Magnavox 9302-00 EL84 tube amplifier

Another win on Ebay is this top of the line Magnavox 9302-00 push/pull EL84 tube amplifier. This unit will run around 15WPC when completed. These were units pulled from console stereo units from the mid 60's. This unit will get all the capacitors and resistors replaced along with a whole new tube set.

There is lots of support for this amplifier over on AudioKarma discussion boards with David Gillespie leading the forum.

This is my third vintage console push/pull EL84 amplifier with the first being the Electrohome Lorainne 40.

And this RCA RS-177J push/pull EL84 tube amp. 

Although this is a speaker blog, I have enjoyed working and learning about tube amplifiers. Tubes are my preferred way to enjoy the music and these older tube amps are easy to work on since they are point to point wiring and really basic in their layout. Schematics are easy to find as are the parts.

RCA RS-177J Tube Amplifier

 This blog has been super quiet as of late due mostly to Covid and my current space that is not as conducive for expansive audio experience and restoring. That being said I am still finding gear, although much harder to find and it is in storage until a later date.

This nice RCA RS-177J tube amp made my way to me through an Ebay win, the amp was in pretty rough looking condition and needed a serious overhaul including new capacitors, resistors and a general cleaning and a paint job.

This amp seems to have a good reconditioning following on the audio forums, but I mostly followed Mark Walker at Blue Glow Electronics walk through including the front end hot rod modification in changing out the 6FQ7 input tubes to 12AX7 input tubes.

He has a few videos also on the restoration of the RS-177A version of this amp.

I followed Mark's instructions and managed to get this tube amp sounding great. I got all new JJ tubes from the Tube depot.

This amp is from the top of the line console stereos that RCA made in the early 1960's and runs around 12 watts per channel in a push/pull configuration.

These RCA's are worth sourcing out as they are easy to restore and there is lots of info on these. This one is a gift for my son for his 21st birthday, something  he can enjoy for another 50 years.