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Talking about amps ... who are the better ab1 manufactures?

70cst

70cst

Well-Known Member
Dec 4, 2009
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There are a few (y) who do not care for class c splatter box amps :Dwhich brings me to this question.

If I were to purchase an ab1 amp...who are the better builders of said amps?

Thanks (y)
 
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Currently, I think Texas Star is about the only one currently making class AB amps that I'm aware of. Wait... I think RM Italy makes a couple models with class AB also, if memory serves. If you get into the older stuff, Messenger had good AB amps. The old Palomar and the Magnum series amps were also good AB boxes too.


Davemade, Xforce, and all their spinoffs are class C. While you can order them with "class B" biasing, it's a crude class B that's actually very close to class C, so they aren't worth a crap anyhow. A good tech can bias any amplifier to AB and get it setup pretty well. I have done this in the past with amps, as have several people here on the forums.

You can get that Brimstone amp you bought setup with class AB if you ever wanted to run SSB with it. You'll have to reduce your input drive, and you should see about 250-300 PEP out of it pretty clean.

~Cheers~
 
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ExitThirteen said:
Currently, I think Texas Star is about the only one currently making class AB amps that I'm aware of. Wait... I think RM Italy makes a couple models with class AB also, if memory serves. If you get into the older stuff, Messenger had good AB amps. The old Palomar and the Magnum series amps were also good AB boxes too.


Davemade, Xforce, and all their spinoffs are class C. While you can order them with "class B" biasing, it's a crude class B that's actually very close to class C, so they aren't worth a crap anyhow. A good tech can bias any amplifier to AB and get it setup pretty well. I have done this in the past with amps, as have several people here on the forums.

You can get that Brimstone amp you bought setup with class AB if you ever wanted to run SSB with it. You'll have to reduce your input drive, and you should see about 250-300 PEP out of it pretty clean.

~Cheers~
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info ...
 
Thats correct, Texas Star and the older 1990's and before erra Palomar, Boomer and Messenger amplifiers were AB biased I like the older Palomar TX 5200 and TX 5300 amplifiers with the bandpass filtering. They are extremely wide banded and filtered for it with a band selector and are great amplifiers but hard to find which is why Ive kept mine.
 
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I have read threads that the TS are not really that good when it comes to class b ... but they do great as a class c amp

It looks like I will need to go to an older amp if I want to get a cleaner amp.

At this time I am just kicking it around.

Thanks for the info ...
 
how many watts you looking to push? I know a local with a KL-503 that has the driver bipassed and are mosfets, REALLY clean sounding
 
70cst said:
I have read threads that the TS are not really that good when it comes to class b ... but they do great as a class c amp

It looks like I will need to go to an older amp if I want to get a cleaner amp.

At this time I am just kicking it around.

Thanks for the info ...
Click to expand...
:eek:

Where in the world did you see this??:confused:
 
Most 11 meter dudes around here use Texas Star amps. They sound "good" on sideband, but I'm sure some unwanted emissions are included, but they don't give a crap about that.
 
ExitThirteen said:
Currently, I think Texas Star is about the only one currently making class AB amps that I'm aware of. Wait... I think RM Italy makes a couple models with class AB also, if memory serves. If you get into the older stuff, Messenger had good AB amps. The old Palomar and the Magnum series amps were also good AB boxes too.


Davemade, Xforce, and all their spinoffs are class C. While you can order them with "class B" biasing, it's a crude class B that's actually very close to class C, so they aren't worth a crap anyhow. A good tech can bias any amplifier to AB and get it setup pretty well. I have done this in the past with amps, as have several people here on the forums.

You can get that Brimstone amp you bought setup with class AB if you ever wanted to run SSB with it. You'll have to reduce your input drive, and you should see about 250-300 PEP out of it pretty clean.

~Cheers~
Click to expand...
Pretty sure Texas star is not a true ab class
 
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In looking for clean mobile and fairly-new units, I found that the current market for out-of-the box amps is held by Texas Star. Palomar advertises the 450HD as class AB1. You may build one by using schematics available in some websites, or pay a good technician to do so. Prices will vary depending on transistors used, biasing and filtering used. If you are in the market for base amps, and willing to do the peaks and dips associated with tube amps, I would recommend looking at Ameritrons (811). You will find some with the 10 & 11 meter mods in the used market. If you hear a well tuned Ameritron, you will want to own one (that’s clean). I’ve opted for a Texas Star because, for many years, I’ve never had problems with them (maybe because I never over-tax them). Ground your antenna and station well, and consider external filtering such as a low-pass. After adding the cost of power supplies, prices may be at par with some Ameritrons if not higher, but the option of using the unit in a car will always be there.
 
Majority of linears are dirty or splatter, cmon they are amps, lol. Just remember it starts from the source, the radio & mic. Turn your mod down when running an amp, espesially in the house.
 

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