phase linear 400

gene french said:
hey guys...please help me out...i just got a list of equipment from joe at wo...
i dont understand the terminology....please explain it to me...i am sure joe thinks i am an idiot....
well, maybe...lol
which board is this one that i have??
what is the pl14 boards??
what is a backplane ??
according to the service manual i have a 400c board and not pl14x...
please forgive my ignorance...phase linear is new to me...
and when you explain it...i will no longer be a dumb a**....
and maybe i can hang out in the big boy forums...
thanks for your help...
gene
Click to expand...


Yes, your driver board is a 400C. It will be a Pl14 from White Oak. Requires the drilling of 1 hole to mount.

Backplanes are what White Oak calls the printed circuit boards that the outputs mount to if you go that route. They basically replace the sockets on the backwall, also allowing full comp operation.
 
laatsch55 said:
Yes, your driver board is a 400C. It will be a Pl14 from White Oak. Requires the drilling of 1 hole to mount.

Backplanes are what White Oak calls the printed circuit boards that the outputs mount to if you go that route. They basically replace the sockets on the backwall, also allowing full comp operation.
Click to expand...
gotcha...it is becoming clearer for me now...
joe responded very kindly and included a lot of reading material and things to study...
thanks every one...
 
George S. said:
Gene, here's photos of my two Full WOPL 400s. Very similar to the Pro 700. The one with the analog meters is a 8 fin model just a year or two later than yours, so the storage caps mount differently, no big difference.
Click to expand...
thank you so much for sharing....it is a beautiful job!!!
did it make a sound quality improvement as well???
looks like you bought all wo has to offer for the 400
what is included in the backplane kit for my early 400
please....and thank you very much...
pura vida
 
gene french said:
thank you so much for sharing....it is a beautiful job!!!
did it make a sound quality improvement as well???
looks like you bought all wo has to offer for the 400
what is included in the backplane kit for my early 400
please....and thank you very much...
pura vida
Click to expand...
Gene, I never ran any of my 3 amps in stock form. Never even plugged them in to see if they worked. Reason: I always wanted the classic PL system I saw in a HiFi shop as a teenager in the 70s, but could never afford. Finally, I could afford them and started doing research, found the WOAD (Joe) website, and a link to Phoenix. I read and researched everything before buying my 400s locally, and ordering kits. I built both before ever posting here, by closely looking at Perry's "WOPL Sniffers" 700 builds. He has lots of photos buried in old posts, and he does a outstanding job. I copied him (mostly him) and others. I seldom got things exactly right the first time, so I'd redo it and got better. I had little experience in building something so big and complicated, but I could solder well, experience from recapping old Dell motherboards. And, I had most all the hand tools.
If Joe says everything will fit, then it will! I ordered the kits, built the control and back plane boards, and even the Series 2 Cylon VU meters. If your going to WOPL it, go full WOPL! New everything to make that amp good for another 50 years. Yes, it's expensive, but it's a investment that you can pass on to the next generation.
The guys who have had many amps said nothing beats it, and it's a amazing deal compared to buying something comparable new.
The kits come with all components for the boards, you can get them unassembled, assembled, or have one of the techs build one for you using your core.
 
thank you for sharing your story....my story is similar...a buddy had a 400....i was eating my heart out...lol...
well, i have experience building electronic stuff...was a ham since 68 and had to build my rigs....heathkit ring a bell??
and in 82 i bought a computer store and at that time we did component level diags and repairs...that ended a few years later with the multilayer motherboards and surface mounted ics and stuff....but, i am not a newbie with a soldering iron, solder sucker, and ic boards...
i do need the light kit, cap kit, and the driver board kit...
not sure if i want to change the outputs for now...advise me why i should????
....what comes in the backplane kit for the 400...are the output transistor sets included??
i see that the transistors are not too expensive...what are the advantages....
i dont think transistors wear out so to speak...set me straight...lol
thanks
gene
 
Get new output transistors from Joe. His price is less than Mouser or Digikey. They are the newest iterations and have a greater SOA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_operating_area
Cut no corners, buy Joe's wire kit also. All mil-spec silver plated Teflon insulated. You'll also need additional 16 or 14 AWG like wire for the AC runs, a new rectifier, and rectifier snubber caps. Heat shrink, ring terminals, alcohol for cleaning the boards, etc. New fuses, etc.
When you buy the kits, Joe sends PDF tech documents with instructions.
 
We don't need no stinkin batteries.........( unless they're in the pre).....
 
gene french said:
thank you so much for sharing....it is a beautiful job!!!
did it make a sound quality improvement as well???
looks like you bought all wo has to offer for the 400
what is included in the backplane kit for my early 400
please....and thank you very much...
pura vida
Click to expand...


Sound quality is very noticeably better...
 
When I (finally) WOPL the 400, I'm just gonna do it all, sans the cap kit and DC protect board. I already got those. But I wanna do it, it sounds like fun. Building your own sh!t is cool.........
 
gene french said:
thank you for sharing your story....my story is similar...a buddy had a 400....i was eating my heart out...lol...
well, i have experience building electronic stuff...was a ham since 68 and had to build my rigs....heathkit ring a bell??
and in 82 i bought a computer store and at that time we did component level diags and repairs...that ended a few years later with the multilayer motherboards and surface mounted ics and stuff....but, i am not a newbie with a soldering iron, solder sucker, and ic boards...
i do need the light kit, cap kit, and the driver board kit...
not sure if i want to change the outputs for now...advise me why i should????
....what comes in the backplane kit for the 400...are the output transistor sets included??
i see that the transistors are not too expensive...what are the advantages....
i dont think transistors wear out so to speak...set me straight...lol
thanks
gene
Click to expand...
Also, right now your outputs are set quasi complementary per the point to point back plane wiring. Install the back plane kit and all new outputs in a full complementary configuration.
Read up on the advantages of a full complementary output configuration.
 
gene french said:
thank you for sharing your story....my story is similar...a buddy had a 400....i was eating my heart out...lol...
well, i have experience building electronic stuff...was a ham since 68 and had to build my rigs....heathkit ring a bell??
and in 82 i bought a computer store and at that time we did component level diags and repairs...that ended a few years later with the multilayer motherboards and surface mounted ics and stuff....but, i am not a newbie with a soldering iron, solder sucker, and ic boards...
i do need the light kit, cap kit, and the driver board kit...
not sure if i want to change the outputs for now...advise me why i should????
....what comes in the backplane kit for the 400...are the output transistor sets included??
i see that the transistors are not too expensive...what are the advantages....
i dont think transistors wear out so to speak...set me straight...lol
thanks
gene
Click to expand...


Why would you keep 40 year old stressed components?? Especially when the new outputs are 10 times better and 40 years NEWER and unstressed?
 
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