Allen Organ Tube Monoblocks - Modded

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RuSsMaN
RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
edited October 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
Yeah, heavily modded. The only thing original on these amps is the chassis, tube sockets, and of course, that glorious Acrosound output transformer.

Push pull 6L6 - make sure you have 6L6GC's in - because with the solid state rectifier, these are running right at 500v to the plate. Using a tube rectifier dropped the voltage down near 400 - but the sound became soft, almost too soft. These are now tube amps, with solid state slam and bass control.

500v to the plate, so what? How about benching at over 52w /cont for a pair of 6L6? Find me another amp that will that do that, with the same tube compliment. You won't. It does NOT exist, period.

Front end is Gary Dodd's reference design, using a pair of 7044 with Sonicaps (computer tubes, heh). Power tranny is an NOS Dynaco replacement - the original power trannies were laying down near 1000v and had a nice ping on the o-scope. Did they work, sure - but they would burn a 5Y3 to a crisp in about 30 seconds (I know, we did it several times). Cathode bias makes these amps plug and play - leave your multimeter in it's case. Add on the IEC power jack, power switch, Cardas solid milled copper binders and Tiffany inputs round out the complete rebuild. It is just that, a complete rebuild. The original circuit was scrapped, and these were re-designed from the ground up.

No, they aren't going anywhere. I have my official 'sleeper' monoblocks. Not much to look at, but oh my God - get yours ears on them and you'll mess your flat hat. You'll slap your momma. Bring your $5000, $10000 6L6 monoblocks, and prepare to be embarassed.

Coming soon to a Polkfest near you..

Cheers,
Russ
Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
Post edited by RuSsMaN on
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  • jrausch
    jrausch Posts: 510
    edited February 2007
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    Was this what you traded the CEC for? I hope it was worth it. :o
    "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited February 2007
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    Nice, very nice! I wanted to touch myself just looking at the pictures :p
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited February 2007
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    I didn't trade anything. These are my creations, blood sweat and Franklins.

    The CEC was Uncle Charlie's, I was only getting my ears on it while I sold some other peices in his collection for his widow and neice.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited February 2007
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    Ronco those mofos, man.

    JHC. I got a woodrow the cat couldn't scratch.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited February 2007
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    Benching at 52wpc?

    Dan? Liv4fam?

    Where is Russ and what have you done with him??

    BDT

    (some people will get this and laugh thier asses off)
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited February 2007
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    Don't forget the big blue badass cap (computer grade, on each). Nothing like 1950's tube sound.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,794
    edited February 2007
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    These are my creations, blood sweat and Franklins.

    Look forward to hearing them, Russ. Nice job!


    (some people will get this and laugh thier asses off)

    LMAO...
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited February 2007
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    Big blue badass caps RAWK.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited February 2007
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    Nice, enjoy!
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited February 2007
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    LOL on the joke.

    Still the tube man Russ. Looking mighty fine.

    RT1
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited February 2007
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    very cool

    we are the mother f#*****#s

    high five
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
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    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
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    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    edited February 2007
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    Very :cool: Russ
    RuSsMaN wrote:
    Coming soon to a Polkfest near you..

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Chicagoland PF???
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited February 2007
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    No, I said Polkfest, not lamefest. ;)
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • W WALDECKER
    W WALDECKER Posts: 900
    edited February 2007
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    jrausch wrote:
    Was this what you traded the CEC for? I hope it was worth it. :o
    To borrow a Phrase from a friend of mine who Raced sleepers on the Local streets "chrome dont get you home" really sweet monos Russ. Enjoy!...WCW III
    Rogue Audio stereo 100 tube amplifier - Lector Zoe preamplifier with 6H30 pi's
    .Audience AU24SE speaker and ic cables- Chord Qutest DAC - Black Cat Silverstar II 75ohm digital cable-Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature system with large bass cabinets to accommodate 10" Seas magnesium woofers.2xhmpsuownoj.jpg
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  • ymwong
    ymwong Posts: 2
    edited June 2008
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    Hi Russ...

