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Take a close look at this power audio amplifier that dates back to 1961 (Figure 1). This image is a still extracted from a YouTube video by a group called “The Spotnicks” playing their version of “Ghost Riders In The Sky”. (Try not to laugh too hard when you see them in their space suits.)
Image may be NSFW.
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Figure 1: Image of an amplifier featured in a YouTube video with eight 6L6GB beam power tetrode tubes.
Sporting eight 6L6GB beam power tetrode tubes, this thing was clearly pushing the limits of the state-of-the-art at that time but notice the gorgeous appearance, the emphasis on gold coloration and the mirror-like reflection. This amplifier was meant as a work of art to be seen, particularly on stage, not just listened to.
After I looked on in dazed admiration for a while, I noticed something. One of the seven-pin-miniature tube shields on the left is not gold colored. Somewhere along the line I suspect, one of those tubes had to be replaced and its tube shield got lost somehow. A replacement shield was used instead, which left the amplifier with something of a beauty mark.
When you play that video, you’ll see that more than one of these amplifiers was in service during the performance.
Enjoy!
John Dunn is an electronics consultant, and a graduate of The Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (BSEE) and of New York University (MSEE).
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