Collection Resolution Part V -– 12 inch Tone Arms

Hello everybody,

today I want to start my final sales with 12-inch  tone arms. As some people may have recognized, within the the last eight years this blog published extensive informations about my Conversion Kit. In 2012 I started to sell such kits in order to convert SME 3009 SII arms into their predecessor, the legendary so called Mark One type. This early (1958) tone arm was a modern masterpiece of British engineering and its market entrance was some purely dedication to the first moving coil stereo pick up cartridge ever the Ortofon SPU (Stereo Pick Up). This remarkable cartridge was made in the tradition of the former monaural cartridges from different makes, all were extremely low compliance types and were optimized for high tracking mass in order to track safely 78-records. With high torque record players  the pick up process was brought to a seer side. In 1958, in the age of micro groove recordings, the most players still were equipped with heavy arms, so the new stereo cartridges were made to match this masses. As everybody knows it didn't take a long time and the mass of typical cartridges made for the audio amateur aimed to another direction, the ultra low mass cartridge and dedicated low mass tone arms. The SME Series Two got lighter and lighter, got improved for further lightweight, got resembled into Series Three with less mass to match ultra high compliance cartridges of the late 1970ties.
In the 1980ties a huge rediscovery of the tube era was synchronized with the esteem of the equipment of the golden time of audio, the 1950ties. The manufactured quality of no equal in these days and the depths of engineering got discovered again. Tube amplification, idler wheel turntables, former professionally used speaker systems, horn systems and all dedicated technology found back for some lovers to be highly superior than the commercial audio products which had flooded the world since then. So the professional tone arms from SME, EMT, Ortofon, all made in quite small amounts for studio applications got back into demand. In Japan these were combined with broadcast cartridges like the Denon DL103 or the legendary Ortofon SPU. In Japan several new made pick up cartridges from Koetsu, FR, Ikeda, etc. took the path to the low compliance to be highly superior into current products. A heavy arm with a low compliance cartridge on a high mass record player reproduces vinyl completely different than the typical high end products of the commercial audio market.

In the last couple of years I could made several aficionados world wide happy with my SME MK1 conversion kit. Additionally I refurbished outworn SME 3009 SII into like new 12 inch tonearms which are assembled with stainless steel arm wand and internal balsa wood damping element, heavier weights and highly improved internal 99.99 % silk isolated silver wire and good RCA terminals in order to find back to the original performance of the legendary heavy SME 3012 MK1 and improve even that.
When I started this idea outworn SME 3009SII were still available in countable amounts, so it made sense to convert these into something superior. But today there is no more stock available in any amounts, so I had sadly to stop my idea. I will now sell my last three converted SME 3012 from my own stock. When these are once sold a exceptional quality item for analog sound reproduction of vinyl will be gone forever or you will need to spend thousand of euros to find a original MK1 in unknown condition without any spares available.

SME 3012 converted to MK1 standard – #I ,  sold

The first arm is in like new condition without any marks. It has been completely refurbished and got the silver internal wire, new damping balsa wood and new RCA terminals with additional ground contact. This arm is like new condition and performs with a low compliance cartridge like SPU light years better than any SME arm available. Wider more refined soundstage, more undistorted and deeper unlimited low frequency performance, far better trackability make such a combination superior to any arm I do know. Read what customers do say about their own experience.

This one comes with anti skating weight and original SME head shell with raised logo.

Additional grounding wire with dedicated socket.

SME 3012 converted to MK1 standard – #II ,  sold

The next one is asthetically in very good condition. It shows very minor spots in its galvanizing, technically like new. To compensate this I put a original SME connection cable on top of that package.

This one has the later anti skating guide with roller, head shell is original SME with raised logo.

SME 3012 converted to MK1 standard – #III ,  1250,00 EUR plus shipping

This one will follow after request since it built into a presentation box for fairs. It is in better than new condition and my last sample of these.

