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A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35

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Posted on August 8, 2011 at 14:07:26
HiGHFLYiN9
Audiophile

Posts: 6
Location: East Coast, USA
Joined: January 11, 2011

Just finished up a fun build of a Dynaco ST-35 amplifier. This one in particular was the Dynakit Parts Build. I included some fun stuff including:

Teflon tube sockets with Beryllium copper contacts
Ceramic gold plated driver tube sockets
Mundorf and Obbligato driver board capacitors
Solen power bypass caps
Kimber TCSS internal wiring
Kiwame / Koa Speers carbon film resistors
Hammond 156R Choke - 56ohms DCR
Dynakit Parts ST35 BCU (Bias Control Unit)
Front power switch
Triode / Ultralinear Switches
Cardas RCAs and Binding Posts
C8 power inlet jack with custom C7 power cord
Custom powdercoat color-scheme
Alternate fuse holder and placement
Custom Brass Engravings

Full build notes and pics are in the usual place: http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2011/06/customized-dynaco-st35-kit.html

 

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RE: A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 8, 2011 at 17:40:30
xaudiomanx
Audiophile

Posts: 3647
Joined: August 16, 2004
Very nice work. You should be proud of your efforts. Hope it sounds as good as it looks. The ST-35 can be very good sounding with the proper speakers.

 

my own hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 9, 2011 at 15:57:36
Corndog71
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: March 9, 2001
So for over a year now I've been itching to get my hands on a classic Dynaco SCA-35 or ST35 EL84-based amplifier. As always money is limited and I have a life so I never get around to chasing these down on ebay or anywhere else for that matter. A few months ago I decided I was just going to build one myself.

Dynakitparts.com sells terrific Dynaco replicas and they even offer the ST35 but I wanted to try something different. I did however pick up the needed transformers from them.

Diytube.com also has produced a modified ST35 design and even leaves available for free the full instructions and parts list. The main deviations from the stock circuit are:

1. Replaces the 12DW7/7247 driver tube with a 12AX7 for the voltage amp stage and a 12AU7 stage for the phase splitter. These are for both channels.
2. Splits the common cathode connection into 4 seperate cathode circuits.

3. Boosts capacitance in the power supply.

I was preparing earlier this year to get that kit but procrastinated as I'm wont to do. And then I found Dave Gillespie's recently published EFB modification. Enhanced Fixed Bias does several things to improve the measured and audible performance of these old amps as well as reduce distortion and extend tube life. His paper on it can be found here: http://tronola.com/html/dave_s_lab.html

So I wanted an amalgamation of these 3 circuits but was highly intimidated by the thought of doing it myself. Which lead to more procrastination.

Then I discovered Audioregenesis created an EFB enhanced power supply PCB for the SCA-35. I really wanted to get it but at the time Canada was going through some internal drama with their post office and nothing was getting shipped at the time.

So I kept obsessing over these multiple circuits and picking them apart in my head and on paper. After many weeks I figured out how to do it myself. And the end result:


Top view.
It was quite a challenge figuring out a whole new layout and ground configuration but I've been a good student of Bottlehead, Gary Dodd and other tube circuit designers and safely winged it.


It sounds better than I could've imagined! I hear incredible bass and detail as well as an impressive soundstage. It's really quite amazing for providing only 17.5 watts per channel. Of course when pushed it will eventually reveal its limitations but with relatively efficient speakers and mated with the Quickie it makes for a fantastic tube stereo! The best part is that I was able to put it together for under $400!
Rob C

The world was made for people not cursed with self-awareness

 

RE: A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 18, 2011 at 14:53:08
Hi HighFly,I rebuilt a Dyna-35 and had a great time of it.It's the best sounding amp I ever owned.When I saw your I was awe struck!Fantastic job!Thats the best looking amp rebuild I've ever seen in all these audio forums.It was so good I found myself getting aroused,so I left this site and went back to porno...Super job Fly!,(Super Fly)...you just got premoted.....Mark Korda

 

RE: A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 19, 2011 at 09:48:43
highfly


 
Haha thanks man, diggin' the compliment :) I'm really enjoying the ST35, it's found a great match with an old rebuilt PAS.

 

RE: A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:39:20
HighFly,here's what happened to my St-35 rebuild.I found one on e-bay and spent a fortune to get it.I striped it down to every part.I tried to shine up the chassis,but it's nickel was never plated,but it does not rust.I bought new loaded boards and tracked down a elecrtolytic aluminum can from Zach engineering,this was all before the new Dyna site came out with most of the tube stuff for complete rebuilds.When I got it all together and plugged it in,Pat Boone's April Love came singing out and I had nothing connected(music sources).I thought I did every thing right.So I sent it to Frank VanAlStine.2 things were wrong.1,I forgot to ground the new gold jacks.The old Dynas were grounded to the chassis with out wires,the gold ones had plastic insolating washers,I missed it.2,All the tubes lit up,but the lettering was faded off.I assumed they were the right ones when I bought it.The previous owner stuffed some different ones in,some thing to watch out for!Works great now and I have not replaced any tubes for a few years.I noticed you had a slow start warm up mod and a choke added like Bob Latino showed in the Dyna Tube Forum.I was wondering what they did for improvements for you?Also,what was the color you painted your transformers with.I'm quessing McClaren Yellow,it looks like a sport car color to me...really cool!Before I sign off,I did one simple mod that you would never want to do to yours.I noticed a small humming,not from the speaker,but when I got my ear very close to the unit itself.Not noticeable audio wise though.I put a 5 pound York barbell plate on top of the cage,cast iron and it went.I think it made a good heat sink too.....take care....Mark Korda.

 

RE: A newly built hot-rodded Dynaco ST35, posted on August 20, 2011 at 10:18:17
A nice looking amp but it's compromised with the bias kit. Scrap that, and implement Dave Gillespie's EFB. It will sound as good as it looks then.

 

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