Can anyone recommend a Scott tech around Philadelphia? |
Thanks for the informative responses. Output tubes on the Scott 222c are 7189a's. Some reviewers say that this family of tubes (6BQ5 / EL84 / 7189 / 7189a ), while not high power, is exceptionally musical. I think that the early Beatles' Vox amplifiers used 6BQ5's. I wonder if output tubes are just a personal preference, and if some of the more powerful Scott integrated amps using 7591's, 6CA7's, or KT-66's are just as magical. Any opinions on this? |
Karavite, it's too late. As of today, there are only three Scott integrateds listed on AudiogoN and I know that at least one of them is already sold. We've created a Frankenstein. Just be glad you got yours, and be sure you hold onto it. |
The Scott integrated amps may be getting scarcer and / or pricier, but Scott also made some receivers. I have not heard much talk about them, but a receiver is basically just an integrated amp with a tuner section. Does anyone out there know if any of the Scott receivers were really good pieces, or is it best to stick with the integrated amps and / or separate components? |
Karavite, thanks for your thoughtful comments. Hopefully, you won't need service anytime soon, because Scott designed these units for very long tube life. My understanding is that their policy is to bias tubes at about 75% of recommended voltage. They must have done something right, because so many of these units built at least 40 years ago are still in circulation, still in demand and still making music. Some units even have their original tubes.
I second Linnlp12's prudent thinking about not changing resistors (or other parts) unnecessarily. It has been my experience that with components designed around older parts, whether guitar amps or stereo equipment, mixing in new components for modification or repair sometimes takes away from what you liked about the unit. If you have leaky caps or other problems, you do what you have to, but otherwise I think it is best leave things alone as long as possible. A Scott engineer was quoted as saying "if it measures well but sounds bad, it is bad. If it measures badly but sounds good, then you have measured the wrong thing." I think that like the people at Linn, they listened carefully, and that is what makes their stuff sound so good. |
Linnlp12, you already provided some excellent advice. |
I just browsed "Scott" in the category "tube amp," and most of the working Scott pieces are labeled "sold" or "sale pending." Is there increased interest in Scott pieces recently? I wonder if this forum thread could actually be contributing to that interest on AudiogoN. (No, I don't own stock in the company. I'm not even sure if it still exists.) |
It may be an old thread, but it's a good thread. I would also suggest that you look into different tubes, because I have experienced major sonic differences between brands and between new and old tubes. Suggestion: previous participants in this thread agreed that selenium rectifiers and coupling caps should be replaced. However, you had to be careful changing resistors as the old carbon types gave these amps a special magic. I am not sure whether or not they were including the bias resistors, or if your new bias resistors aren't similar carbon types. Perhaps you should look into this. Also, setting the bias correctly can make a huge difference. It might be worthwhile to see if tuning the amp up optimally can bring the lost "magic" back. |
Karavite, where do you live? AudiogoNers on these pages could more effectively recommend an expert if they knew what city you live in or close to. If there is a good place near you, I assume you would want to take it there. If you don't care about proximity, Rar1 previously recommended Bill at Music Technology at
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY, INC.
5418 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22151
703.764.7005
Music Technology
I think that if the amp is giving you the sound you want, and has a magic you have not found in other amps, don't do anything nonessential to it. Many a paradise has been lost trying in vain to improve on perfection. Priorities in audio reproduction vary greatly from person to person, and what someone else thinks will optimize your Scott may not be your cup of tea at all. Trust what YOU like. |
The better vintage equipment has stood the test of time. There was good and mediocre stuff in the vintage era as well, but the dreck has long since fallen by the wayside.
Time will tell if people will still be looking for Jolida and Rotel pieces 30 to 40 years from now. Like the people who designed the Linn Sondek, I think that at Scott they designed around the idea that listening was much more important than specs. Fortunately, they also emphasized build quality so we can enjoy some real music decades later. |
Some vintage components portray the musical truth outstandingly well. In addition to my own Scott 222c, I bought a broken, tubeless LK-48 chassis for a few bucks and gave it to a electronic tech who could fix it. He reports the same thing I heard - an absolutely magical and often startling "you are there" quality to lead vocals and lead instruments. When he first tested it, his wife in the next room asked him "are you playing drums in there?" I don't find the old Scotts to be the last word on transparency, speed, or background detail, but what they do well stands up to the best I've ever heard. I think you would have to spend much more money to better them with modern gear. |
Is vintage tube gear smoother-sounding than modern tubes?
