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Post the last thing you bought!


JBLoudG20

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A restoration and upgrade on a pair of Heathkit W5-M tube amps - can't wait to give 'em a good workout:

AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Paging mulveling... your W5s are running!

I like how the gold paint matches the hardware on the Kensingtons somewhat nicely :)

God, I am a vintage-iron whore. Time to cull the herd again (well, at least it's a somewhat different herd this time).

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A restoration and upgrade on a pair of Heathkit W5-M tube amps - can't wait to give 'em a good workout:

AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Paging mulveling... your W5s are running!

I like how the gold paint matches the hardware on the Kensingtons somewhat nicely :)

We'd love to see them but non-AK members can't view pics. :(

Well, I signed up. They really look great. Even the shade of gold paint looks great (at least from the pics). I hope you get them soon.

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We'd love to see them but non-AK members can't view pics. :(

I copied Gordon's pics over to an album of mine here - though I'll have to take some updated system pics soon.

Amps hooked up to Tannoy Glenair 10s at Audio Atlanta:

mulveling-albums-heathkit-w5-m-rebuild-picture666-w5s-after.jpg

BEFORE Rebuild:

mulveling-albums-heathkit-w5-m-rebuild-picture663-w5-1-before-bottom.jpg

mulveling-albums-heathkit-w5-m-rebuild-picture665-w5-2-before-bottom.jpg

AFTER Rebuild:

mulveling-albums-heathkit-w5-m-rebuild-picture662-w5-1-after-bottom.jpg

mulveling-albums-heathkit-w5-m-rebuild-picture664-w5-2-after-bottom.jpg

Gordon uses quality, but not boutique-priced parts. He says he tries to choose parts that best maintain the voicing of the amp's original parts. The yellow caps in the "after" pics are Illinois Caps.

After replacing the old caps, a LARGE improvement came from replacing the 12AU7 gain & driver tubes with all 12BH7A (all small signal tubes are vintage RCA). Gordon says the 12AU7 driver (what drives the 7581A outputs) had a particularly difficult time handling the required voltage swings. A 12BH7A or a 6CG7 is a MUCH better choice, and after listening tests it was determined to go with the 12BH7 (the 6CG7 does require a slight circuit mod).

The output tubes are GE 7581A (American KT766 equivalent) with pink/flesh-colored bases (apparently older than the black-base variant), and they are VERY nice :)

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