I'm completely new to this and diving in with an Ebay St-70. Before firing it up, I'm replacing the quad cap, power transformer, and original pcb to a VTA. With all of the soldering I'll be doing, should I replace the old sockets, and if so with what kind? I have Tung Sol EL34 tubes but I can't find any info on what kind of metal the posts are coated with, but I've read here that choosing a socket with the same metal coating is important.
+2
Bob Latino
James_Weir
6 posters
Replacement socket recommendations
James_Weir- Posts : 18
Join date : 2016-07-01
Age : 51
Location : Los Angeles
Bob Latino- Admin
- Posts : 3277
Join date : 2008-11-26
Location : Massachusetts
There are many octal tube sockets that would work well in an older Dynaco ST-70 .. You want bottom mount sockets that will fit into a 1 1/8 inch hole with a 1 1/2 inch screw hole spacing. A lot of people like ceramic sockets but not me. Ceramic sockets are white in color and also have no "give" when you try to insert or remove a tube. You are more likely to break a center guide pin trying to wiggle out a tube if you use a ceramic socket.
The Celanex sockets from Dynakitparts found at the link below are the same sockets as supplied in all the VTA amp kits. Very good quality and reasonably priced ...
Dynakitparts Celanex octal tube sockets
Bob
The Celanex sockets from Dynakitparts found at the link below are the same sockets as supplied in all the VTA amp kits. Very good quality and reasonably priced ...
Dynakitparts Celanex octal tube sockets
Bob
peterh- Posts : 1869
Join date : 2012-12-25
Location : gothenburg, sweden
James_Weir wrote:I'm completely new to this and diving in with an Ebay St-70. Before firing it up, I'm replacing the quad cap, power transformer, and original pcb to a VTA. With all of the soldering I'll be doing, should I replace the old sockets, and if so with what kind? I have Tung Sol EL34 tubes but I can't find any info on what kind of metal the posts are coated with, but I've read here that choosing a socket with the same metal coating is important.
If you are "new on this" i recommend you to plug in in "as is " for a while and get used to what
it is. Then you could piece by piece ( and listen in between ) start replacing stuff. Start
with the Se -diode and then the quad cap.
bubbasweet- Posts : 95
Join date : 2016-03-14
I have always wondered why people in the Dynaco forums including the other one always want the tube sockets replaced on ST70s and MK3s. I have worked on a lot of equipment from the 30's 40's 50's 60's etc etc and it is very rare to need to switch out a tube socket let alone all of them.. Maybe a handful of times if that have I seen a defective tube socket... Is there a reason why or were Dynaco tube sockets particularely prone to destruction? I mean the tightness and pins connecting is a must but did they corrode WAY more that other manufacturers or somthing? Or are people just trying to sell parts? Sorry to sound so crude but one thing Ihave noticed.
GP49- Posts : 792
Join date : 2009-04-30
Location : East of the sun and west of the moon
Beats me; my daily-driver Mark IIs have their original sockets. So does my bedroom-system Fisher 800B. I don't roll tubes every fifteen minutes, though. Those who do would wear their tube sockets faster.
peterh- Posts : 1869
Join date : 2012-12-25
Location : gothenburg, sweden
bubbasweet wrote:I have always wondered why people in the Dynaco forums including the other one always want the tube sockets replaced on ST70s and MK3s. I have worked on a lot of equipment from the 30's 40's 50's 60's etc etc and it is very rare to need to switch out a tube socket let alone all of them.. Maybe a handful of times if that have I seen a defective tube socket... Is there a reason why or were Dynaco tube sockets particularely prone to destruction? I mean the tightness and pins connecting is a must but did they corrode WAY more that other manufacturers or somthing? Or are people just trying to sell parts? Sorry to sound so crude but one thing Ihave noticed.
If one pulls the tube each and every day for some reason the tube sockets will be damaged eventually.
deepee99- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2012-05-23
Location : Wallace, Idaho
peterh wrote:bubbasweet wrote:I have always wondered why people in the Dynaco forums including the other one always want the tube sockets replaced on ST70s and MK3s. I have worked on a lot of equipment from the 30's 40's 50's 60's etc etc and it is very rare to need to switch out a tube socket let alone all of them.. Maybe a handful of times if that have I seen a defective tube socket... Is there a reason why or were Dynaco tube sockets particularely prone to destruction? I mean the tightness and pins connecting is a must but did they corrode WAY more that other manufacturers or somthing? Or are people just trying to sell parts? Sorry to sound so crude but one thing Ihave noticed.
If one pulls the tube each and every day for some reason the tube sockets will be damaged eventually.
As a recovering tube-roller (there is a 12-step program for this I am sure) after you get a good-sounding combo, don't pull 'em unless they blow up or go insanely out of bias. Yanking power tubes in and out is just plain dumb, and IMHO has the least effect on sound. The pin-to-socket connexion is the weakest of all in your system, so why start a fire when you don't need to? If tubes were not unfortunately consumables, I'd hard-wire them in.
James_Weir- Posts : 18
Join date : 2016-07-01
Age : 51
Location : Los Angeles
bubbasweet wrote:I have always wondered why people in the Dynaco forums including the other one always want the tube sockets replaced on ST70s and MK3s. I have worked on a lot of equipment from the 30's 40's 50's 60's etc etc and it is very rare to need to switch out a tube socket let alone all of them.. Maybe a handful of times if that have I seen a defective tube socket... Is there a reason why or were Dynaco tube sockets particularely prone to destruction? I mean the tightness and pins connecting is a must but did they corrode WAY more that other manufacturers or somthing? Or are people just trying to sell parts? Sorry to sound so crude but one thing Ihave noticed.
I replaced them because I was doing a complete overhaul of an eBay st70 with a new VTA pub, power transformer, quad cap, and choke. I also cleaned and revarnished the laminate stacks so there was going to be a lot of desoldering in order to keep the original sockets.
bubbasweet- Posts : 95
Join date : 2016-03-14
Makes sense James.