Cliff Schecht wrote:So are you selling these? I love stuff like this and would be interested in one of them.
As far as who made these, my first reaction was Heathkit too but they don't really look like anything Heathkit produced from what I know them to look like. To be honest, they look like generic 50's tube amps. Posting some pictures of the guts will at least let us know what era the amps are from based on the parts used. The gratuitous use of 9-pin tubes makes me think late 50's. Comparing these to the brands that I know (RCA, Bogen, Western Electric, Masco, Arkay, Heathkit, etc..) I can't see any close relation really to any of these. The closest these look to anything I have seen or own myself is old RCA tube amps, but I don't think these are made by RCA.
Sir, these very well could be late 50s gear, and I'm not sure. My Grandfather who owned these was a scientist, inventor, MIT grad, and lived and loved Ham radios. I never saw him playing audio gear, it was always Ham radio stuff every night and this is why I'm stumped as to what these are and must find out now with all of your help. He later became President of American Electronic Laboraties and his basement downstairs in PA on the east coast had rooms full of experimental electronics components. Lots of Ham stuff with blue faces and white outside covers and funny looking microphones he'd talk into people all around the world. I'm more into audio so this was more in my wheelhouse to try and figure out. Stay tuned, lets see what they are with everyone's help here.
oh boy, just realized that Dynaco was originally started by David Hafler and Ed Laurant in Philadelphia PA. These were originally located in Media/Philadelphia PA in my grandfather's basement where I brought them from. Keeping my fingers crossed they are Dynaco just for the sentimental reasons. Now I really need to get more photos for you guys to take a look at. Philadelphia connection?
decooney wrote:Hello, I've stored these amps from my Grandfather for 25+ years and he built them in the 1960s as I understand it. For some reason I always thought they were Heathkit stereo tube amps but I'm not sure. There are no emblems or markings on the removable tops, bottom, or back. Silver base, various tubes, and gray color metal perforated top covers. A local ham radio guy has expressed interest buying them once he sees them in person but I don't want to let them go at least until I can identify what they are
Do these look familiar to anyone here? Any ideas?
The unit shown on the right with the cover removed appears to have several square IF transformers between the tubes.
This may imply some radio connection, so maybe a tuner or converter ?
Component Details for Each Amp: (What I could Read)
Larger Tube Amp:
- Large Transformer: Made by Transformer Specialty Co. #20987
- Small Transformer: MFG not listed, has #22564 on it.
- Tubes, various: RCA 6AU6 or GAUG
- Tubes, various: Covers stamped with EBY TSFOT 105
- Tubes, various: Labled with "CBS" Triangle, # CBS 60A 35
- Scribed notes: Adjusters at center "Mic, Base? (not bass), Treble, Main Sq"
Smaller Tube Amp:
- Large Transformer, no MFG, #20986, similar to large amp transformer
- Output Transformer: S-29X
- Tubes, various: RCA Electric 61A04, 60A 35
- Tube cover: EBY S0S6
- Tube, Large in front: CBS 5436T
More detailed photos to follow next. Thanks!
Last edited by decooney on Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
M Fowler wrote:Those are linear transmitters I think.
I have no clue what all this gear is or was but you bring up a word that might help . i.e. "Transmitter". I can tell you there was lots of ham radio gear, HUGE antennas on top of the house, special ham antennas on back of the cars, and I have an award sitting here given given to my Grandfather engraved with "Mobile Sixers R.C. Award" "Transmitter Hunt" for years 1969, 1970, 1971 I remember riding i a car as a kid with this giant wand antenna hanging out of the car, hearing some tone getting louder or quieter as we went different directions closing in looking for something at this yearly transmitter hunt. I still think these tube amps had something to do with Ham gear vs. anything music audio related. Hopefully the photos help.
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Update:
Just received a note from one guy who says this about these tubed units: "It's very simple: One is a receiver as indicated by the jack for an antennae on the back and the R.F. tuning coils. The other is the Audio/R.F. signal amplifier ("Audio") 'cause even H.A.M. guys need to hear what's going on! Your Grandfather built/assembled that stuff; I'll bet my left nut"
Certainly not ham radio linears, or PA ( power amps) - tubes are all too puny.....
might be a receiver converter, though, judging from the filter/transformer cans......
Seems strange that there are absolutely no labels or markers...????
EDIT : receiver convertrers seems alot more likely--- I didn't notice at first, but both units have x-tals for oscillators............
that type of screw connector was used for mic's in the 50s.. at least here in Europe, - never seeen them used for antennas, though, - although possible at least for receiver type stuff.....
Aurora wrote:Certainly not ham radio linears, or PA ( power amps) - tubes are all too puny.....
might be a receiver converter, though, judging from the filter/transformer cans......
Seems strange that there are absolutely no labels or markers...????
EDIT : receiver convertrers seems alot more likely--- I didn't notice at first, but both units have x-tals for oscillators............
that type of screw connector was used for mic's in the 50s.. at least here in Europe, - never seeen them used for antennas, though, - although possible at least for receiver type stuff.....
A few have commented to me in the past indicating these might have been scratch built by my Grandfather? He built various things, was an inventor/scientist and even had a patent on a device that was used to measure something like radiation. I found one item in a patent database so I know he was capable of stuff like this. Mostly his work was quiet in the basement and he did not tell us much as most family would not care to understand anyhow I suspect. It would not surprise me if he built these too. This might explain no labels or markings other than we he scribed on the larger tube device with the adjusters at the center that read Mic, Base, Treble, Sq?
Last edited by decooney on Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The larger unit have two x-tals, the smaller has one, as I can see....
If you don't know what ax-tal is, it is the two smaller things in plug-in sockets along the right edge of the larger unit. Those should be marked with a frequency - what are those marks?
Aurora wrote:Certainly not ham radio linears, or PA ( power amps) - tubes are all too puny.....
might be a receiver converter, though, judging from the filter/transformer cans......
Seems strange that there are absolutely no labels or markers...????
EDIT : receiver convertrers seems alot more likely--- I didn't notice at first, but both units have x-tals for oscillators............
that type of screw connector was used for mic's in the 50s.. at least here in Europe, - never seeen them used for antennas, though, - although possible at least for receiver type stuff.....
A few have commented to me in the past and recently again these were probably scratch built by my Grandfather. He built various things, was an inventor/scientist and even had a patent on a device that was used to measure something like radiation and I recently found it in a patent database so I know he was capable of stuff like this. It would not surprise me if he built these too. This might explain no labels or markings other than we he scribed on the larger tube device with the adjusters at the center that read Mic, Base, Treble, Sq?
I had a tube CB radio as a kid... a Hallicrafter 6 channel jobby that was tube operated. All small tubes. I could talk out 40 miles with that thing. Had the screw on type antenna connector... like that.
I could be wrong, but the one with the cover removed appears to have IF-stage transformers between the tubes (square meal structures with a hole in the top to tune the transformer). If this is correct, then I will suggest that it is an FM tuner, possibly stereo.
And of course, I posted before ALL of the pictures came in. (dang old SLOW internet!) So I am talking about the second photo (the one that's being called the 'smaller amp'). If you can get a peak inside, see if the knob at the right end of the front panel is turning a variable capacitor. It will look something like this:
JazzGuitarGimp wrote:I could be wrong, but the one with the cover removed appears to have IF-stage transformers between the tubes (square meal structures with a hole in the top to tune the transformer). If this is correct, then I will suggest that it is an FM tuner, possibly stereo.
