Altec 344a Amps' Restoration

[LowOhms]

I think JE2A3 gave you good advice. Keep them close to stock, both for resale and for historical reasons.

Actually, they really are not good enough, to use on the RCAs, and so, IMHO, their very BEST use is to resell them to a COLLECTOR.

I would not restore them, because what YOU think is OK to replace as a restoration, a collector may likely hate.

Surely, if I were running your RCAs, ( I have had them ) for my MAIN SYSTEM and my listening enjoyment, I would ditch the ALTEC electronics.

I would use a better single ended 2A3 amp on your RCAs, preferably only a two stage with no negative feedback and a stiff but nimble power supply, and superbly efficient wiring ( speaker cables ) to coiuple the amp and the RCA speakers.

Also, I would NOT like the idea of you adding a balance control to those mono units, one iota. It adds more wires and pots to the signal path, which will only distance you further from the music, due to the losses in the added parts

KISS rules - in high quality audio system design.

If you are capable of DIY, write to me and I will be most happy to send you an article I once wrote, on a 2A3 SET amp design to build.

Jeff Medwin ................ Dr.Low Ohms