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Post by spendorman on Aug 30, 2015 22:35:29 GMT
Beolab 1700Can be purchased very cheaply. I think this may be one of the best sounding transistor amps that I have. Lowish power, but drives my Rogers BBC LS3/6's very nicely. Treble is very clear, not a hint of harshness. This amp is capacitor coupled to the speakers. I have only replaced those capacitors. Bass is slightly tighter than a Quad 303.  Beolab 1700 by A60man, on Flickr
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 30, 2015 23:16:44 GMT
I don't like slider controls myself but have always admired the look of these amps. What sort of socketry inhabits the back panel, Paul?
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Post by spendorman on Aug 30, 2015 23:23:37 GMT
I also generally don't like sliders, but these work very nicely. In fact they are rotary pots driven by cords, very smoothly. Unfortunately, All connections on the back including speaker sockets are DIN, but I have adapters. The sound quality is very good though. Very nice unit to use, has facility a for two sets of speakers, switched from front panel. I believe that the output stage uses Darlington transistors, unusual then I believe.
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Post by John on Aug 31, 2015 5:41:18 GMT
Did I hear that when I visited you a few years ago if memory serves me well the sound was really clean A great amp for anyone wanting to start HIFI on the cheap
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Post by spendorman on Aug 31, 2015 8:03:22 GMT
This is a second one of those amplifiers, the one you heard (not in the best conditions) was never touched, nothing replaced. This sample has had the output capacitors replaced and is slightly better.
The matching tuner is pretty good too.
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Post by pre65 on Aug 31, 2015 11:19:58 GMT
The best looking amp (tuner amp really) I ever had was the Armstrong 625.
Don't know what it would sound like compared to my current set up but the style was impressive. 
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Post by spendorman on Aug 31, 2015 11:48:49 GMT
I've never owned one of these, so cannot comment on the sound quality. I always liked the look, not the plastic knobs though. They got a not that good reputation for reliability. Still, if one is working now, it can't be bad.
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Post by pre65 on Aug 31, 2015 12:01:28 GMT
A chap in my village had a duff one and he asked me to repair it.
I gave him my one as it had sat in the loft for years and was unlikely to ever get used again.
I bought it new from Rayleigh Hi-fi when I was a teenager, and it was that or a Goodmans one-ten receiver.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:02:18 GMT
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Post by spendorman on Aug 31, 2015 12:16:50 GMT
I think the above are pretty expensive now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:26:38 GMT
They are, probably the same reason the Transcriptor Decks are due to the Clockwork orange Movie fanbase.
As for the Goodmans, i still have a totally mint, Boxed White finish Goodmans 'CM80' that i wont part with. Its a Goodmans 'Module 80'/'Lenco 'GL75' in a music centre format..
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:34:30 GMT
The best looking amp (tuner amp really) I ever had was the Armstrong 625.
Don't know what it would sound like compared to my current set up but the style was impressive.
My all time fav Armstrong was the '421' {Silver with Purple decals in the designer enclosure} However this was a Germanium design, I always intended transplanting the later '521' into a '421' case but never got around to it. However i thought the 400 series looked better in the Reciever formatt {426} |
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Post by spendorman on Aug 31, 2015 12:35:19 GMT
I have a vague recollection seeing a Goodmams Module 80 in a Tottenham Court Road shop, feeding a big pair of speakers, quite loud, and one could see the panel lights dimming on the bass notes.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:40:07 GMT
Ive never ever used this. It is new old stock never played. The resaon i kept it.. I got it from a shop up where i used to live that has been closed for decades, some stuff still inside, i got that, a Trio 'KA2000' & a Armstrong '521' all New Old Stock & all for £75.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 14:05:09 GMT
The old B&O gear is often under rated and ignored when it comes to SQ but yes it's good, both amps, tuners and receivers.
The problem with it is reliability and bloody bizarre and quite nasty/tacky physical construction methods/design rivalled only by Philips equipment of the same era! They usually look tatty 'cos of the veneered plastic panels which normally are chipped, snapped off plastic fixings etc. Awkward to work on and good likelihood of more bits snapping or falling off when you take it to bits to work on it.... Very good electronic design though and performs well.
I like the Armstrong 625 and ilk. Well made, good electronic design and sounds good (really good tuner section as well). I've always thought it strange that it never got the same plaudits as the A&R A60, Sugden A48 and Rogers A75/100 etc which it was, IMHO a true rival to. It does have a reputation for poor reliability which is fairly well deserved BUT it's always the same faults and once repaired they go on to be very reliable (there are maybe 2-3 things which nearly always give trouble but are easily repairable, very predictable and don't go wrong twice)
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Post by spendorman on Aug 31, 2015 14:18:42 GMT
The old B&O gear is often under rated and ignored when it comes to SQ but yes it's good, both amps, tuners and receivers. The problem with it is reliability and bloody bizarre and quite nasty/tacky physical construction methods/design rivalled only by Philips equipment of the same era! They usually look tatty 'cos of the veneered plastic panels which normally are chipped, snapped off plastic fixings etc. Awkward to work on and good likelihood of more bits snapping or falling off when you take it to bits to work on it.... Very good electronic design though and performs well. I like the Armstrong 625 and ilk. Well made, good electronic design and sounds good (really good tuner section as well). I've always thought it strange that it never got the same plaudits as the A&R A60, Sugden A48 and Rogers A75/100 etc which it was, IMHO a true rival to. It does have a reputation for poor reliability which is fairly well deserved BUT it's always the same faults and once repaired they go on to be very reliable (there are maybe 2-3 things which nearly always give trouble but are easily repairable, very predictable and don't go wrong twice) I sort of agree with you about most B&O construction, the 1700 amplifier /tuner are a bit better than that. The electronics is not packed in that tightly. Chassis are steel, yes the sides are veneered plastic, but the tops are real wood. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 19:06:12 GMT
Jez
Those Armstrong '400'/'500's are not a cheap thing to rebuild, i recapped one once which cost quite a bit.. The only issue i have had really is with the slot in Cards..
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 22:25:02 GMT
Erm... I only mentioned the 600 series which is totally different!
I have a couple of the earlier tuners which are germanium based and work fairly well if a bit over warm and "blousy".
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2015 11:35:51 GMT
Erm i know  |
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