MikeS

I'm using just some ol' homely Klipsch LaScalas I saved from death.

Three quarters of a watt per side.

I had a pair of Kicker C12's way back in the late eighties. After a year or better of hard use, I started to hear slight buzzing noises at low volumes. The dustcaps were coming loose. I re-glued them, and the buzzing stopped.

You'll play hell trying to find american made capacitors in any of those amplifiers pictured. Even when it comes to restoring a old hi-fi tube amp, most the replacement electrolytic capacitors are sourced and made overseas. Even the modern "Sprague Atoms" are made either in China or Japan. Except the CE Manufacturing aluminum multisectional electrolytic capacitors......I think they are made in the US, in Califiornia or some such. Most the high quality boutique Electrolytic capacitors are made in Japan. Such as the Nichicon Muse series, Elna Cerafines, Rubycon Black Gates........ I'm sure there is quality made American electrolytic capacitors out there, but I really doubt they will be in common consumer grade car electronics. I also wouldn't doubt all those amplifiers pictured are made in the same South Korean plant. The plant probably does quality control, and the dealer who pawns them off in the states probably does testing and more quality assurance before they are sold. And with a whole pallet of amps, I'm sure they have to go through, test, and ween out some of the bunk ones.

The numbers make my Altec look like a primative POS.....and they are from the same era..... I dunno....someone may have snarfed it by now, judging by the cash they fetch on eBay listings....egads! http://cgi.ebay.com/Harmon-Kardon-Citation...%3A1%7C294%3A50

Well, the Citation II is 60 watts a side. The "Deuce" is a classic, a keeper, and well worth the investment. They don't depreciate...... http://www.bassboy.com.au/getreel/ebay/cla...ps/hk/specs.htm I'd try to follow up on it, or at least see if it's still up for grabs, or up for grabs at all. Even if you can't afford it.....

That sucks. Sorry to hear that Todd. Those old timers pass on, and another little bit of the old school knowledge disappears along with it. Yeah, I'd be trying to glom on to whatever you can afford/get your hands on. Along with projects, maybe see what he has in the way of test gear. Old school volt ohm meters, VTVM's, tube testers and tubes are things to snag. What happened to the Harmon Kardon Citation II amplifier? Did it pretty much vanish right when he passed away? That's a well coveted amplifier, and worth a few bucks as well. I hooked the Altec 345A amplifier up to my LaScalas just about a hour ago. Plenty of power, and bass is strong. It has new tubes except for the 5U4 rectifiers, and brand new parts. So it will take some time for the amp to settle-in. It still sounds rather good, however. Just a wee bit bright/weedy......and I'm pretty sure it's the new parts and EL-34's. Time will tell I suppose.... I listened to it about 20-30 minutes just to hear it. Now it's back to the bench for testing/checking/measuring on the scope.

The amp works........

This type of crap is what helps people ruin their equipment. If you don't have something informative to offer, do not post anything. This is counter-productive and a stupid thing nonetheless..... But a buddy of mine Johnny back in the late '80's-early '90's was back east or in Texas or somewhere at a Soundstream dealer. And one of the sales pitches/gimmicks was to plug a Soundstream driver directly into a 120 volt AC wall socket. I remember my friend bragging about it, buzzing away at 60Hz without burning up. I have no idea how long long the test was performed, (probably not very long) or if there was some sort of device or something to limit current to pull off the trick. I suppose back then I would have been impressed as well, watching a subwoofer plugged into the wall......you know.....WOW! Wotta tough subwoofer..... Nowdays, I dunno........Well, that's cool.... now let's try it at 240 VAC, and work our way up to 480 VAC....

Shorting out the terminals with a piece of wire is a great way to ship a driver with looser suspension.

What standard? I know they are at least 10,000 peak at 125ms, 20,000 peak at 62.5ms.... Do you have idea if those driver peaks were determined in the proper specced enclosure, or measured free-air/open-baffle?

Yeah it is. http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/why-d...ow-chew-its-cud Nothing to do with "could" however. C'mon now.....how hard is it to type two extra f*cking letters.........

It must be a solid state bass guitar amplifier?

Hmmm.....if times get rough enough to where there is rolling blackouts for extended periods, this could be the perfect home audio amp......