Mod Squad Scroe

Can't believe I got this for $30.GW.Don't know if it works yet,but I understand Steve is doing upgrades and re-builds again.This is not on his list unfortunately.I'm to chicken to hook it up yet.Any advise from those in the Know???I need a quality Pre badly,I'm using a Sony ES now,but I'm not real happy with it.I think the AR's deserve better!I have it plugged in,but I'm feeling no warmth from the unit,or power supply.The fuse is good in the power supply.Is anybody here familiar with the Spacial preamps,or Steve McCormack gear?

Feed it a signal and see if you get any AC out of it.

I'd open it up and take a damned good look. For a few more $ you can build a DBT.

I'm a carpenter,WTF a DBT...some new type of nail!Ha!
It;'s plugged in,I'll check to see if I get AC out of it.
It's supposed to warm up a week before fireing,at least for critical listening I think.
No on off switch,just leave it on.

I would have it checked out by a tech before I left it on for any period of time. It looks like a nice preamp.

Ok,no power thru the back AC.I thought I should feel some warmth thru the unit.I'm hoping it's just a power supply issue.I'm finding little info on these.I think there are some goodies buried in epoxy blocks for secrecy on Cap config.Very Black Opp for '70's.

You might want to send Steve an email anyway to see if he might at least look at it or send a schematic (if he has one) for it. Would help with your troubleshooting.

Yes,I've mailed him,will keep posted..

There is a really rare one. Most of the ones you see are the passives.

DBT = Dim Bulb Tester

Call it a $12 Phoenix Preamp insurance plan.

Hatrack,hope it lives up to it's billing!Okie-J,My Parents have a farm in Nardin,near Blackwell.
I already heard back from Steve at SMc Audio (no Afiliation)He's recommended a Tech he works with to repair the unit.Nice guy,he explained about the power supply,(hopefully the problem)Explained about the TFET-Valve,how it needed at least a 2 day warmup to settle in.and how the unit is to be left on continuously.(no prob I have a conditioner.)I'll be contacting the Tech directly,get this baby out,fixed,and back singing sweetly to the AR 10's!
I'd love to hear more input from others using this,or similar pieces using this technology.Tia!
I'll hopefully have some time to open her up,get some pics posted.

scoville - I'm down in OKC. Heard they be hogs up your parents way. I'm looking for places to bowhunt some of them critters this summer so if your folks need any taken out let me know :arrow:

I haven't heard anything about hogs there. Occasional rumor of a big cat. Plenty of hogs here in Florida...I see them along side the road sometimes!Big Cats here for sure...very protected! I grew up in Stillwater, shame bout them Pokes in Tourney! Keep a cellar handy brother your dead center alley...

Yeah, it feels like tornado weather out there right now.

Muggy hot with chance of rain is all it takes to spin 'em up this time of year.

perhaps a shortage in ac cord. I bought a pre i thought was dead and wiggle the cord and it worked.

chefg1,this is very possible.I still have not opened up the power supply.I got home,had to run out again,then cook...Just settling into my office,loaded some cd's.Chill time,starting with Norah Jones.I'll get the unit opened this week or weekend,and post some nudies.I'm just cooking the sauce tomorrow so I should have more time.I'm excited to open these up also!This unit will def be sent out to Steve's recommended Tech,I want it gone over and get as much info as I can get about it!If I'm shipping it across the country again I'd love to get it upgraded a bit if possible also,but babysteps!
Okie-J I counted 7 simultaneous tails one evening in Stillwater in '69.I've seen 4 simultaneous waterspouts around me here on Tampa Bay,was really a pretty partly cloudy semi-nice day...weird.before I had a cam on my cell!

I thought you found a copy of the Peggy Lipton LP!

Mr. White,Thought you were a gonner in "R Dogs"!Good to see you back...
Can anybody explain to me what TFET Valves are?What JFET is?Are they compatible in a Preamp to Amp hookup.I'll be pairing the modified Spatial Coherance Preamp wiith a Hafler Transnova.Any input on this pairing?TIA...

Ok!This is off back to Cali to Mr.Steve Pappin of Clifton Audio to be brought back to life!He mailed me and told me he and Steve McCormack were discussing my Phoenix over the weekend!I'm just tickled about this and can't wait to hear the Spacial Coherance through my system!It sure looks like I'll be forced into upgrading the whole system to match this jewel...Interconnects,caps in the Transnova,caps in the Pi's.I'm on a budget, so any advice and ideas on how to proceed greatly appreciated!

First of all, a DBT will not protect preamps, tuners, tape deck, CD payers - all of that. A 60 watt lamp will pass enough current to seriously smoke any of this type of unit because they pull so little current. The bulb will not even light if there is a short unless it is the transformer itself or rectifiers.

It won't hurt, but it doesn't do what it does for a power amp. What's more, the DBT on power amps keeps you from blowing more part and/or the PC board. The transformer in the lower current units rarely has enough current to really smoke anything. Well anything big. You might fry a little ¼ watt resistor, but at least that'll point you to the problem. Thing is, that little ¼ watt resistor could fry on the DBT as easily as without.

Look at the wattege rating on ost of that stuff without power amps. Says maybe 15 watts. Even a 60 watt bulb in the DBT is not really low enough.

On smaller stuff like that, if you want to be super careful, check the rectifiers. If they are shorted then they are, rare. If there is a short in the circuitry, it will reflect in the readings on the rectifiers. With reverse bias from the DVM you get an open circuit indication (after the caps charge) then you are usually god to go.

And of course check to see that some ijiot hasn't put a 30 amp fuse in it...