Accos Lustre studio tone arm –  12 inch , SOLD

As next offer I have a Australian studio tone arm, which was mainly used at Technics direct drive turntable at broadcast stations.  It is a extremely well manufactured arm with micro ball bearings and a wide range of additional weights to compensate different cartridges. This feature and the built quality brought me to the idea to convert this arm into a heavier stainless steel version to perform with low compliance cartridges as well. This arm like many professional arms has no cueing option and needs to be operated manually by hand, I have a rest included to make it work. The tone arm has the exact overhang figure like the SME 3012, which means 312mm between center rotation axis and diamond tip.

This arm has got a RCA contact terminal with separate ground contact and cloth isolated ground wire, additional balancing weight. Internally wired with 99.99% silver wire silk isolated. Internal damping of the arm wand is the typical balsa wood element.

This is a perfect solution for those who want a 12-inch arm of best quality with out the price tag of the well known brands. This arm performs on the same level like other stainless steel arms with micro bearing and internal silver wire. You don't know one, Fidelity Research FR66 or some later Ikedas. Yes they feature a lift, but otherwise ten times the price. 

Unknown Japanese make 12-inch tone arm –  SOLD

The next arm is converted from a typical japanese 9-inch record player tone arm, maybe Jelco. It shows up with the same details like the arm before. Precision micro ball bearings, internal 99.99% silk isolated silver wire, balsa wood damping element, RCA terminal with separate grounding contact. Geometry is identical with SME 3012, which means an overhang of 312mm. The unit features a brass base, which will be screwed with two M4 screws from underside and will simultaneously lock the RCA terminal from underside. 

Additional extra is a second lateral balancing weight and a cloth isolated ground wire. The arm features a anti skating mechanism.

The bakelite SPU headshell is shown just for illustration purposes and is not part of the sales package. This offer is dedicated to somebody who might build a own plinth for a idler wheel turntable and who does not want to spend thousands on a tonearm, when the player will cost a reasonable amount. Beside comfort reasons this arm does not limit the audio performance comparing the arms shown in the upper section.

Collection Resolution Part III -– Driver Units and Speakers

Tannoy

Within the years I have collected a variety of speakers and drivers, if they haven't been installed in speakers for myself or for customers. The whole period addicted to serious audio I was some sort of married with the legendary Tannoy Dual Concentric Speakers. I had almost every type of every size, which is 10'' with IIILZ-units, 12'' and 15'' with one exception, I never owned a Monitor Black speaker. When I decided some time ago to start my audio retirement, which means I will stay on with my actual set and will get rid of all other equipment for sale. One exceptional pair of Monitor Red in 12'' size will be offered here. This pair is in almost like new condition, the cones are absolutely perfect like new, only little chips at the chassis paint where the mounting screws did hold the units in their cabinets and one dent at the metal caps, that's all. Otherwise this pair is perfect which is today 60 years after their introduction hard to find. So I will offer it to somebody, who looks to find a amazing pair for stunning audio future! I still have a pair quite small cabinets (in size like the Chatsworth) but with opened backside to work optimized like a dipole. I used this pair for 15 years for my everyday audio listening, till I came up to my own design with front loading horn and 15 inch chassis. I do not anymore recommendations about this exceptional speaker, but recently I had a chance again to listen to my former smaller 12-inch sized cabinets again, now with opened backside to improve into dipole mode. I was just amazed how good even such a small version matched all preferences to perform on a improved level of refinement, musical, realism and integrity. This speaker is able to do everything like my much bigger pair, without appreciable differences.

Of course the original solders crossovers are included. Today such set has got quite rare and everybody who uses these will not give them away, otherwise he is getting old.

Look at the screws of HF-units, these are still secured with lacquer!

Here you can see the Ding in the cap of one unit and as well the scratched screw wholes. Please notice the incredible British attitude with top products tu use high glossy chromed screws!

So if anybody is looking for new partner for the rest of his life, here it might be the rare solution.  Sensible offers are welcome!

