Dynakit is back in production!!!

organ

Sweet!!! Dynakit is back. The parts are made to exact specs of the original units. So anybody wanting to assemble an amp from a kit, here's your chance. I'm so glad these things are back in production so more people can enjoy their beautiful sound. When I have extra money and time to burn, I'm getting an ST-35 kit.

If you know how to solder and follow step-by-step intructions, these things are bargains. $650 for an ST-70 kit and $450 for the ST-35. They also have the Mark III and IV mono blocks. I'm sure the PAS pre amps are coming soon.

Here's the website: www.dynakitparts.com

:cool: :cool: :cool:

audiobliss

Cool.

RuSsMaN

Super cool.

Prices are higher than I'd like to see from a consumer standpoint, but as a guy trying to pay some bills selling the vintage versions - it's right inline.

Cheers,
Russ

faster100

Yeah, prices are kinda high and doesnt include tubes or a cover, )also sold on the site) but it keeps the oldies worth something.. and its cool to be able to get one new now.. Real awsome link Maurice

organ

There was a guy on ebay selling kits. But it was nothing like what's being offered on dynakitparts. What he did was get a bunch of PA 060 PT and A470 output TX from vintage units and got aftermarket boards, parts and had someone make the chassis. His price for the ST-70 was close to $900. Dynakitparts is more truthful to the original.

I'm very impressed at the Dyna gear you sold. Great condition with vintage tubes. I bet you've sold a lot of them.

This is such a great time for us tube heads. Tubes is becoming very popular again.

organ

Cliff,
They also sell replacement parts. Not sure if PAS stuff is there yet but it will make your restoration MUCH easier when you decide to do it.

pjdami

Very cool indeed. Just like bell-bottomed jeans and those big-**** bumble bee looking sunglasses from the '70s that are popular with the teens, looks like tube gear is getting more popular than ever again.

Took a look at the instructions and I thought those model airplanes / battleships I put together as a kid with over 100 parts / glue was tough. These DIY amps would require a great deal of patience and time to put together but would be a fine reward indeed when completed. Might be time for me to sell some sand amps and try one of these kits out.

organ

Hey Paul,
Long time no see.
If you're into kits, its either this one or the Bottlehead stuff. I've actually looked at the original instruction book and it's very straight forward. They list every step clearly. Mike did a complete restoration on a unit he purchased from Russ. Which model are you thinking about trying?

I didn't grow up during the tube era but after hearing my ST-70 for the first time, I'm hooked!

mhardy6647

The prices are very reasonable. Go back and look at the late-1960's prices on the originals (they were available well into the SS era) and factor in inflation.

jpchleapas

RuSsMaN wrote:

Super cool.

Prices are higher than I'd like to see from a consumer standpoint, but as a guy trying to pay some bills selling the vintage versions - it's right inline.

Cheers,
Russ

Hi Russ, Actually these prices are VERY reasonable. If the new version transformer iron tests out as well in a finished amplifier as in my vintage ST-70 these amps are a steal of a deal. I have 2 ST-70 amps, one has the Kevin Kennedy mods. I have a pair of the Mk111 mono blocks with Kevin's pc board upgrades. On his bench we tested my ST-70 and wired in triode it made an honest 19 wpc before clipping at less than 1% THD. We were very impressed with the transformers in the vintage amps. If the iron is as good as the orginal versions these prices are reasonable. The one area Dynaco could use some help is with the Sheldon Stokes design capacitor board designed to bolt right up under the original chassis on stand-offs. This gets rid of the flabby bass and really tightens the bass up. I have always wanted to build a kit like this. If the early reports out are good I want a new ST-35 kit to build for my bedroom stereo. I also have a Dyna tube tuner somewhere in my growing pile of vintage tube gear. John

madmax

I think those have awesome pricing! If I were in a buying mood at all I would have an order in for one. Wow, a chance to re-live history and get an audiophile quality amplifier at the same time on the cheap!
madmax

faster100

Now that i think of it and factor in the cost of 50 - 70 tube watts these days.. Its a decent price for sure.. however alot of work and patience..

mhardy6647

If they're identical to the originals, they use PC board construction and should therefore be quite easy to build.

faster100

I like the st-35 amp look and price.. might be something to think about..

madmax

How much did the original ST70 kit cost, not that it matters. Just wondering.
madmax

mhardy6647

My 1969 Lafayette catalog lists the ST-70 kit at 79.95 :-) Now, by the late 1960's tubes were out and SS was in, so at that time tube equipment prices had decreased, and SS products were still fairly high.

An aside: with hindsight, it's amusing and a little shocking to look at a mid-1960's Allied or Lafayette catalog, and see price reductions on, say, a Fisher 500C (ca. $250 in 1966) vs. the hot new Fisher 660T solid state receiver at ca. $500!

