Mapleshade Modified SCOTT 222c Tube Intergrated Amplifier. Telefunken

  

Mapleshade Modified AUDIOPHILE SCOTT 222c Tube Stereo Intergrated Amplifier. This was Pierre's personal amp. Tone balance and filters bypassed. See below in Pierre's words what the mod process involved.

Inputs and tape monitor working. I could not detect output from center channel jack. Volume control cleaned and lubed. No headphones to check the jack.

Amp is very quiet at idle except some hiss in just the phono section not noticed when playing through my old altecs(very sensitive speakers).. The pilot light does not work.

The amp is super clean with no corrosion. The faceplate does have some scratches as pictured. I've enjoyed it on and off for a few years but as a hobbyist always searching for something different. These are rare as Mapleshade hasn't done this for years and owners tend to keep them. From Pierre Sprey(Mapleshade) Other than the El-84 conversion and bypassed tone controls and I can't be sure what else was done to my amp.

We refurbish to full factory specifications, replacing any parts that are more than a few percent off spec. We bypass all the preamp/tone control active stages and replace them with a vastly better-sounding passive preamp stage. Similarly, all the front panel switches are bypassed (except for the source selector and tape monitor switches); this greatly reduces the length and the complex routing of the signal path wiring--with audible improvements for every switch bypassed.

We upgrade all the passive components in the feedback loop, at the same time reducing the feedback to almost zero--thereby greatly improving dynamics and transparency. Much better passive components are installed in the phono stage, thus improving an already first-rate phono section. All the interstage coupling capacitors are changed to significantly better-sounding modern polypropylene film capacitors. The chassis' aluminum bottom plate is removed and replaced with two much stiffer maple rails, thereby greatly improving bass "punch" and upper frequency clarity (due to both the elimination of bottom plate vibrations and the very substantial bottom plate eddy current losses).

We replace the original 7189 output tubes with a carefully matched, substantially cleaner-sounding set of new EL-84s--and then match carefully selected driver tubes to the output tubes in such a way as to minimize distortion, using in-circuit oscilloscope waveform analysis (note that tube tester matching is completely inadequate to achieve optimum sonics from tubes). As far as I know, ours is the most extensive Scott amp modification program in the country. The objective was to get as close to the sound of our Mapleshade master tapes as possible. We wanted to get really well-articulated, really deep bass (the opposite of "tubey" bass) and airy, transparent, unusually extended treble--while preserving the warm, rich harmonic detail that's the real magic of good tube amps. Since we tested by ear each modification idea we came up with (and we rejected almost as many as we incorporated into the final mod package), it took us almost a year to complete the R&D. I estimate that our mods improve the quite-excellent sound of the factory-stock Scott amplifier by at least 50%. Just one other comment, regarding your step-up transformers and the optimum volume knob setting. Most audiophiles mistakenly assume that if you have to turn up the volume knob beyond 11 or 12, you've somehow "overstressed" your preamplification stage. The opposite is the case: it's much better if your input signal level (or your preamp's designed-in gain) requires the volume knob to be turned up to 3 or more. Because the closer the volume attenuator i. The volume potentiometer is to zero resistance, the more it is "out of the circuit" and the better the sound. We set the gain of our modded Scotts so that full loudness--clipping, in other words--doesn't occur (with normal CD input levels and 86 db efficient speakers) until the volume knob is at 3 or 4 o'clock. Applying this to your phono situation, if by turning up to 3 or 4, you can get the full loudness you want out of our Scott integrated amp WITHOUT the Sony step-ups, you'll get way better sound.

The item "Mapleshade Modified SCOTT 222c Tube Intergrated Amplifier. Telefunken" is in sale since Thursday, January 9, 2020. This item is in the category "Consumer Electronics\Vintage Electronics\Vintage Audio & Video\Vintage Amplifiers & Tube Amps".

The seller is "audioandstuff" and is located in Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jordan, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Peru, Pakistan, Reunion, Viet nam, Uruguay.

• Brand: SCOTT
• Custom Bundle: No
• Modified Item: Yes
• Type: Integrated Amplifier
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• MPN: Does Not Apply