Vitavox GP 1 pressure units

On offer is a pair of the legendary Vitavox GP 1 units. These were made in the very early 1950ties and were dedicated to different horn extensions, which were designed to match a frequency ranges between 700 and 12000 Hz with different dispersion attitudes. Their magnet is made from alnico and their coil is designed for 20 watts and 15 Ohm impedance. Their outer case condition looks well used with several ships and some surface stains, rust spots. Unfortunately the previous owner was of opinion to improve the performance of this units by poking the security grids inside their threads. Of course this is not dysfunctional, but could be much nicer when intact.

As you can see inside the diaphragms are original and like new.

The new owner will get a third unit without diaphragm free for spare parts like the magnet, grid, contacts, etc. Offers are welcome on eBay.

Bouyer Bireflex

Quite similar in energy dissipation, frequency range and actual size to the above Vitavox GP1 units, but with phenol diaphragms, the Boyer Bireflex units. I offer these as another set of HF-drive units of the french company specialized into public address equipment Bouyer. As well these show some wear at their cases, some chips and stains, but they are still in a technical perfect state, as the meter shows. They are dedicated to a 15 ohm impedance, power rating is unknown.

These much more common than the Vitavox and I believe they are much younger, so the prices are less.

Jensen A-12 field coil

A single Jensen A-12 field coil driver only usable with a separate power supply. The units work between 150 to 300 Volts. These have been used in the later 1940ties til the 1950ties for different kind applications, like public address, organs etc. The most of them were integrated as chokes in the power supply of their dedicated tube amplifiers. Well known is the 2A3 or 6V6 designs from Hamond.

This unit has a repaired cone, otherwise it is completely functional. Offers are welcome.

Collection Resolution Part II – Quad

Quad Series II – Sold

The next set of components will be from the famous brand Quad from Peter Walker. I always liked the chassis design of the well known tube power amplifiers called Quad II as the most advanced of all brands. Simple, straight and without any a abundance of parts, these amps are ridiculous small without any compromise ind technical design, comparing them to other brands. They show up with a smoothing choke, well calculated transformers for power and output and well designed housings for all of them. Other brands normally used bell caps instead closed covers.

The dedicated preamps Quad 22 are a milestone in casing design and functionality. Control about filterloops, bass and treble energy, balance and volume and pluggable equalizer filters for phono and tape were oriented at professional studio equipment instead of home audio products. Together with their legendary electrostatic speaker system ESL 57 these sets set the pace for refinement and resolution of recorded audio response in the mid 1950ties. The Company did sell really a whole lot of these sets until the late 1960ties because of its well named reputation, so there are still a lot of these units in use still today. But to be honest, these components are incredible nice designed, but their paints were not on par with other brands. All my Quad components from all series like series II, III and IV show after several years of use (sunshine, humidity, etc.) hefty discolorations and  paint chipped offs. You will see below. The Series II is a single layer gray metal paint without protective clear lacker coating, that shows up with some of them with decent rust blisters. So as well my set is far from perfect, it shows its age but it can be a lot worse than this pair.

Still almost everything is original, only the RCA sockets have been added for better compatibility. Here showed with cloth isolated ac-wires to match their original two contact (earth-free) Bulgin plugs (I have added a separate earthpath which connects to one contact of the Johnson-socket. The tubes are in working condition, but the GEC KT66 are dead and are given just for optical originality. Included is a quartet of very well sounding Russian NOS 5881 long live types. The Mullard EF 86 measure good as the GZ 32 do.

Inside the amps are in pristine condition, restored with the best components available, like Jensen paper in oil caps and Beyschlag carbon composition resistors.

My set contains an original dedicated Quad 22 Stereo Control Unit with their typical connecting wires to the Johnson Connectors at power units, so the preamp is supplied by them. Included are as well two pluggable filter units for phono (MM) and tape equalization. The Control Unit is complete but untested and comes as I got it 30 years ago from a London dealer. The cosmetic condition is fair and can be verified through these images.
The second unit ist the Quad FM 2 mono tuner in quite poor cosmetic condition, technically untested. Both units are included for complement. Both units should be seen as base for restoration.

