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The Dynaco Tube Audio Forum

Dedicated to the restoration and preservation of all original Dynaco tube audio equipment - Customer support for Tubes4hifi VTA tube amp and preamp kits and all Dynakitparts.com products


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    My VTA 120

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    My VTA 120 Empty My VTA 120

    Post by Guest Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:39 am

    My VTA 120. Originally wired by me, then re-wired by audiobill Smile in 2017

    Recently had autobias board installed w/blue indicator lights above driver board, more robust toggle switch, upgraded speaker posts and Weber WZ 68 (the autobias board, walnut frame and speaker binding posts installed by Ben Woloss).

    The overall build turned out how I wanted it, but the wood frame retrofitting to the original chassis was way more complicated and difficult than Ben expected (in hindsight it simply might have been better to just build a completely new 'box' with custom aluminum top plate and transfer the electronics and wiring).


    My VTA 120 2019-013
    My VTA 120 Image311
    My VTA 120 Image211


    Last edited by jsl1234 on Tue Apr 16, 2019 2:11 pm; edited 1 time in total
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    audiobill


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    My VTA 120 Empty Re: My VTA 120

    Post by audiobill Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:52 pm

    Cool!
    bluemeanies
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    My VTA 120 Empty Re: My VTA 120

    Post by bluemeanies Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:07 am

    jsl1234 wrote:My VTA 120. Originally wired by me, then re-wired by audiobill Smile in 2017

    Recently had autobias board installed w/blue indicator lights above driver board, more robust toggle switch, upgraded speaker posts and Weber WZ 68 (the autobias board, walnut frame and speaker binding posts installed by Ben Woloss).

    The overall build turned out how I wanted it, but the wood frame retrofitting to the original chassis was way more complicated and difficult than Ben expected (in hindsight it simply might have been better to just build a completely new 'box' with custom aluminum top plate and transfer the electronics and wiring).


    My VTA 120 2019-013
    My VTA 120 2019-014
    First very nice!!
    Second, you must have connections
    AudioKMan
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    Post by AudioKMan Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:35 am

    Hi jsl1234,

    I love, LOVE the frame you and Ben have created. Was it hard for Ben to build due to the "R&D" time in figuring out the design or due to just plain difficulty in building/executing the design? If it's the former, I would like to hire Ben to build one for my VTA-70 . I believe the dimensions are the same.

    Beautiful work!
    AudioKMan
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    KSMITH


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    My VTA 120 Empty Re: My VTA 120

    Post by KSMITH Sun Apr 14, 2019 4:12 pm

    Very nice.
    Wotan
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    Post by Wotan Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:16 am

    Stunning piece of work!

    I understand the devil is in the details (for example, it probably required precisely locating and drilling out recesses wherever screws stick out the side of the chassis) and that some might emerge that hadn't been completely thought through. But out of curiosity what exactly was more difficult than unsoldering at a minimum everything mounted on the outside of the chassis, keeping track of what needed to be rewired, and doing it, double checking for any potentially incendiary mistakes? The wooden frame needed to be built and finished either way, and the top deck needed to be punched from scratch. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to be more difficult than!

    In any case, now that it's finished you can reap the rewards.
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    Post by Guest Tue Apr 16, 2019 2:08 pm

    Thanks for the nice feedback--I'm very happy with the outcome and expect to keep my VTA 120 in rotation for a very long time.

    As an aside, I'm thinking of purchasing the M125 kit next year to drive my downstairs system re: i've been impressed with the VTA 120 platform w/regard to sound, reliability, price/performance ratio compared to commercial KT88 amps. If I do go the M125 route I'll have a custom chassis built from scratch prior to assembling the kit.

    I'll defer to Ben W. regarding what he encountered regarding the box construction/fitting challenges.

    You're right about silly to use existing wiring/parts retrofitted to a new chassis/frame--in hindsight the idea doesn't really make sense.

    I went ahead and replaced the original shots with a couple that are more in focus (my first shots were really fuzzy).


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