Too much bias on PL400 series 2

[laatsch55]

And we will help in any way we can...that's what we do..

 

[George S.]

The system I am building up to is for my office and listening room. I will have a set of A/D/S/ L1230 cabinets that my buddy bought new in 1984 and then sold to me. I will be wiring them all active and then will build a pair of 10" large sealed subwoofer enclosures for the bottom end. For crossovers I will be using Behringer or possibly a Mini DSP. I know that 4, even 3 of these amps are way overkill but i am building this system for me, not for anyone else and I am not as worried about the cost as well as the effort.

I have a SONY PS-X60 turn table with an Audio Technica cartridge.

I will be mosty streaming music from Tidal with the higher bitrate through my computer with a Topping D/A. I also have about 2.25T of music at as high of a bit rate as possible for listening.

I have the speaker protection circuits and the upgraded capacitor sets from White Oak as well as the new output devices. I will most likely replace the driver boards in the near future. I want to get this system up and running before i get to that expense.

Nice! Looking forward to updates and photos of your build!

 

[gene french]

pretty interesting rely considering this is a DIY Forum for helping people to get the most out of their electronics. You would expect to get some assistance and a direction to start but I guess thats not why you are in the forum. It would be so much easier to just go buy all new gear but I love these amps for the nostalgia. I plan on rebuilding them whatever the cost. To just throw them out just seems way to harsh. There are good people with good intentions that can help and if I can do it this way I will have no problem taking them to someone that can. I have been in the electronics industry since 1979 just not in the service/repair end but would like to learn how to service and repair vintage electronics. There seems to be a shortage of people that really do care to preserve some of this older gear. My job has me working with people that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on cars that are 50+ years old. If it were not for people like that I would no be doing my dream job and designing and outfitting them with audio systems. almost none of them are totally original and have had many different people work on them over the years and may have not gotten it right. That does not mean they are a lost cause and just require more attention and research to make them what the owner desires.

i feel as you do...at present i have 6 pl400...
and just bought 2 hafler p230s...
i had 2 older 4 fins that i upgraded with white oak ...and 4 8 fins that are stock control boards and back planes...i did recap all and upgrade the ps caps with white oak caps ...and led lighting .. and of course the dc protect boardsmy main system consists of 4 amps...with two dsps...a pl400 (upgraded to wopl) on woofers...a pl400 stock 8 fin on midbase...a pl400 stock 8 fin on midranges...an sx1080 on tweeter duty....and a pl400 (upgraded to wopl) driving a set of voigt pipes ..i have 2 spare pl400 8 fins freshly refurbished as spares and/or future expansion...
the 4 way is very clean and crisp...and the amps are just idling and run cool...no overheating issues...they run through schiit dac and preamp...i stream from apple music as they at present have the highest resolution...to play lossless requires streaming from the apple music app out through a cabled usb dac cabled into the system...no form of wireless supports lossless streaming...maria and i live for our music ..8am to 5 pm .
interesting fulfilling, expensive hobby...
reliving the glory days
good luck to you!!

 

[Dr12volt]

i feel as you do...at present i have 6 pl400...
and just bought 2 hafler p230s...
i had 2 older 4 fins that i upgraded with white oak ...and 4 8 fins that are stock control boards and back planes...i did recap all and upgrade the ps caps with white oak caps ...and led lighting .. and of course the dc protect boardsmy main system consists of 4 amps...with two dsps...a pl400 (upgraded to wopl) on woofers...a pl400 stock 8 fin on midbase...a pl400 stock 8 fin on midranges...an sx1080 on tweeter duty....and a pl400 (upgraded to wopl) driving a set of voigt pipes ..i have 2 spare pl400 8 fins freshly refurbished as spares and/or future expansion...
the 4 way is very clean and crisp...and the amps are just idling and run cool...no overheating issues...they run through schiit dac and preamp...i stream from apple music as they at present have the highest resolution...to play lossless requires streaming from the apple music app out through a cabled usb dac cabled into the system...no form of wireless supports lossless streaming...maria and i live for our music ..8am to 5 pm .
interesting fulfilling, expensive hobby...
reliving the glory days
good luck to you!!

thanks~~~ just sold my SX1080 and 4 SX780s to pay for this next segment in my vintage hifi saga.

 

[J!m]

Wish I’d known about the 1080!

Using an 880 now and would like a wood veneer cabinet.

Welcome!

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

pretty interesting rely considering this is a DIY Forum for helping people to get the most out of their electronics. You would expect to get some assistance and a direction to start but I guess thats not why you are in the forum. It would be so much easier to just go buy all new gear but I love these amps for the nostalgia. I plan on rebuilding them whatever the cost. To just throw them out just seems way to harsh. There are good people with good intentions that can help and if I can do it this way I will have no problem taking them to someone that can. I have been in the electronics industry since 1979 just not in the service/repair end but would like to learn how to service and repair vintage electronics. There seems to be a shortage of people that really do care to preserve some of this older gear. My job has me working with people that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on cars that are 50+ years old. If it were not for people like that I would no be doing my dream job and designing and outfitting them with audio systems. almost none of them are totally original and have had many different people work on them over the years and may have not gotten it right. That does not mean they are a lost cause and just require more attention and research to make them what the owner desires.

