “Radford” EL34 amplifier.. a Jolida, and a whole bunch more
In the Q for service: (2) Fisher 800C’s, (1) Fisher KX-100, (1) Eico HF-86, (1) Jolida SJ-502A, (1) Fisher 500C, (1) McIntosh MC-275 (2) Eico HF-81′s, (1) MAC-1900 (1) McIntosh MA-6100..and throw in a few Dynaco 70′s and MKIII’s I’m a busy boy!
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