I own as well a pair of ESL 57 electrostatic speakers. These I do own since 30 years, back in this time I did use them the last. I don't have any idea about their functionality, but normally I would expect the power unit will need new capacitors as some of the foils might need some attention? I do not know and actually I am not able to test them, so I would give these free to a new owner of the Quad II/2/22 units if picked up here. No way to ship them, simply too large.

Quad Series III

The successor of these famous Series II is the logically called Series III. With the first transistorized amp series from Quad, called Quad 303/33/FM3 Peter Walker approached end of the 1960ties again a design masterpiece. Again presented in tiny cases with orange-ivory-brown keys, knobs switches the new series was on top of this time. The Series III was still dedicated to the famous ESL 53 speaker, so the 303 power amp was technically designed to supply the high current requirements of this speaker type. 

Both units are untested and show cosmetically aging and on top some resting spots. These come with ac cords to connect the smaller 5-pin Bulgin mains plug to EU mains.

The Quad Series III introduced first the in Britain so popular 5-pin-DIN-sockets, as well for the preamp unit different filter boards were available to match different pickups and tape equalizing preferences.

Quad Series IV

From this successor series four I only own the extremely nice tuner, which I used over the whole period of the 1980 years in my setup. The Quad FM 4 tuner introduced station preset buttons and a numerically frequency display. Even the Series 4 was housed in quite small sized cabinets with exceptional well designed technology built in.  I always liked the typical simplicity of this excellent tuner, in particular comparing it to the typical japanese "all you can get"- concepts with tausend functions as sales argument from big brands. 

Within the end of the 90ties I got off listening to FM broadcast, so the tuner went into storage for 18 years. As everybody might expect, such a disuse is not very healthy for several components build in. So electrolytic caps dry out, batteries defunction soon and other oxidations might occur further. When I switches last year this unit first time after all this period, almost nothing happened at all. So I decided to give it a complete refurbish. I exchanged all 56 capacitors on the board, some resistors went out of tolerance and the cell battery type needed to be exchanged. It was a nightmare to find in Britain an original spare part but, I was happy. A lot of work spend on this tuner it now works flawless like new again and will give perfect service for another 25 years. The unit has some small chips in the paint and a slightly surface detoriation on the top case, nothing not to be seen in the images, – the unit looks still very good.

Collection Resolution Part I – Leak Tube Amplifiers

Hello to everybody,


today I am going to finalize a step in my life, which is not an easy to do. I have decided to sell my long term audio partners, which have enriched my life for the last 35 years in a way like no other audio components did. It took now almost five years decision to separate myself from this beloved items. I will here give this meticulously cared collection of audio history their last platform and this is the platform for sale and for me to say good bye. This is a bit emphatic, but there is no way out...

In General 

I will start with more common equipment from this brand and and will end with rare items, all are hard to find in this state today. So if you are interested to find some Leak amplifiers, you will get some of the best cared examples of their kind best possible state, technically but as well in very good optical condition. All amplifiers have been used and completely overhauled with best possible spare parts and as well in care of optical originality. NOS or new paper in oil- or electrolytic capacitors from major brands like Jensen or F&T. Carbon composition resistors from major brands like Alan Bradley, Beyschlag or others if possible in 2 or 3 watts qualities for the best smoothness. Solid core wires from different materials (silver, silvered copper and tinned copper). In some cases I have slightly upgraded the performance of the amps by introducing smoothing chokes instead of cheap power resistors. Power resitors  i. e., like cathode resistors are always green lacquered Rosenthal types, the best possible solution. Everybody is able to see at my photographs the standard of components. In difference to the many cheaply sold amps, here you don't find any useless replacement parts.

Leak Stereo 20 Power Amplifier

So we are starting with a very common amplifier from the Leak range, the well known Leak Stereo 20. This amplifiers are highly underrated, because they are so common. But its sound performance does not need any hiding comparing other tube amps, these are fantastic amplifiers if you can integrate them matching into a given chain. Like all British tube power amps from that period (1950ties to early 1960ties) the power amps are designed for highest input sensitivity matching their preamplification counterparts with extremely low output figures from the same brand. This attribute can create with modern preamps and their high output some real problems of hum and hiss. Generally all Leaks shown up with an extremely wide open soundstage when combined with the right preamplifier and matching output energy.

