Here are some pictures of my new to me Akai M-8 SEP amps. Bought these in a Akai "suitcase" RtR (see unmolested pics here) a few months ago. Read about AKer tracker-x's mods and the cabinets AKer Raul has AKer JohnW make for him.
A month or so later.....here are the results (see pics).
I only had one problem after completing the mods. One of the amps had a loud hum and I could only faintly hear the music playing. Ended up it was the amp that has the two piece slide-bar on top that must be pushed to the left to make these amps work as standalone amps. The short piece of the slide bar moves independently and I had not pushed it to the left. As soon as that was remedied, hum problem was solved.
I'd like to thank:
1. JohnW for making these white oak cabinets with the ammonia fume finish.
2. Raul for posting the pictures of his M-8 amps. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=345501
3. Tracker-x for posting his M-8 amp mods. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1100906&postcount=9
I'm still running the stock NEC tubes in all positions and these amps sound sweet.
Update 1: These amps should probably not be stacked as I've shown them in the pictures. They put out some heat.
Update 2: List of capacitors purchased for the refurbishment (I ordered a few extra of some of the less expensive.......just in case):
Tube Depot
Quantity 9 - Sprague Atom 25 uF 25V
5 - Sprague Atom 20 uF 500V
2 - multi-cap cans 20 uF x 20 uF 600V
6 - Orange Drop .022 uF 600V
8 - Orange Drop .010 uF 600V
2 - Orange Drop .0047 uF 600V
Digikey
2 - 3.3 uF 350V electrolytic radial
3 - 1 uF 350V electrolytic radial
2 - 360 pF 500V mica radial (kind of pea shaped actually)
2 - 15 pF 500V mica radial
There is a great possibility I already had some of the required caps lying around which are not reflected in the above orders. They would have been Orange Drops though, probably the .022 uF size.
Update 3: Added pictures of the bottom of the amps after all the umbilical cords have been stripped out. Pics show the locations of many of the caps there were replaced.
A month or so later.....here are the results (see pics).
I only had one problem after completing the mods. One of the amps had a loud hum and I could only faintly hear the music playing. Ended up it was the amp that has the two piece slide-bar on top that must be pushed to the left to make these amps work as standalone amps. The short piece of the slide bar moves independently and I had not pushed it to the left. As soon as that was remedied, hum problem was solved.
I'd like to thank:
1. JohnW for making these white oak cabinets with the ammonia fume finish.
2. Raul for posting the pictures of his M-8 amps. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=345501
3. Tracker-x for posting his M-8 amp mods. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1100906&postcount=9
An easier to read version of the tracker-x mods is posted here: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=309141&stc=1&d=1320615983
I'm still running the stock NEC tubes in all positions and these amps sound sweet.
Update 1: These amps should probably not be stacked as I've shown them in the pictures. They put out some heat.
Update 2: List of capacitors purchased for the refurbishment (I ordered a few extra of some of the less expensive.......just in case):
Tube Depot
Quantity 9 - Sprague Atom 25 uF 25V
5 - Sprague Atom 20 uF 500V
2 - multi-cap cans 20 uF x 20 uF 600V
6 - Orange Drop .022 uF 600V
8 - Orange Drop .010 uF 600V
2 - Orange Drop .0047 uF 600V
Digikey
2 - 3.3 uF 350V electrolytic radial
3 - 1 uF 350V electrolytic radial
2 - 360 pF 500V mica radial (kind of pea shaped actually)
2 - 15 pF 500V mica radial
There is a great possibility I already had some of the required caps lying around which are not reflected in the above orders. They would have been Orange Drops though, probably the .022 uF size.
Update 3: Added pictures of the bottom of the amps after all the umbilical cords have been stripped out. Pics show the locations of many of the caps there were replaced.
Last edited: