Super Mustud Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 OK, this will be a post of interest to a select (or maybe stuck-in-the-mud) few. You may recall that Isaac Hunt had a pair of the aforementioned amps for sale a few weeks ago. Well, I bought them. Arrived in custom made plywood travel boxes (well done Jon) the other day. After a bit of mucking about I connected them up this morning. A bit too chicken to hook up to the Epitomes first up, so connected them to the Interdyn mains in the movie room. Well, these are 40 year old EL34 amps, and they are largely based on the 1950s Mullard 520 design (I know, I've compared the 2 circuits), and they are bloody excellent!! In case you think that these are old fashioned. THINK AGAIN. They are the version fitted with SOLID STATE DIODES!!! ABC monitor amps from about the mid 1960s I think, as they are still nameplated as A54s and are fitted with the Trimax transformers like the original valve rectifier jobbies, rather than the Type 3 fitted with the Ferguson transformer. If anyone has more info I would love to know. And the right up-to-date audio enthusiast goes off to crochet a cushion cover and think about the good old days in the 1960s...when John Howard first became Prime Minister. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_W Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Wow, more "sharing the love". Great job mustud ... now how about posting some pics and maybe a review? Would love to see your new toys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Wow, more "sharing the love". Great job mustud ... now how about posting some pics and maybe a review? Would love to see your new toys! [/b] You are a ggod man Keith, asking for a photo. I thought no-one would ever ask. Please see below. They are still in the initial audition position (wife will give me hell when she comes home in an hour and tries to open that door... But its staying there until I'm reasonably confident it won't burn the house down. Audition notes? Pah! I don't dare. People can form their own view when I have a GTG. Please note the jarrah bases professionally done by Isaac Hunt, who does some superb furniture based on the leaflet he popped into one of the boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_W Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Hey the jarrah wooden cheeks look very similar to Supratek's ... hmm, I wonder if Isaac is the man who makes them for Mick? (You don't have to answer that question if you don't want to Isaac). I've been to most of the furniture manufacturers down in Margaret River so there's a chance that Isaac and I have crossed paths in the past? In any case Isaac, I would be interested to visit your website if you have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gat474 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Is that the lower section of an Interdyn BT2 I spot in your photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Is that the lower section of an Interdyn BT2 I spot in your photo? [/b] Yes indeedy, and its never sounded so good as with the Trimax's. Surprised me a bit as I think their efficiency is below 90dB. The BT2s are now the main speakers in the movie room after many years of faithful service as my stereo speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gat474 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Yes indeedy, and its never sounded so good as with the Trimax's. Surprised me a bit as I think their efficiency is below 90dB. The BT2s are now the main speakers in the movie room after many years of faithful service as my stereo speakers. [/b] I had a pair of these for a while and for the price they were great. I was told that they would be even better if the lower bass unit was disconnected which would increase their efficiency but never got around to trying this. I sold mine to a friend who had a nice valve pre and he reported that they definitely benifited from the tube influence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidsss Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Looks like my CD player there - is that a Rotel RCD865BX? DS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOMO Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Nice to know theTrimaxs made the journey OK. So how much progress has been made in audio ampifier design? Of course these have legendary transformers in them -many have been butchered for other[probably much worse sounding] amplifier projects. The boxes are my own design-not really like the Suprateks.They are splayed from the base up whereas the Suprateks are splayed about 60% of the way up.Mine also have different facets on the corners. I have made a few one off boxes for Supratek but the majority of Supratek stuff is made in Perth using CNC machines - a hundred at a time sort of stuff. My furniture can be seen at Pemberton Fine Woodcraft Gallery[Jonathan Thompson Designs] Most of it goes overseas- [just packing a consignment for New York]. