A VERY Special Phase Linear 700B.

[laatsch55]

A very special 700B showed up today. It was Bob Carver's PERSONAL 700 he drug around on the trade show circuit in the 70's. The present owner got it as payment for a bet Bob lost with Stephen ( member--forthehifitoys). Stephen tramperd around on the trade show circuit about the same time as an exec with an outfit that had 85 retail stereo stores.So they were not strangers. This took place at 3:15 AM. When it was time for breakfast the next morning Bob showed up at the same restaurant that Stephen wasd at and plopped a 2000 Ser I on the table and said" You're gonna need this to make it work" then turned around and bought breakfast.

This is the first " Spare no expense, do whatever you think needs done" repair I have done. Yeah, this one's gonna be fun. You'll notice no tag on the transformer.....Bob had the pick of the litters, this was serial #6.


He also has the "Pig" until he gets his 400 back, that showed today too....just a gorgeous 400.

 

[Elite-ist]

Neat story: I like to hear about personal pieces, especially, a Phase Linear 700 B with a notable lineage. What else new can you dream up for this one, Lee?

Nando.

 

[laatsch55]

My mind is just now coping with that having never been presented with a deqal like this. Copper heatsinks, fully comp with new sockets (the green ones) ummm, Oh a lot of stuff Nando...

 

[laatsch55]

Perhaps Stephen will post a few times and give a commentary. His gear is what I saw when in Phoenix over the new year. The guy is side splitting funny also...

 

[BubbaH]

Man I'd love to try out one of these amps. Even more so had it been tinkered with by one of the lad's here. Having had an 1801 in the house since I was a young fella myself, I find there aren't many amps that can run the way I like. Unless I go pro power. Still drooling over the PL's... Not sure why.

 

[laatsch55]

Because when we get done with em Bubba they are a WORLD CLASS amp. Joe has done something phenomenal with em. They are damn good sounding power houses.

 

[laatsch55]

Joe, I'm gonna run a "D" board fully comp with new the fancy green sockets. What do I need to change on the board?? Standard for fully comp like the 400??

 

[Elite-ist]

What's not to love about a Phase Linear 700 B?

Lee: Unlike a few other people I have heard who dream up possible upgrades or custom changes in respect to vintage gear, you seem to find a way to get it done after you have come up with the ideas. That's what owning your own business has taught you, I assume.

Nando.

 

[laatsch55]

Yes Nando, the buck has stopped here for at least 25 years. Can't do er, can't stay. One thing about it, when you do have an idea you can implement it or not. I think the more you do it the better you do under pressure. It does carry over.

Building the board tonight......

 

[laatsch55]

Resistors done.. next up....diodes

 

[laatsch55]

Also gotta plug Dennis(NavLinear) or FaboNav. Gona run his Bias tranny brackets, TO-5 standoffs.

 

[NavLinear]

Both of those amps are sweet - I can't believe that the 700 was hauled around the country for who knows how long and is still in pristine condition. You'll need to diagram the fully complementary layout for the 700 unless Joe can pull off the impossible and get a new layout done in a day or two.

I have an ass ton more of those TO-5 standoffs. I made those during a lull some time ago but haven't had machine time for a couple of months. Damn work gets in the way. I think you'll like the board holder - I have a prototype finally and I tweaked the design some to make it workable for the three amp types I have so during the next lull I'll get a set or two fabricated.

 

[laatsch55]

That would be very nice Dennis. I think if you had a cabbage case for em, they could look like that with a lot of miles on em. The inside is something else, lot of repair work has gone on in there.

The TO-5 standoffs offer consistency to the mount, that's what I love about em, repeatibility.

 

[laatsch55]

The 400 is pristine, everywhere.

 

[laatsch55]

The "B" has XPL-910's in one channel and MJ 15024s in the other!!????

 

[NavLinear]

That does seem a bit odd but at least they didn't mix and match in the same channel. Are you giving it a listen before the mod? Any pre tests?

 

[laatsch55]

Oh yeah. A days worth of listening and every test I can take.

 

[NavLinear]

That would be very nice Dennis. I think if you had a cabbage case for em, they could look like that with a lot of miles on em. The inside is something else, lot of repair work has gone on in there.

The TO-5 standoffs offer consistency to the mount, that's what I love about em, repeatibility.

We use Pelican cases - same difference - for transporting electronic equipment and if it's packaged well the equipment can stand up to the test of time and travel. One does have to pack carefully so it seems that was done with this guy as the cosmetics are quite nice.

Maybe you can take some nudes of the before - always interesting to see earlier work done to these guys.

 

[derek92994]

This amp that was dragged around for some time, what has been done to it in the past? Its not all original? Was it working when you received it for the upgrade? Interesting, I'm very curious.

 

[laatsch55]

Everything but the big caps..