Leak Stereo 20 with power cord and RCA inputs

This shown amplifier was for almost 35 years my backup amp if I needed a physical small transportable amp, instead of a heavier and bigger pair of mono blocks like the below shown pairs. This amp can perform exceptional in a well balanced chain of vintage components, it is able to do everything which makes even sophisticated audio aficionados happy. This one is equipped with new RCA- contacts and underneath with carbon pots to balance the input energy.

Back side with Bulgin mains switch and banana contacts for the speakers

The overal condition of the chassis I would rate a good minus, I have seen and owned a few better ones, but technically this one is like new.

Underneath view with input carbon pots in the upper right corner

Smoothing caps are paper in oil from Siemens (sprayed in the matching gold tone), coupling caps are vintage Bosch and russian types, as the tubes are used but still with good emission and they are excellent sounding russian longline ER-types. Cathode caps are vintage Roederstein electrolytics.

Leak TL12 Plus Power Amplifier – Sold

This pair of recently completely rebuilt power amps is in incredible state, I would rate it almost mint. This is the best pair I did own since 1985 and I had several pairs since that time. Their chassis and paint work is like new.

Here again I have introduced input potentiometers (carbon pots) and solid rhodium plated RCA-contacts, smoothing caps are NOS PIO from Siemens bridged by Hammond smoothing choke, coupling caps are Bosch and Russian Types. Output terminals are changed to banana sockets. Resistors are carbon composition from different brands like Allan Bradley. 

This pair of Leak Tl12 plus is amazing sounding and one of the best pairs I had (I had in the late 1980ties ten pairs) and it comes with a well used quartet of the legendary Mullard Blackburn EL84 tubes, still well working but will need change in some time. If you are looking for a pair per amps from this type for daily use, these will give you another 35 years of service.

Leak TL10 Point One Power Amplifier   – Sold

Next offer will be a pair of predecessor mono blocks from the famous brand Leak, which entered a new market in 1955, the second amplifier line marketed with the ending "Point One" from Leak but this time for a growing private audio use. When they started in the late 1940ties to sell audio amplifiers it was a novum to have a power amplifier which was able to show such low distortion over the complete frequency range about 0.1%, this gave their early audio amplifiers their credit and name and made the brand successful in professional segments.

Here we have the series which was manufactured first in higher figures to satisfy demands in a growing market of the 1950ties. Leak wanted a physically smaller and cheaper produced unit than their exceptional and famous paragon, the legendary TL 12 Point One. With this amplifier Leak entered a growing market for the private audio enthusiast. With 10 watts output power and still the low distortion figures of 0.1% these amplifiers made the way for the success of the later mass products. Already all typical characteristics of the later production line (TL12, 25, 50 plus) were established here, but still realized with octal tubes of a former era. They introduced here rarely used power tube with this series of amps, the GEC KT61. Only a few amplifier designs were developed in the early 1950ties mainly by British brands, which used this exceptional fantastic sounding tube.

The set here shows up with marvelous condition for their age. Of course there are some minor chips and blemishes, particular at the black enamel of the Haddon transformers, but the overall appearance is breathtaking good in real. They are equipped with a new Quad of GEC KT61 (an additional pair of used ones, still good will be available as extra) and smoked gray military Brimar 6SN7GT. Input stage is changed to triode mode in order to decrease sensitivity with ECC83 from Philips. Power cords are cloth isolated types and with German AC-plugs.

The smoothing caps are again pro from Siemens and Bosch with a smoothing choke in-between (right lower corner). Underneath you will see completely rebuild unit with 2 watt carbon composition resistors from Beyschlag and coupling caps from Jensen. Power resistors are green glassed Rosenthal types. The amplifiers show with a switchable option between triode- and pentode mode. The power cords are again cloth isolated types and equipped with German ac-plugs.