    Can you share more info on your mod? I have a pair of these Allen amps and is thinking of redoing them. I was contemplating a 6DJ8 u-follower followed by a 6CG7 LTP phase splitter until I come across this fairly old post.

    I am also curious about you comment regarding the stock power transformer. It looks like it has a 550-0-550 secondary with a "built-in" choke. What is the reason you say it fries 5Y3s? Just trying to learn from your experience.

    ym
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited June 2008
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    The power supplies were laying down way too much voltage. The amps are fitted with new power trannies, and can run either solid state or tube rectifiers. I prefer the solid state rectifier, the bass is more controlled.

    The circuit is Dodd's reference front end, not mine.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • ymwong
    ymwong Posts: 2
    edited June 2008
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    Can you provide a pointer to Dodd's design? I tried search on this forum and google, doesn't seem to get anything useful. Thanks.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited June 2008
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    Man you're my tube hero . . .
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited June 2008
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    ymwong wrote: »
    Can you provide a pointer to Dodd's design? I tried search on this forum and google, doesn't seem to get anything useful. Thanks.

    Look at the last picture. Something tells me the design is proprietary. Mr. Gary Dodd and Russman might be friends (wink) (wink). If you want the reference design, you might have to go and buy an amp from Dodd himself.


    Russman: You building your own preamp using Gary's reference design, or you eventually gonna take the plunge and buy one?
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited June 2008
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    HARDCORE!!! Now that's what I'm talking about.
    I think you're the first person I know to slam 500V to the plates of 6L6 tubes (not counting guitar players). I bet it sounds awesome. Is tube life dramatically reduced?

    Is there a reason why you chose 6L6 over, say, EL34, KT88 or the other outputs in the same family?

    Nice to see that you're getting your own designs built. I'm also in the process of doing the same thing. I'm thinking x-formers as first gain stage like my Tulip, 2A3 as driver and 300B outputs. I've got George Tordai of Audio Zone for all my builds and mods.

    What speakers are they powering? Do you have a pic of the rig?
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited June 2008
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    Tube life hasn't been an issue. Of course, they are GE 6L6GC Blackplates..... Gary like the output trannies for 6L6 use, above any others, even in the same family. Plus it was nice to keep SOME of the amp in 'original' status.

    I had a Dodd Battery, had to sell to pay some unexpected bills. It's a long road back, but I'll get there again.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • ddmaestro7
    ddmaestro7 Posts: 1
    edited October 2009
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    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    Yeah, heavily modded. The only thing original on these amps is the chassis, tube sockets, and of course, that glorious Acrosound output transformer.

    Push pull 6L6 - make sure you have 6L6GC's in - because with the solid state rectifier, these are running right at 500v to the plate. Using a tube rectifier dropped the voltage down near 400 - but the sound became soft, almost too soft. These are now tube amps, with solid state slam and bass control.

    500v to the plate, so what? How about benching at over 52w /cont for a pair of 6L6? Find me another amp that will that do that, with the same tube compliment. You won't. It does NOT exist, period.

    Front end is Gary Dodd's reference design, using a pair of 7044 with Sonicaps (computer tubes, heh). Power tranny is an NOS Dynaco replacement - the original power trannies were laying down near 1000v and had a nice ping on the o-scope. Did they work, sure - but they would burn a 5Y3 to a crisp in about 30 seconds (I know, we did it several times). Cathode bias makes these amps plug and play - leave your multimeter in it's case. Add on the IEC power jack, power switch, Cardas solid milled copper binders and Tiffany inputs round out the complete rebuild. It is just that, a complete rebuild. The original circuit was scrapped, and these were re-designed from the ground up.

    No, they aren't going anywhere. I have my official 'sleeper' monoblocks. Not much to look at, but oh my God - get yours ears on them and you'll mess your flat hat. You'll slap your momma. Bring your $5000, $10000 6L6 monoblocks, and prepare to be embarassed.

    Coming soon to a Polkfest near you..

    Cheers,
    Russ

    Hey RuSsMaN, If you're still out there, I'm not real keen on technical details of electronics, but, I have 2 of these Allen amps and I kind of understand them. Can you direct me to the mod or parts list or something? Thanks!!
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