Why it’s good to keep an extra amp?

S0und Dragon

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My Goldmund blew a fuse and I am here without tunes. Why you ask? I sold off almost all my excess gear and I neglected to restock on fuses. Le sigh......

Which brings me to my current state of thinking. Should I invest in a spare amp? I don’t really want to have an amp sitting around waiting for a turn to be used. And I have become more than spoiled by the sound of the Goldmund. I mean....it shoved a newly rebuilt Krell KSA-250 out the door. But the eventual goal is to have some nice solid state monoblocks on Bass duties, freeing up the Goldmund for mids and highs. That plus I really don’t want to deviate from the current Analog project. Ugh.....
 
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Well, I have anywhere from 3-5 amps floating about but then again, I build them for fun / stress release. Maybe something cheap & cheerful like a used Adcom 535 might work as an emergency backup?
 
Maybe something cheap & cheerful like a used Adcom 535 might work as an emergency backup?

Thats kinda what I have, a 545 Mk.II.
I was the original owner, sold it to a friend in the mid-90s, then bought it back when he upgraded to a C-J MF2100. It remains my cheap backup amp and seems to still work just fine despite all original parts (someday soon it will need a recap). Right now it actually powers speakers that are in the ceiling of the kitchen.
 
Heh, heh, heh... that's why I am loath to offload the Paramours.

We have some friends from MA that we often go to concerts with. Sometimes we go places in MA, sometimes up this-a-ways. Once, they were up here, and the other husband & I were listening to some tunes (Joan Osborne -- we were going to see her on her "Bob Dylan" tour) upstairs via the Redboy/JELabs "Simple 2A3". She, and everything, was/were sounding fine, too.... then there was an unpleasant pop, and then no sound from one channel*

"I guess we're finished listening" said my friend Jack.

"Naw", said I, and I hooked up the Paramours and we were up and running again in about 5 minutes.

Famed Baltimore Orioles manager (the late) Earl Weaver might have referred to such capability as deep depth. :)
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* Turned out to be a 6SN7 driver (which is what I was using at the time) that had defecated the bed. No more and no less (thankfully). Only time I've ever had that happen (to date).
 
I know what you mean.
Every time I think about selling some, I have reason to pull out one from the closet.
Example a couple weeks ago I noticed one of my 2a3 amps was lower than the other.
I am using my ST 70 until I get time to look into it.
 
Yes sir, as @mhardy6647 noted; depth is key! I have three tube amps in case one or two go under. On the solid state front I am very vulnerable with only one amp, this should change in the next few months.
 
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I keep a t-amp as an absolute backup. It's just... unsatisfying.

Which is probably a good thing as it provides incentive to fix what needs fixin'.
 
Fuses should be in today. But it has been a miserable few days. I will have to make provisions for a spare amp. Le sigh......
 
So it turns out that I have a short in the power cable connector. Also discovered that I had one of thrones HiFi tuning fuses. While I am bummed that I have to have a repair performed on my beloved Goldmund amp, at least it’s a minor issue and one that should be resolved soon.

On another front, the Krell shipped out to its new home in Arizona. Got to watch a tractor trailer back up into my street! Good times!

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Sooooo......I need to pick up a back-up amp still. Thought the Goldmund was fixed, but alas the issue persists. I have no doubt that it will be sorted out, however. It is just a bummer that it needs to be done at all. Stuff happens I guess and it is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things. I have committed to a pair of Kenwood L-07II's because they were affordable and pretty cool. I have owned the Mk. I before and remember them being decent. I confess to finding them bland-looking however. 10 steps forward and 11 steps back.
 
One of the reasons I like my Kingko KA 101 Pro. It is an integrated anp but can be used as a power amp and a good headphone amp. Currently it is being used as a power amp. Then soon as an integrated in system two. Then as headphone amp and backup. My new monoblock power anps are on the way.
 
Just saw a thread someplace else: "Do you have an emergency amplifier?"
I would take the Fifth Amendment.

:rolleyes:
 
Oh yes, I nap with my amps often... it good for the soul )
In fact I am headed that direction right now.
 
Without a backup the chances of your main amp dying go up exponentially. Something to do with Mr Murphy and his dam law's.

BillWojo
 
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