The lucky new owner of this pair will be rewarded with a new quartet NOS GEC KT61s and additional with a spare pair of used ones from GEC (to be seen in the image above).

The next image brings us to the last set on sale, one of the best tube amplifiers in audio history and shows the sizes in comparing mode.

Three "Point One"-Amplifiers in comparison

Leak TL12 Point One Power Amplifier

And not least we look at a exceptional rare pair of the legendary Leak TL12 Point One mono blocks as they are hard to find today, but they were always rare at all times before. The shown sales brochure states that 731 units (mono) had been delivered to the BBC for their worldwide broadcast service, if we don't count any loss we have theoretically 370 stereo pairs. You might imagine yourself how many are today existing  in working condition after 71 years.  So you might as well imagine how many pairs are still working in such shown perfekt state like this pair.

These historical 12 watts push-pull triode connected amplifiers are simply the best sounding vintage valve amplifiers I could listen to within the last 35 years. They show up simultaneously with all so hard to find attitudes of smoothness, resolution, widest refined soundstage and almost unlimited control about any type of speaker. This incomparable service was the reason I did use these myself for the last 25 years in my own set up for every day listening. Some of the contenders could stand some single disciplines, a very few showed even up with benefits in part aspects, but there was by far nothing which could deliver such impressive completeness of sound. 

This pair was taken extraordinarily care about – like my eyesight, so is their optical and technical appearance just in a meticulous state. Nothing at the body has been changed, beside the two main switches (french air-force parts) for improved functionality. They come with all original accessories, like the rare two pin Bulgin bakelite plugs and cloth wire ac-cabling with the common three contact Bulgin-plug. They come with the original exceptional rare shielding cans. As all my amps both units have been equipped with chrome bell felt isolated feets. They come with their original sales brochure, which is a collector item alone.
They have been completely rebuilt with NOS Cornell-Dubilier-oil-capacitors (USA) in ceramic tubes, F&T cathode bypass caps, carbon composition 2 watts resistors. This pair has got new oil paper smoothing-filtering caps, these are impossible to find, so I did a small edition with copper housings and modern oil caps my self for a small group of TL12.1-aficionados worldwide. The new owner of course will get the leaking parts to complete originality.

The amps are equipped with original used  GEC KT66 tubes, these show up with 70% of their new emission, this means they are good for several years of daily use. They are actually configured for 15 ohm output, their multi layer secondary makes several configurations possible between 2 and 24 ohms, without loosing the potentials of the output transformer. A feature only seen at very complex made transformers with separate windings at the secondary found within this period (late 1940ties), like Partridge, Haddon, etc. for the Williamson Amplifiers.

I modified here the input with RCA contact to variablity with a stepped attenuator, with solid resistors housed in an octal plugged unit to match the existing preamp socket technically, but as well aesthetically the design of this amps.

Of course as well my darlings have been equipped with cloth isolated AC-cables of 1,5 meter length and German AC-contacts. The overal condition of this pair ist extraordinary good compared to units I have seen at Ebay since 1995. The most of them were sold not in matching pairs. If you are looking for a collectable and useable pair of amplifiers of this type, it will be difficult to find today any better on sale! No more comment on this.

I will sell this pair for an adequate offer, please accept that ideas around 2500 EUR per piece will not find response. This is the typical offers on Ebay for junk parts, wracks or restoration bases. The most amps offered are rusty or repainted, with new or foreign transformers or other restrictions to collectability, sometimes hidden to the customer. Here you know what you will get from somebody who knows better what the most people need to know. I don't have to make presents, I just want to find a fair deal for both side of interests.

These amps are huge, bulky and heavy (almost 20 kg each), so it might need two shipping crates/boxes, it depends on its destination. If these will find a new home in Asia I would recommend wooden shipping crates and will be able to make them, if fairly paid for the work. 

All my Leak amps can be delivered with their schematics showing the little changes made, the TL12.1 comes with original sales brochure and schematic.

I will be open for sensible made offers at heinze (at) kommunikation-i (dot) de.