Not quite an amp.. Leak Trough Line Stereo

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 15 Oct 2008, 18:12

Hi,

I have recently been given a vintage Leak Trough Line Stereo, an all-valve stereo FM Tuner from the '60s, and was just wondering if by some chance that it could be made into a valve guitar amp???

The Trough Line is in pretty good condition, looks really nice, all vintage Mullard valves, all point-to-point wiring, serious mojo

I haven't tested it out yet (has a vintage 2 prong plug so can't test it unless I change this to UK 3 pin), but it should still work! I wouldn't mind keeping it as an FM tuner, but I'd love a mojo-tastic valve guitar amp if it's at all possible!

I haven't found alot about it from Google, but this page shows the exact same one : http://audio-nirvana.fortunecity.net/pa ... eaktug.htm

It lists the Valves it has, and says that it was the last valve one they did before switching to tranny's and PCBs, and that it sounds pretty good

I'm completely new to valves, so I dunno whether or not these can even be used?

Also, does anybody have any idea of its value / collectability? I don't want to sell it, just want to make sure I won't be messing with something decent!! (providing I can get a guitar amp out of it!)

I don't even know if this would be the right forum to ask, but thought I'd try anyway!

Thanks!

Kier.

Also, pictures can be done!

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 16 Oct 2008, 00:40

http://44bx.com/leak/
The power amps are spectacular to look at inside and out!

The schematic: http://www.blackwidowaudio.com/images/p ... ne2_d2.gif
follow that link back for even more info.

If you Google H J Leak and CO. you will get many more pages to wade through

Maybe you can get an idea of what it's worth.

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 16 Oct 2008, 16:09

Thanks for the links

Looks like they might need aligning? gonna have to put a plug on it and test it out me thinks

But.. converting power plugs is another new thing to me.. could anybody help?
the vintage white 2 prong plug says this on it (on both sides):

LYVIA
A.C Only 5041
Empire
Made

The wire is all-brown, 2 wires (joined together), straight into the box (no socket)

Will have to get my camera back off my neighbour and take some shots.. but until then, anybody know how I could convert it to a UK 3-pin plug?

Thanks!

(also, if this is completely the wrong forum to ask, anybody know where I could ask?)

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 17 Oct 2008, 17:01

Just to say that I've uploaded some photos to my site

http://www.kierc.co.uk/leaktroughlinestereo/

I've taken a photo of where the power cable goes to, it goes straight to the On/Mono/Stereo switch.. but still can't figure out how to wire it up

Also, anybody know how to wire up the aerial / set up voltage switch at the back?

Thanks

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 19 Oct 2008, 14:35

First set the power switch to whatever your line voltage is. This has a transformer with multiple primary winding taps so it will run on 110 to 250V single phase. Nice feature! For example I am in the US we have 120V mains so I would set it on 117 or 130.

UK wiring

(someone please correct me if I'm wrong!) The wire that goes to the radios fuse (Hot or Live) should connect to where the brown wire on your new plug would go. The other wire (Neutral) would connect to where the Blue wire on the new plug would go. There is no ground wire so just forget that connection for now.

For an aerial / antenna, Google DIY FM aerial or antenna plenty of examples.
75ohm and 300ohm are for the wire impedence 75 for coaxial cable and 300 for ribbon cable.
There are some T shaped wire antennas you can get for a few bucks or you can make your own with around 15-16' of wire in a loop.

I don't know how many times I have used a wire coat hanger in a pinch (usualy alcohol involved!)

It will sort of work. Usualy better than nothing anyway

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 21 Oct 2008, 20:28

Thanks for that!

I put a plug on it, hopefully I put it on the right way round as the tuner seemed to come to life with a nice glow and there's a reaally nice looking greeny/bluey thing to the left end of the window (88-108 thing!!)

Don't have an amp to spare to test it, so I used a converter (red/white cables to female headphone jack) to plug it into some 2.1 logitech computer speakers...

Nothing blew up/got hot/ smoked, so that was good! but I didn't get any sound.... haven't got an aerial yet though, couldn't find alot from google..

