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donkeystomper amps
- Thread starter roger460xvr
- Start date
I agree. Most everyone cuts corners somewhere. Or worse they just copy someone else's design and call it good. Even though it's not an exact copy and don't take into account the extra inductance due to leads.
And your right, the better ones refuse to sell at cut throats prices like the rest. Can't build quality for the cost of parts. Time is money. Most tire kick or try to beat em down for cheapest price. Not worth the hassle. Why the better guys got real jobs and only do it as hobby.
With the immense knowledge of so many members I don't know why y'all don't just write a post about which of these amplifiers is the absolute best. Usually seems like a battle to get someone to say this is the best or worst transistorized amp on the market currently being produced. It would certainly save lots of people from constantly asking about particular amplifiers. I guess since I'm spouting off I I will go ahead and ask myself because I am myself curious. What is the best transistorized amplifier being built today and who is building them? Whether it's a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 12 pill/transistorized amplifier, if the answer is going to be nothing new that's on the market is worth the cost of the case it built in I'd like to know? Are there actually any amplifiers worth anyone's time and money? Are all justJust Junk? If there is a Builder that pumps out a dozen or so amplifier per year that are definitely performers worth someone's time and money who might that be? From asking and reading I wouldn't buy and X-Force, monkey Stomper or Any of the assembly line amplifiers that are out there by the thousands. Everything I read on this site and the WWW only led me to believe they are all junk! Am I correct? Or am I missing something? 73
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The problem is that it is a case of perception and for some part ego. It's like asking who makes the best automobiles. Everybody has their own standards to go by and their own opinions. My personal opinion is that if it is a CB amp then leave it on the shelf unless it is class AB and has output filtering. That will eliminate about 99% of them right off the top.
Yes do you due diligence. I look for the older used transistor amps with original Toshiba transistors. It seems there was a glory period of around 1985-2000 when amp makers such as Dave, Fat Boy and X Force made some really stout, well tuned boxes. The prices have held firm on these and may actually be more than a new shiny amp. I have yet to have any of these older era boxes fail. They just keep going and going.
Again, IMO...its worth searching out these older boxes and yes the casings will be scratched up. Who cares as long as they Stomp the Donkey.
Again, IMO...its worth searching out these older boxes and yes the casings will be scratched up. Who cares as long as they Stomp the Donkey.
There is no market for reliable amplifiers that perform well.
Price and wattmeter readings are what sell. Nobody asks what the "KBK" rating will be before it blows up, only afterwards.
"KBK", as in "Keys Between Kabooms". The farther you push a transistor past its ratings, the lower the KBK rating.
Reliability costs you twice. Raises the cost to make it, and reduces output power.
A guy who claims half the power for the price the other guys ask just won't sell a lot of product, no matter how reliable and/or clean it is.
I'm waiting for the first linear that has a 120-Watt dummy load built into the input side. The ultimate market leader would take 150 Watts drive and get you about 400 Watts output.
You can only get people to build the products they can sell.
73
Price and wattmeter readings are what sell. Nobody asks what the "KBK" rating will be before it blows up, only afterwards.
"KBK", as in "Keys Between Kabooms". The farther you push a transistor past its ratings, the lower the KBK rating.
Reliability costs you twice. Raises the cost to make it, and reduces output power.
A guy who claims half the power for the price the other guys ask just won't sell a lot of product, no matter how reliable and/or clean it is.
I'm waiting for the first linear that has a 120-Watt dummy load built into the input side. The ultimate market leader would take 150 Watts drive and get you about 400 Watts output.
You can only get people to build the products they can sell.
73
So true. Majority go for cheapest first then wonder about reliability after failure. After it's too late.
http://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/16-pill.32310/page-2
Older post but it goes in depth as to why the inflated output numbers of solid state amplifiers are posted,, manufactures websites show way inflated output numbers.
I prefer to operate within manufactures specifications of the transistor that are in the amplifier.
LDMOS,, may be the best way to go for future solid state amplifiers.
Few of them are being built, some for 10 thru 160 HF.
around 25 watts in to get 1200 PEP output.
does not require a 50 ohm impedance, works full output into infinite VSWR.
output are way
Older post but it goes in depth as to why the inflated output numbers of solid state amplifiers are posted,, manufactures websites show way inflated output numbers.
I prefer to operate within manufactures specifications of the transistor that are in the amplifier.
LDMOS,, may be the best way to go for future solid state amplifiers.
Few of them are being built, some for 10 thru 160 HF.
around 25 watts in to get 1200 PEP output.
does not require a 50 ohm impedance, works full output into infinite VSWR.
output are way
Yes, but most don't realize if it's set up for 25w in, do not exceed. It is not like the bipolar transistor. While rugged on output. It is super fragile on input. It will die a quick death. Like 1-3 keys if overdriven. I tested it once. 2 keys with just a few watts pep over the 3-4w MAXinput for a 188. It died second key. Half the device failed.