ANYONE KNOW WHO BUILT THE TX-600 LINEARS ?

[unit_399]

I have a TX-600 linear amp, and I need to get in touch with the guy who made it. It is NOT a Texas Star. It's a 1 x 4 and the transistors are marked "RF100" (driver) and "RF150" (output). I bought it new in 1989 when I lived In Southern Calif. The guy who built it, named Steve I think, lived in Riverside. CA. Supposedly the transistors were mil spec. All I know is that it's the most kickass linear I have ever owned. 590 dead-key - about 1300 PEP with a 5 watt drive. I will post a picture soon. I need to contact the builder because it fried two capacitors, and I can't read the values. Of course...no schematic. Help Please.

- 399

 

[fnkycoldmedina]

theres a guy named steve out of cali that used to build the pirate line of amps .can you get a picture up?that would help identify it .

 

[unit_399]

I will have several pics up tomorrow
- 399

 

[Bionic Chicken]

Are by chance the caps two electrolytic caps connected to the output transformers? Stock were 2200mfd @ 16vdc but a better replacement is a 4700mfd @ 25vdc.
If it is the amp I am thinking about the TX 600 was the forerunner to the TX 800. A black amp which had two fans mounted on the heat sink however the 600 did not have fans, this came on the 800's. Amp is built upside down from others which allowed the heat to rise away from the components. Later on after the FCC crack down in which Texas Star and others got busted the name was changed to LA 900.
Good amps and pretty much bullet proof as long as you stayed out of high power for extended periods of time.

BC

 

[unit_399]

BC -

You described the amp perfectly. The caps that are bad are on the output transformer for the driver transistor. They're silver micas, and there are two of them straddling the cores on the transformer. They are both fried and the values are illegible. I'm going to try using the same values as the ones on the output transformers for the final transistors and see how that works out. If you know how to contact the builder please let me know. thanks.

- 399

 

[Bionic Chicken]

It seems I have a TX 800 in the shop to repair. I'll try to get the chance this weeked to check the micas and see what the values are. I need to get it fixed anyway as I am sure the owner will be wanting it before long.
Not exactly sure if they are the same but should be real close.

BC

 

[Switch Kit]

Story I got on Pirate amps was that this dude knew how to make them anyway you wanted them , story goes he was making more money on custom design paint jobs on cars and there was just a lot more money there for him doing that.

Story goes the amp world was at a loss when he stopped making his boxes , and your right Joe , he was right here in So.Cal.

 

[unit_399]

Pictures of my TX-600 amplifier
http://members.aol.com/jjs399/linear1.html

http://members.aol.com/jjs399/linear2.html

-399

 

[Bionic Chicken]

Hey 399. I PM'd you the info you needed.

BC

 

[unit_399]

I got it.

THANKS , BC

- 399

 

[Bionic Chicken]

In case you didn't know the driver tranny is a 2SC2290 and the finals are 2SC2879's. Or at least this is what they are in the later versions.
Glad you got the amp to working. They are real tough amps and generally do not give any problems.

BC

 

[IMD262]

Story I got on Pirate amps was that this dude knew how to make them anyway you wanted them , story goes he was making more money on custom design paint jobs on cars and there was just a lot more money there for him doing that.

Story goes the amp world was at a loss when he stopped making his boxes , and your right Joe , he was right here in So.Cal.

I have two of Steve's boxes and never a problem.If I remember right he was making some A/B class amps right before he bowed out.I think they were called a Cobra or Super Cobra with a cool purple paint job.

 

[unit_399]

BC -

I checked again, and the transistors in my 600 are marked RF110 (driver) and RF 150 (finals). Strange.

- 399

 

[Bionic Chicken]

I thought you had mentioned that in an earlier post. Maybe they were a batch whoever built the amp had made up with their choice of markings? One thing for sure is that the TX 600 is a great amp. I think the only changes between it and the TX800's was the nameplate and the value of the electrolytic caps.

BC

 

[digitalman12]

I bought one of the TX800's a long time ago in a cb shop on I20 in louisiana. Buckshot's I think was the name of the shop, haven't been thru there in many years.

Anyways, that amp had two fans mounted on top, and it was one of the most kick-ass amps I've ever owned! It got ripped off one year sitting in my storage shed though:angry:, sure would like to find another one!