-
Feeling lucky? Check out the AK 24th Anniversary Giveaway thread and join in the fun!
New to me 222 - the venerable triple deuce
- Thread starter bhairavi
- Start date
That looks really good. I like it. Almost looks a little satin. Nice.
There's a bit of unevenness not apparent in the photos, but I think that's just my technique. Good product!
All done. Had a scare where the left output was scratchy, turned out I forgot to solder one of the places the main board is grounded to the chassis.
Sweet sweet sound. Might be my imagination but it sounds kinda bright. Could it be the film caps across the outputs? It's hard to tell because my test setup out in the garage always sound bright. I'll have to take it inside and A/B it versus the 2a3 SET.
I did score a pair of NHT Outdoor ones over the weekend. 30 bucks for a beat up pair perfect for testing amps.
I'm loving the new knobs! Having sleeves with set screws makes it possible to set them at exactly the right angle.
Sweet sweet sound. Might be my imagination but it sounds kinda bright. Could it be the film caps across the outputs? It's hard to tell because my test setup out in the garage always sound bright. I'll have to take it inside and A/B it versus the 2a3 SET.
I did score a pair of NHT Outdoor ones over the weekend. 30 bucks for a beat up pair perfect for testing amps.
I'm loving the new knobs! Having sleeves with set screws makes it possible to set them at exactly the right angle.
That cleaned up remarkably well, I'd call the condition "excellent" now, based upon the latest pics. The new knobs look decent, they do go nicely with the bakelite lever switches (and I have to say, as simple a design as those switches are, I really dig their aesthetic).
Man, that looks good! Those knobs fit right in too. Congrats. Very nice work.
Did you sub in films in anywhere else you have not before? Or it could be the the films on the outputs. Also leave it running for a day and check again. In my experience amps seem to smooth out the highs after a good burn in.
Scott Muni
Well-Known Member
I give mine a 12 hour burn in using 8 ohm dummy load with brown noise before listening. Otherwise it's usually disappointing.
Not sure is you are aware of these paint pens, but they are great for small touch up work. And true black, not the purple black of a Sharpie.
Gloss
Flat
Gloss
Flat
Amazon.com: Testor Corp. Flat Black Paint Marker Enamel Paint Pen : Arts, Crafts & Sewing
Amazon.com: Testor Corp. Flat Black Paint Marker Enamel Paint Pen : Arts, Crafts & Sewing
www.amazon.com
Yeah I must admit the levers are clean and effective. It's interesting what 'getting used to' an aesthetic means - initially when I put those knobs on I thought it made the entire amp look a bit too dark and dull. And now that I'm sitting in my office the chrome knobs look too bright!
Yessir I believe in my office 222 the smaller caps are all bipolars, whereas in this one, the 1/1.5/3.3 uf are film. But also I didn't put any bypass caps on the outputs, and for some reason I suspect those might be more responsible for the relative brightness (if it even exists)...
I hooked it up to my old Sansa clip+ mp3 player with a huge library of singles. Loudness on, bass and treble all the way up, I'll let it play all day today. Do y'all just have 8 ohm resistors lying around for this purpose? Or like, a potentiometer? If so, what wattage?
I use these industrial pens. The paint is a bit glossy but not apparent if you're not looking. Do you think the ones you suggested do a better job of matching the relative texture of these aluminum faces?
Example:
Last edited:
Scott Muni
Well-Known Member
I have amazon specials, 8 ohm 100 watt resistors. Use them along with a scope to check output signals. On the au222 also need to adjust centering voltage, loading is the service manual way, but there are ways around it.
Oh okay found a few on Amazon.
I was going to ask about the midpoint voltage adjustment.
I think from another amp, perhaps the 777? I learned that you can approximate it by making sure that the voltage on the 'lower' output of the quasicomplementary pair is half or slightly less than the voltage on the 'upper', but that this is problematic because you could still be 'offcenter' under load due to sag and also due to the fact that the individual NPNs in each pair don't act the same, being part of different types of circuits. I don't understand all the details but a picture comes to mind of a sine wave that is not centered at zero and therefore clipping.
So the Q is, is there a more reliable way to get there short of a scope?
My voltages are almost exactly 26.4V/53.5V.
Oh yeah that’s the blem I noticed in the photo. The mat pen I linked might be a better match.
That pen you have there looks great for gloss finishes.
Plimpington2
Super Member
Regarding your aversion to IPA, have you tried anhydrous IPA (which is to
Say 99% rather than 70% or 90%). The anhydrous should not leave any white residue and that is what I used on my boards and they look shiny and clean.
Say 99% rather than 70% or 90%). The anhydrous should not leave any white residue and that is what I used on my boards and they look shiny and clean.
But that's what I'm using! I think it just needed wiping instead of rinsing.
That reminds me, the pots were all rather stiff, and at first I thought they needed some faderlube, but then I recalled something in all the random reading I had been doing about using IPA at the shaft. Sure enough a dab or two of an IPA-soaked qtip right where the shaft of the pot enters the body immediately freed up all the pots.
@pete_mac I partially used your responses to a thread on a 222 restoration on StereoNet in order to arrive at these values. Any opinions on how 'bright' the 3.3uf bypass films on the output caps might make the amp sound? I might try desoldering a leg and seeing if the sound changes, and if it does, maybe try the 1uf or even 0.22uf.
Last edited:
pete_mac
Super Member
I can't recall any AU-222 threads where I suggested using 3.3uf caps as bypasses - only as replacements for original electrolytics.
It's easy enough to lift a leg and find out!
Yup will definitely do that first. And I think I'll take my office 222 home to do a close A/B.
You mentioned film bypass in this thread:
www.stereonet.com
You mentioned film bypass in this thread:
Sansui AU-222 garage sale find.
Picked up at a garage sale a Sansui AU-222 along with some pioneer speakers and cd player, got the lot for $15, the sansui was only $5. This is the first sansui I’ve ever got my hands on and I’m not really familiar with their models, I’ve mainly played around with vintage marantz gear. I as...
www.stereonet.com