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firebird 500
- Thread starter donemad
- Start date
From memory, about 350 watts carrier, this would be very dependent upon drive levels. The amp was alright, depending on condition I think 300 is pushing it a bit, but then its not my cash. $200 is about where I would consider a good value.
If it were me I would look around for an Amplifier that doesn't use sweep tubes.
If it were me I would look around for an Amplifier that doesn't use sweep tubes.
The Firebird 500 I had many years ago used 6LQ6 sweep tubes (1 driving 4) and, like Fatty said, gave me about 300-350 watts with 4 watt drive. As I remember, it really ate up tubes, but probably because I was driving it too hard. I agree with Fatty, you're better off with an amp that uses real transmitting tubes.
- 399
- 399
keep in mind these sweeptubes or most model sweeptubes are getting scarce and are NOT CHEAP!! I have a Ameritron AL-84 amateur amplifier that runs 4 X 6LQ6 tubes and it is a 400 watt amplifier with 100 watts drive so I would say your gonna see what has been mentioned and thats 350 - 400 watts out.
I actually alnost bought a Firebird 500 in the 1990's and this one also had new tubes it was putting out 375- 400 watts of dirty power so if you buy the amplifier be sure to watch the RF splatter levels to avoid trouble with family or neighbors.
I also ran a Palomar 300A that tore damn near everything electrical up so maybe its just old tube amplifiers in general some are cleaner with less drive which most amplifiers are but some are just nasty dirty reguardless.
I actually alnost bought a Firebird 500 in the 1990's and this one also had new tubes it was putting out 375- 400 watts of dirty power so if you buy the amplifier be sure to watch the RF splatter levels to avoid trouble with family or neighbors.
I also ran a Palomar 300A that tore damn near everything electrical up so maybe its just old tube amplifiers in general some are cleaner with less drive which most amplifiers are but some are just nasty dirty reguardless.
4 sweep tubes might put out 350 watts but on AM there won't be any dynamic headroom left over for your audio. People will tell you it sounds crunchy and the modulation sounds low.
100-125 watts carrier would be a little more what those tubes could do with a lot of air on them and the expectation of some tube life.
100-125 watts carrier would be a little more what those tubes could do with a lot of air on them and the expectation of some tube life.
While this is certainly true its not how the Firebird was made, Tubes were cheap, and numbers pretty much were majority rule, hence my suggestion to go another route, even low drive levels were not enough, though it did help, Mods can be made but for 300 or so bucks I think better choices are available.
I get between 450 to 500 watts out of the one I have on am. My radio dead keys about 6 watts and swing to 20.
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