I did not find any help doing a "search" and I'm new to vintage tube stuff.
I picked up a Realistic SAF 24c integrated amp this week. It has four-6bm8, three-12ax7 and one-6ca4 EZ81 tubes. As for as I can tell only one of the 6bm8 is bad.
On the front plate it has for each side a tre and bass control (4 total). A single Vol control that has an inside and outside knob for adjusting balance. Also on the front at the top there are 3 (up & down) "on" "off" switches for "Preamp," "Tuner," & "Aux." Also on the front left is an up & down switch for "Phono" or "T.H."
In the rear: rca inputs for "Rec," "Aux," "Tuner," "T.H.," "X-Tal," and "Mag."
Here are my questions, any help is appreciated.
For what are the RCA inputs "Rec" - "T.H." - "X-Tal" used?
Why is there an on/off switch for the Preamp? (Preamp "on" has a better richer sound)
Explain the switch for "Phono" or "T.H."
Is this amp a 12watt (RMS) each channel, hence the "24c" in the name?
I better stop 🙂 I'm sure I'll have other questions later.
Thanks a bunch
Sam
I picked up a Realistic SAF 24c integrated amp this week. It has four-6bm8, three-12ax7 and one-6ca4 EZ81 tubes. As for as I can tell only one of the 6bm8 is bad.
On the front plate it has for each side a tre and bass control (4 total). A single Vol control that has an inside and outside knob for adjusting balance. Also on the front at the top there are 3 (up & down) "on" "off" switches for "Preamp," "Tuner," & "Aux." Also on the front left is an up & down switch for "Phono" or "T.H."
In the rear: rca inputs for "Rec," "Aux," "Tuner," "T.H.," "X-Tal," and "Mag."
Here are my questions, any help is appreciated.
For what are the RCA inputs "Rec" - "T.H." - "X-Tal" used?
Why is there an on/off switch for the Preamp? (Preamp "on" has a better richer sound)
Explain the switch for "Phono" or "T.H."
Is this amp a 12watt (RMS) each channel, hence the "24c" in the name?
I better stop 🙂 I'm sure I'll have other questions later.
Thanks a bunch
Sam
Re: Re: Realistic SAF 24c - Need some help
Thanks, Bill.
So I guess the T.H. can be a useful preamp input also explains the front TH/Phono switch.
Another thing has me a bit puzzled. On the back is one "Speaker Phase" switch. It doesn't have any markings just click it to the left or right. Will this put both channels in or out of phase at the same time? Although I'm not sure which is which.
Sam
Bill Fitzpatrick said:
Thanks, Bill.
So I guess the T.H. can be a useful preamp input also explains the front TH/Phono switch.
Another thing has me a bit puzzled. On the back is one "Speaker Phase" switch. It doesn't have any markings just click it to the left or right. Will this put both channels in or out of phase at the same time? Although I'm not sure which is which.
Sam
I assume you are inside it, look at the wiring to that switch to see if it affects both sides. My guts says only one, so you can put them in phase if they are not. But who knows?
REC usually meant a line out for purpose of making recordings. It was a pre volume control signal from whatever input source was selected. See if that holds for your unit. It was for tape decks. The tape input, meaning the input from a tape deck is often called PLAY or PLAYBACK in contrast.
Tape Head is a high gain input like Phono, but it has a different EQ from the RIAA curve of the Phono. Tape head expects the signal directly from the tape head, as opposed to the TAPE input which expects a line out from the deck's channel amps.
Xtal - for crystal - is the same thing as CERAMIC on some amps. The output of a crystal phono cartridge is much stronger than the magnetic cartridge we are used to. They are used in cheap record players.
If you contact Tandy, there might even be schematics available. What is there to lose?
REC usually meant a line out for purpose of making recordings. It was a pre volume control signal from whatever input source was selected. See if that holds for your unit. It was for tape decks. The tape input, meaning the input from a tape deck is often called PLAY or PLAYBACK in contrast.
Tape Head is a high gain input like Phono, but it has a different EQ from the RIAA curve of the Phono. Tape head expects the signal directly from the tape head, as opposed to the TAPE input which expects a line out from the deck's channel amps.
Xtal - for crystal - is the same thing as CERAMIC on some amps. The output of a crystal phono cartridge is much stronger than the magnetic cartridge we are used to. They are used in cheap record players.
If you contact Tandy, there might even be schematics available. What is there to lose?
Sam Odom said:
probably more like 8 W, but 12 is what they could have speced it at. Pictures?Tandy never built any of their own, this is likely a Japanese OEM... i know some of the Monarch 6BM8 PP came with really nice iron. What brands of tubes?.
dave
Re: Re: Re: Realistic SAF 24c - Need some help
any little codes or "Made in X" labels -- sometimes they don't exist and if they do are often very hard to read -- those ones would likely get us a good idea of where the OEM was.
I got some of the Russian equivalents from him... haven't tried them yet but did send a set of for cryo treatment.
dave
Sam Odom said:
any little codes or "Made in X" labels -- sometimes they don't exist and if they do are often very hard to read -- those ones would likely get us a good idea of where the OEM was.
I got some of the Russian equivalents from him... haven't tried them yet but did send a set of for cryo treatment.
dave
Re: Re: Realistic SAF 24c - Need some help
Hello Dave,
The one 6CA4 and the three 12AX7 are "Realistic Lifetime" tubes.
The 6BM8 are two different matched pairs and I'm not sure of either brand. The lettering is wore. I've contacted Gintaras Sakenas of KWtubes and am getting 4 new ones (I hope).
I will post pictures later.
Sam
planet10 said:
Hello Dave,
The one 6CA4 and the three 12AX7 are "Realistic Lifetime" tubes.
The 6BM8 are two different matched pairs and I'm not sure of either brand. The lettering is wore. I've contacted Gintaras Sakenas of KWtubes and am getting 4 new ones (I hope).
I will post pictures later.
Sam
Sams Photofact folder 550-12 has the SAF24 - probably earlier than yours (no "c") I don't have that one, but they're not hard to find - infotronix.us and findatube.com are online sources.
The 6CA4 appears to be brand new but must be at least 30+ years old. Besides the "Realistic Lifetime" it has "Britain" in the same yellow lettering. Also has gold pins.
Tomorrow, I'm going to look underneath at the caps/res and such. If everything is original, and I suspect it is, future plans will be to re-cap. The caps have to be dry.
planet10 said:
Steel...
Enzo was dead on, the T.H. input gain on the 24c is substantial. My Realistic SCT-22 Cassette Deck has a nice gain control and I had to turn it way down from the regular setting while playing (playing now) Bonnie Raitt's "Luck of the Draw" XDR tape.
Thanks for the help, guys! One more question.
Speakers connection. There are 5 tabs for each side.
Far left tab is "common" next is "4ohm" then "8ohm" then "16ohm" the the last 5th one has no markings. What is it used for if anything?
I think I figured out the "Preout" on/off switch on the Front panel. It has to be "on" using T.H. or Phono but can be "off" with Tuner or Aux. When "off" the preout 12AX7 are bypassed.
Sam
Speakers connection. There are 5 tabs for each side.
Far left tab is "common" next is "4ohm" then "8ohm" then "16ohm" the the last 5th one has no markings. What is it used for if anything?
I think I figured out the "Preout" on/off switch on the Front panel. It has to be "on" using T.H. or Phono but can be "off" with Tuner or Aux. When "off" the preout 12AX7 are bypassed.
Sam
Sam Odom said:
On Dyanacos tha position is used for connecting a derived centre channel speaker. on yours, i don't know...
dave
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