Jstas
02-11-2003, 12:20 AM
http://www.tubesandmore.com/images/inv/K-502.GIF
That's it and here is a link to the specs:
K-502 Specs (http://www.tubesandmore.com/new/scripts/silverware.exe/moreinfo@d:/dfs/elevclients/cemirror/ELEVATOR.FXP?item=K-502)
Well, I bought this about 2 weeks ago when someone posted a link to it in this forum. I slammed it together tonight in about an hour and a half and spent 4 hours playing with it! I said I would let everyone know how it went so that's what I'm doing. I have pictures and I will post them later.
As far as the kit goes, it arrived very quickly, about 3 days FedEx ground. The cost was only 3 or 4 dollars so the initial investment was less that 150 bucks. For that price, this thing sounds spectacular! I'm sure I could beat it but for 150 bucks and an hour and a half on a Monday night, I can't beat it. The kit was extremely simple to put together but could be slightly challenging to a beginner. The directions are very clearly written and they go into tremendous detail. Soldering skill is required and so is the ability to understand a basic electrical circuit.
The only problem I have with it is the potetiometer for the volume control. It seems bad because it is putting out a 70 Hz cycle and when I touch it, it gets louder and plays a 210 Hz cycle in addition to the 70 Hz cycle. There is no AC power noise and no 40 or 60 Hz cycles from grounds. I think I put it together pretty solidly. I figure 5 bucks at Radio Shack for a new potentiometer and I'm set!
As far as recommendations, I whole heartedly recommend this unit! It's perfect for an office or a kid's bedroom or a garage. It will accept anything that allows you to run a pair of RCA cables to it. I have been running Walkmans and Discmans through it with a stereo mini plug to RCA adapter.
I haven't been able to turn it up to see how well it performs because everyone is asleep but on a scale of 1-10, 10 being loudest an extremely modest setting of a 1.5 plays loud enough to hear it without a problem from 40 feet away. I will definitly crank it tomorrow and see what it can do!
My plans are to use it in a lab at work where the fan noise tends to get annoying. I'm going to build a switch box that will allow me to connect more than 1 piece of equipment at a time and be able to switch between sources. That should cost about 20 bucks in parts at Radio Shack. I'm still below 170 dollars even with the new potentiometer. I think I'm going to get a set of RTi38's for it eventually but right now, I'm going to see what kinda speakers I can scrounge or maybe build cabinets with a set of old car speakers. With the RTi38's, it will be about 550 bucks. For 550 bucks, you could probably get an executive office shelf system but of those I have heard, none sound like this.
Overall I am extremely pleased! This came out much better than I ever thought it would have! This is not only an excellent little amp but it's a great tool for learning. It gives a basic understanding of how a tube amplifier works and exercises basic soldering skills. Advanced solderers and/or eectricians should be able to assemble this kit in less than an hour. It would be an excellent science fair project for a kid or just a good thing for a father and son or a father and daughter to do as a project. Totally worth the money and time.
That's it and here is a link to the specs:
K-502 Specs (http://www.tubesandmore.com/new/scripts/silverware.exe/moreinfo@d:/dfs/elevclients/cemirror/ELEVATOR.FXP?item=K-502)
Well, I bought this about 2 weeks ago when someone posted a link to it in this forum. I slammed it together tonight in about an hour and a half and spent 4 hours playing with it! I said I would let everyone know how it went so that's what I'm doing. I have pictures and I will post them later.
As far as the kit goes, it arrived very quickly, about 3 days FedEx ground. The cost was only 3 or 4 dollars so the initial investment was less that 150 bucks. For that price, this thing sounds spectacular! I'm sure I could beat it but for 150 bucks and an hour and a half on a Monday night, I can't beat it. The kit was extremely simple to put together but could be slightly challenging to a beginner. The directions are very clearly written and they go into tremendous detail. Soldering skill is required and so is the ability to understand a basic electrical circuit.
The only problem I have with it is the potetiometer for the volume control. It seems bad because it is putting out a 70 Hz cycle and when I touch it, it gets louder and plays a 210 Hz cycle in addition to the 70 Hz cycle. There is no AC power noise and no 40 or 60 Hz cycles from grounds. I think I put it together pretty solidly. I figure 5 bucks at Radio Shack for a new potentiometer and I'm set!
As far as recommendations, I whole heartedly recommend this unit! It's perfect for an office or a kid's bedroom or a garage. It will accept anything that allows you to run a pair of RCA cables to it. I have been running Walkmans and Discmans through it with a stereo mini plug to RCA adapter.
I haven't been able to turn it up to see how well it performs because everyone is asleep but on a scale of 1-10, 10 being loudest an extremely modest setting of a 1.5 plays loud enough to hear it without a problem from 40 feet away. I will definitly crank it tomorrow and see what it can do!
My plans are to use it in a lab at work where the fan noise tends to get annoying. I'm going to build a switch box that will allow me to connect more than 1 piece of equipment at a time and be able to switch between sources. That should cost about 20 bucks in parts at Radio Shack. I'm still below 170 dollars even with the new potentiometer. I think I'm going to get a set of RTi38's for it eventually but right now, I'm going to see what kinda speakers I can scrounge or maybe build cabinets with a set of old car speakers. With the RTi38's, it will be about 550 bucks. For 550 bucks, you could probably get an executive office shelf system but of those I have heard, none sound like this.
Overall I am extremely pleased! This came out much better than I ever thought it would have! This is not only an excellent little amp but it's a great tool for learning. It gives a basic understanding of how a tube amplifier works and exercises basic soldering skills. Advanced solderers and/or eectricians should be able to assemble this kit in less than an hour. It would be an excellent science fair project for a kid or just a good thing for a father and son or a father and daughter to do as a project. Totally worth the money and time.