There are preferences on both sides of the old versus new debate. People who like the newer stuff often talk about more detailed presentation and extended frequency response, while those who like the older stuff cite an elusive musicality, flow, smoothness, and lack of harshness that may be tough to find in modern gear. What are the differences? |
Is stock power supply capacitance optimal? Any experience out there with adding more capacitance to the power supply in Scott integrateds? An Atlanta tube technician claims that the power supply output may drop off about 10% during demanding passages, and that adding a few more capactors to the power supply can rectify this and help clean up the bass. Could such a modification actually improve the sound, or is it something to be avoided? |
I tweaked my 222c, and now it sounds even better. The tweaks were simple and reversible. First, I replaced my old 7189a power tubes with matched new tubes. I couldn't find a matched quartet, but I had a number of tubes on hand so I was able to get matched pairs on each channel. Next, I followed my tech's advice who measured the power supply sagging on demanding passages, and added two extra capacitors to the stiffen power supply. (If I didn't like the result, he offered to remove them free.) No alterations were made in the signal path. The result? Background instruments and vocals are now much more defined and distinct. The striking you-are-there quality on lead vocals and instruments now extends to the background as well. The sometimes wooly bass that I took to be a feature of living with a low-powered tube amp has tightened up considerably. My conclusions? It is definitely worth springing for good matched power tubes. If you have a good tech and your amp sounds good but suffers in the bass, consider whether the diagnosis might be a power supply inadequacy. This is the second amp I have owned for which adding capacitance to the power supply made a noticeable improvement. Personally, I still would not make any changes in the signal path unless absolutely necessary. Any other experiences out there with these kinds of tweaks?
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What speakers go well with your model integrated amplifier? My Rogers LS 3/5a's really seem to like my model 222c, but I wonder what other speaker-H H scott integrated amp combinations can be recommended. |
A Spendor BC-1 / Scott 222c combo was auditioned. The Spendor's were very musical and listenable, but didn't seem to mesh with the 222c as well as the LS 3/5a's on most material, at least not to my ears. Although vocal clarity was excellent, the Spendors were a bit harder on top, more extended but loose on the bottom, and listening position was much more critical. Perhaps a more recent model Spendor would match better. I still wonder what other speaker-H H scott integrated amp combinations others have tried that can be recommended |
It might just be dirty contacts. My Scott 222c did that initially because some tubes had worked loose during shipping. My suggestion is that you first make sure it is not some other component in the chain causing the crackling sound by switching components. If the sound persists, clean all connections thoroughly - I prefer to use Cramolin products. If it still persists, clean the potentiometers. Make sure the tube sockets are clean and tight. If you know how to work safely with the unit on, try tapping the tubes gently - if one makes a particularly loud noise, you may have a microphonic tube. If a tube has a bluish glow, it could be gassy. If you have access to a tube checker, check the tubes one by one, making sure that you put each back in its respective socket (if you have two matched pairs and not a matched quartet on the power tubes, changing the order could affect the sound). If all these measures fail, I would refer you Benny at Modular Electronics in Roswell, Georgia. He's the tube tech many of the high-end dealers in Atlanta use, so he comes highly recommended. |
Anyone else know about nosvalves.com? I hadn't heard of that outfit personally, but checking their website they certainly seem to have the right philosophy - restoration of old units to original specs rather than designing amateur modifications. If you know this to be a place that owners of old Scott units trust to get it done right, please share the knowledge. Oh, and good to hear from you also, Karavite. |
Ldatlof and Wwwrecords, many thanks, excellent advice. Karavite, looking out for each other is our PURPOSE in these forums. When we all share information like this, we spare each other wasted time, disappointment and costly mistakes in our search for truth in music reproduction. One thing I've always loved about vintage Scott gear (and the reason I started this thread) is the opportunity to get into some really musical gear without mortgaging the house. Karavite, when you get your Scott back, please be sure to post and let everyone know how it turned out. By the way, what speakers have you been using that mate so well with your Scott 222a? |