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Looks like my CD player there - is that a Rotel RCD865BX? DS [/b] Yep. A good little unit. I once toyed with having Leon upgrade it but never got around to it. He even gave me a quote a few years ago. Not even my kids could kill it. I've had it since new, about 1993 or thereabouts. Its main home now is to power the outdoor system, but seems to pop up all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ophool Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I am so glad you snapped these up - saved me from considering further littering my already cramped and cluttered domicile with yet more glowing objects. Sounds like they have found a loving home :biggrin: Be interesting to hear how they sound with the Epitomes. On a side note, I am intrigued by the plaited speaker cable - it appears one wire is unconnected - is the other end grounded at the speaker? Is this something I might have seen on Black Art audio or somewhere like that? More apropos, do you find an audible improvement with this (assumed) arrangement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiradi Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Nice one...excellent trannies... ...if you ever come across one with EL84's let me know... Enjoy :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 I am so glad you snapped these up - saved me from considering further littering my already cramped and cluttered domicile with yet more glowing objects. Sounds like they have found a loving home :biggrin: Be interesting to hear how they sound with the Epitomes. On a side note, I am intrigued by the plaited speaker cable - it appears one wire is unconnected - is the other end grounded at the speaker? Is this something I might have seen on Black Art audio or somewhere like that? More apropos, do you find an audible improvement with this (assumed) arrangement? [/b] I will try them with the Epitomes, but after the Grand Prix party we are having today. I can't imagine that they would stretch the Cyber 845s (but who knows!) however based on my listen so far I think that they are a quality bargain with a surprisingly complete SQ. I am particularly impressed with the handling of the bass. Of course they are P-P and with massive transformers, so that's where that comes from. Actually I bought them to be a surprise birthday present for daughter number 1. She turns 25 this year and has migrated from a discrete system in her bedroom before she moved out of home to now an ipod. She needs to experience valves! (please don't pick on me, LD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altecman Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 mustud52 I'm new to this forum site and have noticed that you have a pair of Trimax A54 monoblocks, could you please sent me some photos - I would like to see the wooden sides. If you need any info regarding these amps please e-mail me. I have all the manuals for the Trimax A54 Type 3 amps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 :confused:Photos? Where are the photos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 mustud52I'm new to this forum site and have noticed that you have a pair of Trimax A54 monoblocks, could you please sent me some photos - I would like to see the wooden sides. If you need any info regarding these amps please e-mail me. I have all the manuals for the Trimax A54 Type 3 amps. Good on you altecman. Welcome to SNA! I will post the pic that was originally on this thread. The documents I have are titled "Amplifier Type 3 Serial 173/33 Schedule c9114, Contract 28058" , 5 pages, plus a 1968 document without a title page but with a header on the rhs titled "Studio Sound Equipment Audio Programme Amplifiers", 24 pages. If you have anything in addition then I would be most appreciate it if you pm me with your email address. Similarly, I would be delighted to reciprocate. You might be interested to know that I purchased these units from one our fellow forum members, Thomo, who also made the wooden sides and did a few upgrades inside on the caps (I believe under MickM's guidance). It is still a surprisingly good unit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Oh sweet! Nice score mustud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Well done Mustud! Would love to hear them. Cheers, Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altecman Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 mustud52 Any chance of getting a pic of the amps underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 mustud52Any chance of getting a pic of the amps underneath. OK, I'll do it this weekend. On second thought, how about you show me yours........and I'll show you mine. Man, have you seen the size of my transformer? How would you like to come upstairs and see my tube collection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moondog Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 luv those late model power cords, Al will be pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOMO Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 My old trimax amps! They are great with QUAD electrostats. They have a unique way of imaging.The soundstage is presented like two large spheres which hang above each speaker and overlap in the middle.I have never had amps with this sort of image height. This made them sound great on live recordings-like you are sitting front row centre at a concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Mustud Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 My old trimax amps!They are great with QUAD electrostats. They have a unique way of imaging.The soundstage is presented like two large spheres which hang above each speaker and overlap in the middle.I have never had amps with this sort of image height. This made them sound great on live recordings-like you are sitting front row centre at a concert. They have a good home and will pass on the magic to the next generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moondog Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Be careful Mustud , They may come looking for the AA's, Trimax is good , Dads amps are better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altecman Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 mustud52 If you want to share some information about the Trimax amps you need to reply to the private message I sent you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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