I'm sorry about all these noobish questions! but most of the aerials I could find had a coax plug on it, where the back of this tuner just has 3 screws to tighten bare wire onto (2 outer screws for 300, 2 right screws for 75)... would I just loop loads of wire and connect either end to either of the 2 screws?

Thanks again! You've been a great help!

Kier.

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 22 Oct 2008, 00:23

Here is an example of the cheap wire ones on Ebay
https://cgi.ebay.com/Trisonic-FM-Dipole ... 286.c0.m14
Just long loop of wire shaped into a T. You would connect it to the 300ohm lugs.

This looks pretty simple too http://www.wryr.org/Antenna_instructions.pdf

No smoke, sparks or flame is always good!

Those are amplified speakers I assume so it should have worked with them.

where are the output jacks on the reciever? I only see the one RCA jack on the back labled Multiplex.

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 22 Oct 2008, 12:17

The output jacks are hard-wired to the box, just like the power cord (it says "Audio Output" just below the power cable, with 2 cables coming out labelled Left and Right, rather than the usual White and Red).

And wow, those aerials are pretty big! will have a look see if I can find something in the house to use, or maybe just buy one!

Thanks again for your help

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 22 Oct 2008, 21:49

I see the outputs now.
20 feet or so of wire for the T antenna. At least thats what mine measures.

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 25 Oct 2008, 19:03

Well I got a cheap T shaped aerial off the 'bay!
Its huuge/looong! haha, goes all up my wall and the across quite a bit for the "arms"...

Hooked it up, turned it on, and I actually got a bit of a signal!

The signal it does pick up at the moment is pretty quiet (have to have the speakers on max to just about hear anything), and it's not very clear either (very noisy), aanndd it sounds like 2 signals/stations are coming across at once?

The first quarter of the band doesn't get anything, then the rest just builds up the volume a tiny bit, but all the same signal?

As it is, it's not usuable as a radio, but I should really have a play with the positioning of the aerial etc first.. but if it doesn't work out I may just part it and use all those vintage-mojo components in an amp build or something!

Are their any sites with project files to build small valve amps? anywhere up to 10-15 watts? (would like a tweed champ if poss!

).. looking really for a bill of materials, a layout maybe? anything?

Thanks again for all your help

Kier.

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 28 Oct 2008, 02:05

Probably enough there for a decent preamp.
You could use the power transformer and EZ80 (full wave rectifier) to make the power supply and the ECC85 is a dual or twin triode similar to a 12AT7, etc.

The rest are better suited for a radio reciever or TV tuner. ECC88 is also a twin triode maybe it could be used but I'm not sure. EF80 is a pentode but for RF IF amplification. ECF80 is a triode and a pentode in 1 but its not made for audio either.

Looking at these vids the EM84 could be fun to play with

Links to the tube data can be found here http://tdsl.duncanamps.com/tubesearch.php

You would need more parts for a champ. Here is a nice article though. http://www.diycustomamps.com/rem_champ.htm
There are a bunch of amp sites around just check the tube amp links sticky.

Thats about as much help as I can be. Maybe one of the gurus around here will chime in and help you out more.

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 03 Nov 2008, 20:22

Hi again!

Just wondering if the big blade type thing for tuning (is it a variable capacitor?) could be used for anything?
I love how old school it looks, but could it be useful?

Thanks!

RLBJR65 · Post by **RLBJR65** » 06 Nov 2008, 13:22

Yes it's a variable cap. It could be used however they are pF ranges say lower than 500pF. Most have multiple sections and ranges.
The Analogguru Monster Wholy uses one not sure of the value as the schematic link is down right now http://analogguru.100free.com/

kierc · Post by **kierc** » 06 Nov 2008, 15:09

Cheers for that, looks like it'll need a pretty big enclosure

I found a working link to the schematic in another thread (viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4&start=0&st=0&sk=t ... ster+Wholy )

How would I test the capacitance of it then? I don't think my DMM does farads...

Also, any pictures of one of these monsters built??