Classic / Vintage info

[mudlark]

I've got an armstrong tuner amp valve that I'm throwing away,. Anyone interested? It might just be salvageable.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

What date are we talking for these Armstrongs? I've got a few HiFi Yearbooks and a complete bound set if The Gramophone from the mid 50s through to 80s, though the latter is quite hard to find stuff in unless one knows where it is.

Edit: Just found a reference to the 602 in the 1979 HiFi Yearbook, no pic though:

IIRC The *only* Armstrong review I've found so far in "The Gramophone" is of the PCU25 + A20 valve pre/power combination in the April 1962 issue. I'd be amazed if they'd never done reviews of any other items. But I rarely read the magazine and have only a handful of copies now.

Thanks for finding the Hi Fi Yearbook mention of the 602!

I *do* have a copy of that, but hadn't found the mention. You're finding it has let me locate it. Alas, it just gives brief specs.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

So, which are the better Armstrong amps? The early tube power amps look very interesting, though they must be rare as I can't recall seeing any go through eBay! How do they stack up against Leak or Quad?

What colour are your socks? 8-]

I'm obviously biassed on this topic. And any answer also will depend on if the user prefers valve or transistor, type of music, etc. But I've always held the later versions of the 600 range amp in high regard. It is an unusual design and can't drive high powers for long because of the tiny heatsinks. But with the right speakers and in good condition, it delivers nice results.

The critical thing these days, of course, will be the condition.

Alas, I've never even *seen* in the flesh many of the early value units.

And if you ever find some 700 amps, let me know! Only 40 sets were ever made. I only know where 4 of them are now.

Jim

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

I've got an armstrong tuner amp valve that I'm throwing away,. Anyone interested? It might just be salvageable.

Do you know what model it is? The 100/200 series can be a bit bewildering to tell one from another as there were so many similar looking versions.

I've tended to get most inquiries from far eastern locations when it comes to people who want the old Armstrong valve kit. It seems more interesting there. Presumably it seems "exotic" in a way that it wouldn't to people in the UK. 8-]

Jim

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

For reference, if anyone is searching for items I don't have, you can see what I *do* already have by looking though the "Reviews and Recollections" pages linked from the near the bottom of my main Armstrong webpage at

http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html

I do have some extra info which hasn't been added yet. This is:

I now have a copy of the 600 receiver review in the USA "Audio" magazine which I'd only previously seen as a galley proof. That means I now have the photos and some good measurement graphs. (The FM stereo distortion measurements are particularly interesting as UK mags usually fail to do these in detail.)

I also have:

EXP48 Oct 1940 Wireless World
FC38 Feb 1954 Practical Wireless

and plan to add those along with the extra "Audio" info in due time.

Jim

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Not sure if it is relevant here, but couldn't resist adding it anyway...

I bought a copy of "Hi Fi World" a couple of days ago and found that it has an article on the Armstrong 626! The designer (Ted Rule) is still around and was quite pleased when I told him about it. By chance it was his 87th birthday.

Jim

 

[snowman_al]

An Armstrong 730 and 732 have just appeared on eBay:
(No connection.)

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=272207425063

Jim, you even get a mention!

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

An Armstrong 730 and 732 have just appeared on eBay:
(No connection.)

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=272207425063

Jim, you even get a mention!

Interesting. I'd love to know who is selling and who buys. Maybe the buyer will contact me. It would be nice to be able to keep track of more of them and know how many survive.

So far as I know, only 40 pairs were made. I know where four pairs are at present. He's right about the power, though, for short bursts you can get more like 280 wpc than 200. Though I hope few people ever needed that! 8-]

Jim

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Perhaps worth adding:

if anyone comes across a 'ruined' 730/732 I'd love to get my hands on them. I could then take them apart and recreate the PCBs and main hardware details for other people to use. Some of the details (as with the wiring loom) are critical to some aspects of performance. I do have two sets, but don't want to risk spoiling them by total dissasembly as in my own current state I'd never get them back together precisely again. But given a set that was already in a dreadful state I could use that.

Jim