todd.brust

I saw that yesturday! Wasn't there a Happy Birthday thread? IF not Happy (late) Birthday! IF it makes you feel better, I never had one either.

Yeah I think I am going to remove the cover and just run it like that for the time being. I am getting dumb sitting next to the thing! LOL A buddy from work has an idea or two so it won't heat up as much. Let's hope it works. I still need to get some pictures of the assemble amp too!

Well I just finished my Heathkit AA-151. My first tube project. I had a thread going over at ForceAudio with all the progress and pictures but the site is currently down. I'll get some pictures up in a bit. I finished mounting the RCA Jacks today, which was all that was left of this project. Prior to today I have replaced the PS caps, coupling caps, and any electrolytic capacitor. I also changed any out of tolerance resistors, and I eliminated the Xtal Phono input and replaced to according input resistors to make an additional auxiliary input. All the input Rs were also replaced. I was planning to go through and replace all the components in the RIAA Eq with 1-5% tolerance parts, however I became to anxious and just ended up skipping that for the time being. I still have yet to listen to anything on my record player. But I have a slight problem. The volume knobs are scratch when turned and i don't know what to use to clean the Pots. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I was told there is some product at radioshack but i forget. So far I tested the amp on a small set of Zenith surround sound speakers. LOL. They are only thing I have laying around at school now. The audio input was from a PC running off Slacker internet radio. Not the best first impression but everything did sound very good . Hopefully I can get some time to hook it up to my Scott S-10s at home tonight and listen to some vinyls and get a better idea of the sound. Won't Get Fooled Again by the Who came on and was pumped. I started to mess around with some of the controls. One thing i noticed that the Heathkit did especially well is imaging. I was more than impressed with that. Enough of me blabbing though here are a few pictures.

Hey I wanted to do that project! Oh That vinyl cleaner I bought off ebay seems to work pretty good!

You call that cool? I had frost on my truck this morning Yeah it's 50 here and i think that's warm! Can't wait for a few more weeks to pass! Then I get to mow lawns again 8 hours a day! Whoo hoo. No lie i love that job. Put the iPod on and go. Gravy

The smell is getting less intense the more I use it. The guy who painted it for me said it is curing the paint more and it should gradually go away. I swear I got high just sitting in my room with the amp yesterday! I may just take it into the garage and run it for a few hours and hope the paint cures! But I do love the sound of it!

I would have to say that Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane are my favorites. I haven't gotten too far into the genre. I have been listening to some Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk lately. I like the Rock Jazz Combo of Zappa. Any Jazz fusion for that matter. I'd be willing to try anything new.

Yes I have them all. They leaked bad spring on April Fools. Some joke they tried to play and said they were leaking the new album but just did bad spring instead.

Not to mention hella burps, chitty hangover, and they make ur teeth feel like chit J Very well put. I stick to the Grain Belt Premium, any keg beer or Jager. Usually Primo though

Well I saw 95 Mike post here just a few days ago with a post count of two, and I randomly came across the other Mike on AK with his latest tube project. I saw something about Altec and the OG poster was a mike and it happened to be him. lol It'd be great to have people like them here!

Which Mikes do you refer to? The two I know over at force or two more tube mikes here? I'll stay here since I'm not such a n00b. DIYaudio is kind of blah over there, but I guess i haven't looked around there too much though. I check out AudioKarma.org occasionally. A little more lately.

I don't think i am familiar with these subs. What are the specs on them?

x2 Friday was fun but yesturday was lame. Maybe since it's nice out i'll get out on the skateboard. Yes I am one of those kids

I'm not sure if I can agree with this statement. Music, I agree 100% that 2 channels are better as would a majority of others. I think I like 5.1 more for video games more than movies though.

This looks to be very interesting. But inductance is a spec to look at when figuring how high the driver will play. The lower the inductance is, the higher the driver will play. As for speakers in the 10-12 inch range with matching t/s specs. I'd say look at the pro stuff. I don't know why I always suggest AE speakers but I am going to. They have 12" drivers with the capability to extend up to the 2khz range. I think i just really want to see someone use their drivers.

Damn Son! What kind of numbers are you aiming for?

Well that sounds good. I'll have to start aiming some more hi-fi questions here. I was more referring to a few members over at force who helped me a lot with my previous project though. I guess just time to move on.

Those DACT pots are nice, but probably cost me more than I NEED to spend. But they also well the aluminum knobs to go with them and that'd be great if i ever get the front painted! Argh. I looked for a noble but they don't come in a 1Meg from what I saw. Oh well I can't throw too much money into this project. Now that I have one done, I want to do another! Maybe a SET. I need to start going to garage sales and see what treasures I can pick up.

No more force? Where am i going to get all my guidance with tubes and home stuff! SSA is great for car audio but it seems to lack in other areas of audio. Well while this thread is back, what's the deal with CSO now too?

yeah that's be nice...when it gets nice out i'll just open with windows and run it and see if it slowly goes away. The inside is painted with a high temperature paint but not the outside. It does look sharp though. My buddy mixed it for me at his work. It has pearls mixed in so when you look at it under the sun or any bright light it just shines. I planned on getting the front piece with the dials painted to look like brushed aluminum but it i'm not going to have a cover there isn't a point to doing it

Sounds good... Thanks Guys The more I listen the more I like it. It sounds great on the Scotts. Really smooth bass and the sound isn't even the least bit harsh. This is the first tube amp I have ever heard. Only problem now is that when it gets warm, it starts to smell. Not the amp but that paint I think. It is suppose to be a high temp paint but after a half hour of use it just starts to get kind of strong. I may end up running it without its cover.

I was told to avoid certain contact cleaners. Is there a specific type you would suggest or would any contact cleaner work?

I decided to have the case sandblasted and painted. (Note to everyone. Never try to sandblast a Heathkit with the orange fake vinyl covering. That case alone took at least 10 hours to get fully sandblasted. The stuff is thick!) The dial piece still needs to be sandblasted and painted. That is going to be painted to look like brushed aluminum. And the Chrome brow piece is going to get polished. I don't have any pictures of what was replaced and whatnot, but you get the idea, different caps and resistors.

How it came This is what was fixed today. Top side I hate Point to Point wiring!!!!

Young Jeezy-Hypnotized is my personal favorite. Beside that, i really don't bump much anymore.