MLZ

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

What cost $79.95 in 1969 would cost $424.53 in 2005

mhardy6647

Yeah, but it came with tubes (e.g., probably Mullard EL-34's) in 1969 :-)
That being said, I would STILL rate the current kit costs as an extremely good value. By the time you collected parts (at small quantity, retail prices) and punched a chassis, you'd be in for most of that (and have to work harder to get to the end result).

I am sooooo tempted to get the ST-35 or ST-70 clone. This despite the fact that I have absolutely no need for another amplifier.

dorokusai

I think it's great that the kits are available and the workmanship looks to be very nice. I used to have a great dislike for that gear, as most of them looked like crap even after being upgraded...as in rusty transformers, pitted chassis parts and missing or damaged covers. I respect the brand, but I don't plan on owning one again.

BlueMDPicker

jpchleapas wrote:

The one area Dynaco could use some help is with the Sheldon Stokes design capacitor board designed to bolt right up under the original chassis on stand-offs. This gets rid of the flabby bass and really tightens the bass up.

+1

The SDS board provides a huge improvement while allowing the chassis to retain a stock look. The ST-70 became my primary amp in a digital source system (sending to mothballs a Manley tube and Counterpoint hybrid) following the cap board upgrade.

organ

Wow. I didn't expect this many people to have interest in Dyna equipment. I see that a few of you are interested in the 70 and 35. I'm planning to build the 35 because I'm almost finished restoring my 70. Just waiting for cash and time.

The Stereo 70 retailed for $99 in kit form when it was first introduced in 1959.

Mike,
You gotta try the triode mod on your 70. It sounds killer with the Klipsch RF. All you need is four 100 ohm resistors (1/2 watt) to solder between pins 3 and 4 on each output socket and disconnect the ultralinear connection.

The stock ultralinear sound is muddy, hazy and less focused compared to triode. There's something about the mid-range in triode that I find VERY seductive. I'm not saying ultralinear sucks, but compared to triode, this is what I hear.

BlueMDPicker

organ wrote:

The Stereo 70 retailed for $99 in kit form when it was first introduced in 1959.

Which was a week's pay if you had a decent job!

organ wrote:

You gotta try the triode mod on your 70. It sounds killer with the Klipsch RF. All you need is four 100 ohm resistors (1/2 watt) to solder between pins 3 and 4 on each output socket and disconnect the ultralinear connection.

Have you ever seen a schematic to make it switchable? That would be an interesting project.

organ wrote:

The stock ultralinear sound is muddy, hazy and less focused compared to triode. There's something about the mid-range in triode that I find VERY seductive. I'm not saying ultralinear sucks, but compared to triode, this is what I hear.

I'm driving RTA-12Cs with my ST-70 and the synergy is the proverbial "match made in heaven". I would have used the same terms as you (muddy, hazy and less focused) prior to the cap board upgrade. I'd love to A/B two 70's--one stock with triode mode mods, the other with the SDS cap board in ultralinear. I suspect the SQ is very close.

organ

Mike,
I've never seen a schematic to make it switchable. I thought about doing this but didn't want any switches in the signal path. The only way I could think of is to use 2 small switches on each output tube. One switch to complete a path between pin 3&4, and the other would be to switch off the ultralinear connection.

Switching to triode is a very simple 10 minute job with a soldering iron. I've done it countless times only to go back to triode each time.

1. Turn bias pots all the way down.
2. Disconnect ultralinear tap from each output tube socket (pin#4) and insulate the ends.
3. Connect the 100 ohms 1/2 watt resistors between pin 3 and 4 on each output tube socket.
4. Re-bias the amp.

That's it! Don't bother looking for another ST-70 to a/b. You have to be deaf to not hear the difference.

What you're basically doing is changing the operation of the EL34 output tubes from Ultralinear to Triode. So you're completely changing the amp's sound signature(for the better imo). Output power will drop down by half. JPC, got up to 19w/ch on his triode strapped 70. The best thing about this mod is, if you don't like it, it only takes 10 minutes to change back to ultralinear.

The cap board is next on my list. I was thinking of ordering the one from Curcio Audio but I'll check out the SDS as well. Do you feel the SDS board is the best one out there?

Have you had a chance to try the new JJ KT77 yet?

55LS70

I recently replaced the SED EL34's, in my Dynaco ST70 Series ll, with KT77's. There's no comparison between the two. The JJ's have better bass, dynamic range, sound stage and top end. I have to say the EL34's have slightly better midrange, but for overall sound, the JJ's sound so much better, it's like upgrading to a better amp.

organ

55LS70,
I agree with your findings. It really does sound like upgrading to a better amp.
As for the mid-range. I could go either way. I find the 77 to sound more realistic, neutral and detailed while the SED EL34 makes it sound juicy and warmer.