Your opinions please.

[hayabusa]

First some background.

I recently purchase two more PL400s that will be getting some White Oaks upgrades. One is an early build that I bought from the original owner. The other is a series 2. Both are in excellent condition. I'm building these to give to our sons so I do want them to be very nice however, I don't want to go unnecessarily overboard.

So, what's the opinion out there regarding quasi comp vs going full comp. I've read about everything I could find on the topic and I'm still undecided. Possibly some reliability and sound improvement, was about I could find.

With the expense and work involved going full comp, I really could use the opinions of those, far more knowledgeable then myself.

Your opinions please.

Thanks.....Gary

 

[Fishoz]

Just some input from a non-techy.....

PL400 are nice stock. Enjoyed mine but wanted more. My working and enjoyable 4 fin went to Lee, being an early model could not go full WOPL. Trashed it for a fully WOPL'd 400 - amazing!!!!

One of the only reasons I wanted anything done was for the DC protection - I didn't want to flame my PL/speakers.

PL400.....good
Quasi Comp....better
Full WOPL.....Nirvana!

 

[hayabusa]

Just some input from a non-techy.....

PL400 are nice stock. Enjoyed mine but wanted more. My working and enjoyable 4 fin went to Lee, being an early model could not go full WOPL. Trashed it for a fully WOPL'd 400 - amazing!!!!

One of the only reasons I wanted anything done was for the DC protection - I didn't want to flame my PL/speakers.

PL400.....good
Quasi Comp....better
Full WOPL.....Nirvana!

Thank you for your thoughts.

I was under the impression that an early 400 can still be fully WOPL'd. I guess I will need to research that some more.

 

[laatsch55]

Yes they can, the early 700s had a different hole pattern for the heatsinks. I switched out Fishoz's 4 find chassis for an 8 fin because I could.

 

[hayabusa]

Yes they can, the early 700s had a different hole pattern for the heatsinks. I switched out Fishoz's 4 find chassis for an 8 fin because I could.

That was my understanding. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[BubbaH]

Never heard a quasi or a stock 400. But why stop half way?

 

[Northwinds]

Since when can't a stock 4 fin PL400 not be WOPL'd???

 

[Fishoz]

Apparently it can Ron, my mistake...

 

[Gepetto]

Since when can't a stock 4 fin PL400 not be WOPL'd???

All 400's can be converted. The 8 fin units are just more straightforward to convert than the 4 fin units.

PL made many changes during the 4 fin production period so you never knew what you had until you opened it up.

The 8 fin units, you could (almost) always be certain what was inside.

 

[Northwinds]

Obligatory threadcrap, this shit made me laugh

 

[Gepetto]

All 400's can be converted. The 8 fin units are just more straightforward to convert than the 4 fin units.

PL made many changes during the 4 fin production period so you never knew what you had until you opened it up.

The 8 fin units, you could (almost) always be certain what was inside.

So if you plan on purchasing a PL400, you are better off purchasing an 8 fin amplifier which are the later of the S1 amps and all of the S2 amps.

 

[hayabusa]

All 400's can be converted. The 8 fin units are just more straightforward to convert than the 4 fin units.

PL made many changes during the 4 fin production period so you never knew what you had until you opened it up.

The 8 fin units, you could (almost) always be certain what was inside.

All so true. I have two early 400s and they are somewhat different. Both are 4 fin but only one has the main caps, mounted on the side of the frame. The other has them mounted to the aluminum spacer. One has Dixon meters and the other, Honeywell. Even the faceplate mounting screws are slightly different. They look near identical but under closer examination, one has a machined in shoulder and the other one uses flat washers. They must have been making lots of changes, on the fly.

 

[hayabusa]

Obligatory threadcrap, this shit made me laugh

That's hilarious!

 

[Danimal1969]

For what it's worth, I'm also a newbie here and I just got a 8 fin 400 recently. Sounds terrific and is fully stock.

My plans are to install a dc protection kit, new bulk caps, and the white oak control board. Then I'll reevaluate and see what I think.

 

[orange]

You will get more enjoyment and less potential heartbreak if you WOPL...ask anyone here who has upgraded theirs, Joe is a magician!

And I think the reason he's called Gepetto is because you start out with a PL with strings attached and with White Oak it becomes a real, living amp...