In Restoration: Vintage Dynavox Amplifier
This Dynavox amplifier has lots of very cool 1960s styling. It also has a much less-cool artifact of the 1960s: a transformerless circuit.
The power transformer is one of the most expensive components of an amp. Clever manufacturers figured out how to eliminate it from the circuit in order to save money on their cheapest amps. Unfortunately, this also makes playing the amp a serious safety hazard.
We'll be installing a new isolation transformer and a three-prong cord to make this amp playable. In a later post, we'll explain what an isolation transformer does, and why it can replace the power transformer in this amp. In the meantime, check out these photos of a pristine 1960s time capsule.
June 2019 edit: We were a little busy, so we ended up stashing this amp on a shelf for two years. We finally got around to working on this amp, and instead of just installing an isolation transformer, we re-built it as a 1.5-watt tube amp. More information here, or check out the listing here.
Further Reading
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