Alan Eaton 45s on eBay

[Tables_and_Tubes]

It is strange, I have purchased parts from the seller having absolutely no idea who I was buying from! Just goes to show, the specialty tube amplifier world is a small one, indeed.

2 Single-ended vintage 45 tube amplifiers Tamura output transformers Alan Eaton | eBay

No affiliation, just popped up in my saved sellers e-mail this morning. Hope someone here can grab them!

Dan

 

[gable]

It is strange, I have purchased parts from the seller having absolutely no idea who I was buying from! Just goes to show, the specialty tube amplifier world is a small one, indeed.

2 Single-ended vintage 45 tube amplifiers Tamura output transformers Alan Eaton | eBay

No affiliation, just popped up in my saved sellers e-mail this morning. Hope someone here can grab them!

Dan

Handsome amps for certain!

 

[Thermionics]

It is strange, I have purchased parts from the seller having absolutely no idea who I was buying from! Just goes to show, the specialty tube amplifier world is a small one, indeed.

2 Single-ended vintage 45 tube amplifiers Tamura output transformers Alan Eaton | eBay

No affiliation, just popped up in my saved sellers e-mail this morning. Hope someone here can grab them!

Dan

Am I imagining things, or are those built with Roberts / Akai R2R iron?

 

[Tables_and_Tubes]

Am I imagining things, or are those built with Roberts / Akai R2R iron?

The description says that this pair was built with vintage Tango output iron.

Dan

 

[J. Frum]

The description says that this pair was built with vintage Tango output iron.

Dan

Description says Orion power transformers and Tamura output transformers. Sourced from Akai/Roberts and Sony tape decks, respectively.

EDIT: Those sure don’t look like the Sony/Tamura iron. From the Akai deck? If so, I don’t think they’re Tamura.

 

[Tables_and_Tubes]

Description says Orion power transformers and Tamura output transformers. Sourced from Akai/Roberts and Sony tape decks, respectively.

EDIT: Those sure don’t look like the Sony/Tamura iron. From the Akai deck? If so, I don’t think they’re Tamura.

My bad 😕. I misread. There are also a bunch of tape deck parts in his current listings, and I know that is his usual source of output transformers.

Dan

 

[Tlarwa]

I owned a pair for a little while. Sounded okay, but the issue I had with them is that they had a hum that the hum pots wouldn't totally eliminate. Drove me crazy. Sold them for a pair of Welborne Star Chief 45 amps that we're a definite step up. YMMV, of course.

 

[marantzfan]

His use of hyperbole in the marketing copy is a bit much for me. That and he sounds a little “you kids get off my lawn.” Clearly he doesn’t like Chinese amplifiers though he refers to a lot of ho-hum parts as being “the best parts I can source”, which I find a little disingenuous.

I’m sure he does nice work and has had many satisfied buyers, but the description did more to drive me away then draw me in.

 

[Tlarwa]

Here's a shot of the internals, in case anyone is interested.

 

[Redboy]

His use of hyperbole in the marketing copy is a bit much for me. That and he sounds a little “you kids get off my lawn.” Clearly he doesn’t like Chinese amplifiers though he refers to a lot of ho-hum parts as being “the best parts I can source”, which I find a little disingenuous.

I’m sure he does nice work and has had many satisfied buyers, but the description did more to drive me away then draw me in.

Agreed -- it's a "wow 'em with words" pitch that goes too far.

Build quality is nice, parts selection is fair, and I do appreciate that he is repurposing good quality iron. But the pitch is not okay.

 

[Thermionics]

Here's a shot of the internals, in case anyone is interested.

View attachment 45921

I'm trying to figure out the rheostat on the back of the amp next to the binding posts - is that for hum balance?

 

[Tlarwa]

I'm trying to figure out the rheostat on the back of the amp next to the binding posts - is that for hum balance?

Yes, hum pot. But even with that I still had an audible hum (101dB speakers).

 

[Roscoe65]

FWIW, my go to for a 45 amp would be Oliver Sayes. No hyperbole, just an honest description of proven circuits and good parts. Price is great. His Korneff-style 45 includes hum pots for each channel. I question Eaton’s use of a single hum pot for both channels.

 

[paul_b]

101dB speakers will need DC heating of DHT finals or some global feedback to quiet things down.

 

[paul_b]

I do appreciate that he is repurposing good quality iron. But the pitch is not okay.

I think I would call the iron OK. You could get something with similar performance from Edcor for about $60/pair.

A Lundahl LL1663 would be a typical #45 OT that you could get off the shelf with some substantial performance numbers at $300/pair. The LL2766 is another offering that's a little less expensive but made for the job.

 

[Tlarwa]

101dB speakers will need DC heating of DHT finals or some global feedback to quiet things down.

I no longer have the Eatons or the Welborne Star Cheifs, and I don't know enough about amp topology to know the difference, but the Star Cheifs were dead quiet in my system. And they slid in right after the Eatons, so everything else was the same. It was a stark improvement. No real point to the comment, just a data point. I've since moved on to the Finale Audio F138 FFX EL84 SE amp, which is also dead quiet, and has a little more juice. Those Star Cheifs were really nice though!