Nobody said anything about throwing anything away except maybe the old junk and replace the insides with new properly engineered electronics assemblies. AND, you can DIY the whole thing with all the properly engineered trons assemblies. Then you have a safe modern amplifier that runs you no risk of Marvin showing up or having that chance of having something catastrophic happen.

 

[J!m]

Old amps are why we have homeowners insurance.

 

[gene french]

wow!!!
i did not realize these vintage amps were such a danger to mankind ....how in gods name did they survive 50 years without burning down a village or two...maybe i should sell mine and take up finger painting...lol...

 

[J!m]

They weren’t 50 years old 50 years ago.

 

[George S.]

Gene, you do live in a earthquake resistant concrete house beside a volcano, right?

 

[gene french]

Gene, you do live in a earthquake resistant concrete house beside a volcano, right?

yes sir...1200 rebar went into it...rafters are 4" heavy wall square tubing...weldedbto the rebar sticking out of the walls...withstood a 7.6 with nary a crack...did rattle the dishes however...
all we could do was hang on...lol
fascinating!!!!

 

[gene french]

They weren’t 50 years old 50 years ago.

still dont know of any burnt villages or disabled grids or flash burns on any techs 50 years later...
maybe i should get out more....

 

[gene french]

yes sir...1200 rebar went into it...rafters are 4" heavy wall square tubing...weldedbto the rebar sticking out of the walls...withstood a 7.6 with nary a crack...did rattle the dishes however...
all we could do was hang on...lol
fascinating!!!!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Costa_Rica_earthquake

 

[62vauxhall]

wow!!!
i did not realize these vintage amps were such a danger to mankind ....how in gods name did they survive 50 years without burning down a village or two...maybe i should sell mine and take up finger painting...lol...

From 1996 to 2011 my job was quoting on and providing replacement electronics (and other things) if any were involved in a home insurance contents claim. The quotes went directly to the adjusters.

One claim involved an large Akai power amp. It was determined to be the reason why a homeowner's house burned down while they were on vacation in Hawaii.

It was one of these.

 

[J!m]

Always unplug when you go away!

 

[laatsch55]

Amen, the water to my tankless water heater gets closed and the 4- 40 amp breakers feeding it get tripped..

 

[gene french]

how is the 400 s2 fairing??
any progress??

 

[gene french]

Always unplug when you go away!

i have all wifi switches in my home...i have 2 wifi outlets for the tv and systems...just a touch of the phone either kills it...or brings it to life...the thing i like...if you lose power default is off on power restore...so it cant cut on/off over and over when out power is interrupted....

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

We've all heard the "Flame Linear" stories (none really substantiated), but I take no chances. Your results may vary and just be aware. I opened a ton of these amps and seen some seriously blown up shit. All it takes is a spark going through the slats in the covers and Houston, We Have a Problem. I have NOT opened a blown up WOPL. They are engineered to skip the "Houston" part. Can you imagine a voice coil of your favorite Krako speaker flying out with a foot long flame propelling it into you gorgeous 1973 shag carpet and causing havoc during an unseen Dr. Phil rerun??? Appalling (but NOT fascinating).

 

[gene french]

We've all heard the "Flame Linear" stories (none really substantiated), but I take no chances. Your results may vary and just be aware. I opened a ton of these amps and seen some seriously blown up shit. All it takes is a spark going through the slats in the covers and Houston, We Have a Problem. I have NOT opened a blown up WOPL. They are engineered to skip the "Houston" part. Can you imagine a voice coil of your favorite Krako speaker flying out with a foot long flame propelling it into you gorgeous 1973 shag carpet and causing havoc during an unseen Dr. Phil rerun??? Appalling (but NOT fascinating).

i think a mountain is being made out of a mole hill...phase linear got the name flame linear from the lack of a speaker protection circuit thus flaming speakers...as is published on this site...that is easily remedied...dont remember any warnings from underwriters labratory about a threat to public safety...some people as myself like the challenge of restoring original equipment as one would restoring a 48 harley over the newer more technological advanced models ....dont think its very fair to keep shaming the people that dont share certain philosophies...that think differently than others...
in case no one has noticed...the original poster has not posted of late...maybe he thought he would get support in a forum for the things he loves...instead of shamed because they differ...in case no one has noticed there are several other contributors missing...hmmmm....wonder why??
i thought this was a forum to help support the hobby that so many have come to embrace...
maybe there needs to be a splinter group started restricted to one way thinkers and doers...engineers and electronic geniuses only...black tie group so to speak...that those of us with "diahreah of the mouth" would be not be allowed admission...
as for myself...i think every poster has something of value to offer and is owed the respect to be heard...since i pay for my mistakes...the final decision is mine and mine alone...and should be equally respected...makes me wonder what will be said in 50 years about the latest and greatest technological advances we have offered to us today???