Playmaster unit 2 help needed!

Discochicken · 27th November 2011, 04:47 AM

Hello all. I'm new here so please excuse any dumb questions I may ask.. I have an old "Playmaster unit 2" stereo tube amp, made in Australia around 1959. Several capacitors were melted, so I've decided to replace all caps and resistors. On checking I found the two channels were wired differently to each other.. Maybe it was originally a (poorly assembled) kit amp? The opt's measure both the same as each other, but have two extra wires on the primary side that don't appear on any of the schematics I've found. The wires going to the opt's are white-orange-brown-blue-grey. The orange wires are connected to b+(300v dc) The tubes are 1- 12au7 & 4- 6bm8. Has anybody got a schematic to suit? Any help is appreciated!

wintermute · 27th November 2011, 05:12 AM

Try here Retrovox Data page

Tony.

radiostar · 27th November 2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wintermute

Try here Retrovox Data page

Tony.

Good link!!!

Tnx

wintermute · 27th November 2011, 06:46 AM

woops, I was poking around, I actually meant to post this one Retrovox Data page But glad you liked it

It wasn't the site I was originally thinking of but seems to fit the bill.

Tony.

Discochicken · 27th November 2011, 12:38 PM

Thanks wintermute, lots of good reading at that retrovox link. I kept digging around today and found the original schematic (I think). The image quality isn't great, but I think I can read enough of it to fix this old amp. On the schem. you can see the extra wires at the opt's, I think they are 20 or 40 % taps? I'm fairly new to valve amps so I'll get an electrician to check it over before firing it up. I'll post a photo the amp. on here when I work out how to post photos...best regards, Pete.
http://www.ozvalveamps.org/playmaste...asterunit2.gif

trobbins · 28th November 2011, 07:34 AM

Pete, is that the unit that went on eBay end of Sept? The A&R 4005's have 20% UL taps. I have a similar amp, and can email you the original article.

Ciao, Tim (at dalmura dot com dot au)

Discochicken · 28th November 2011, 01:43 PM

Hi Tim, thanks for your message. This is the amp that was on the 'bay as you said. It was missing 2 valves, I bought some 6bm8 valves cheap and plugged them in but the plates glowed red and no sound. It was a real rats nest in there! I've only removed caps and resistors that were mostly no good, I'd like to keep it as original as possible. I won't butcher it. I'd really appreciate any info you have on this amp. It's a little piece of Aussie history that should survive into the future. I thank you in advance for anything you can share with me to help get it singing again! Best regards from Pete.

Discochicken · 29th November 2011, 12:20 PM

Hi everyone. I need to say a very big thankyou to trobbins for sending me the original magazine article from 1960 describing the build of this amp. It has a schematic, parts list and assembly instructions.. more information than I could have hoped for. Thanks Tim! Now I need to get soldering :-)

kiwi88 · 18th February 2012, 05:01 AM

This playmaster amp started life wit 4 @ ecl86 and 1 @ ecc82
search 100AVA will get you most of the circuit.

good luck it was a good amp
Kiwi88usa

trobbins · 18th February 2012, 05:53 AM

Roly also has some photos of an example of that unit at Playmaster

Pete might want to send Roly some extra photos once his unit is in concourse condition ;-)

27th November 2011, 04:47 AM	#1
Discochicken diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011	Playmaster unit 2 help needed! Hello all. I'm new here so please excuse any dumb questions I may ask.. I have an old "Playmaster unit 2" stereo tube amp, made in Australia around 1959. Several capacitors were melted, so I've decided to replace all caps and resistors. On checking I found the two channels were wired differently to each other.. Maybe it was originally a (poorly assembled) kit amp? The opt's measure both the same as each other, but have two extra wires on the primary side that don't appear on any of the schematics I've found. The wires going to the opt's are white-orange-brown-blue-grey. The orange wires are connected to b+(300v dc) The tubes are 1- 12au7 & 4- 6bm8. Has anybody got a schematic to suit? Any help is appreciated!

27th November 2011, 05:12 AM	#2
wintermute just another diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sydney Blog Entries: 22	Try here Retrovox Data page Tony. __________________ Any intelligence I may appear to have is purely artificial! Some of my photos

27th November 2011, 06:46 AM	#4
wintermute just another diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sydney Blog Entries: 22	woops, I was poking around, I actually meant to post this one Retrovox Data page But glad you liked it It wasn't the site I was originally thinking of but seems to fit the bill. Tony. __________________ Any intelligence I may appear to have is purely artificial! Some of my photos

28th November 2011, 01:43 PM	#7
Discochicken diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011	Thankyou Hi Tim, thanks for your message. This is the amp that was on the 'bay as you said. It was missing 2 valves, I bought some 6bm8 valves cheap and plugged them in but the plates glowed red and no sound. It was a real rats nest in there! I've only removed caps and resistors that were mostly no good, I'd like to keep it as original as possible. I won't butcher it. I'd really appreciate any info you have on this amp. It's a little piece of Aussie history that should survive into the future. I thank you in advance for anything you can share with me to help get it singing again! Best regards from Pete.

29th November 2011, 12:20 PM	#8
Discochicken diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011	A big Thankyou Hi everyone. I need to say a very big thankyou to trobbins for sending me the original magazine article from 1960 describing the build of this amp. It has a schematic, parts list and assembly instructions.. more information than I could have hoped for. Thanks Tim! Now I need to get soldering :-)

27th November 2011, 12:38 PM	#5
Discochicken diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011	Thanks wintermute, lots of good reading at that retrovox link. I kept digging around today and found the original schematic (I think). The image quality isn't great, but I think I can read enough of it to fix this old amp. On the schem. you can see the extra wires at the opt's, I think they are 20 or 40 % taps? I'm fairly new to valve amps so I'll get an electrician to check it over before firing it up. I'll post a photo the amp. on here when I work out how to post photos...best regards, Pete. http://www.ozvalveamps.org/playmaste...asterunit2.gif

28th November 2011, 07:34 AM	#6
trobbins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Melbourne, Oz	Pete, is that the unit that went on eBay end of Sept? The A&R 4005's have 20% UL taps. I have a similar amp, and can email you the original article. Ciao, Tim (at dalmura dot com dot au)

18th February 2012, 05:01 AM	#9
kiwi88 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: boston Blog Entries: 1	This playmaster amp started life wit 4 @ ecl86 and 1 @ ecc82 search 100AVA will get you most of the circuit. good luck it was a good amp Kiwi88usa

18th February 2012, 05:53 AM	#10
trobbins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Melbourne, Oz	Roly also has some photos of an example of that unit at Playmaster Pete might want to send Roly some extra photos once his unit is in concourse condition ;-)

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