You may be surprised to know that the AL-82 uses the same capacitor vendor
with the same plate spacings as the SB-220. It uses the same bandswitch
construction as several Dentrons. Generic Modutec meters. A minimum strength
formed base and cover, decent cooling and PS. No special high quality
anywhere, just built to compete at a price. At $700 less than an AL-1200 it
doesnt take many problems to make that amp seem like a bargain. Some are
lucky with the -82; there are also thousands of SB-220's that have never had
a failure and are still on original tubes; I get them in here all the time
to convert to 6M.
When I was selling Ameritron in their independent days the AL-1200 outsold
the -82 by far. The best selling 2 x 3-500Z amp was the Amp Supply LK-500
series....I sold those also.
Carl
KM1H
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill K2OWR" <k2owr@comcast.net>
To: "Lee Buller" <k0wa@swbell.net>
Cc: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 2:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Good amp to buy
> :::: Thanks for understanding Lee.
>
> I have never heard anyone say that the AL82 was prone to failure, or that
> the components were delicate or hard to find. In my opinion an amp like
> this, bult like a battleship, if run even a little conservatively, will
> serve one for many more years, without failure than amps like the SB220,
> TL922, or the others, all of which are underdesigned with components
> stressed close to their limits.
>
> BTW, none of those are made any longer, nor have they been for many years.
> My AL82 is 20 years old now and I expect will likely outlive me.
>
> Oh, and if you're a contester and can't fix your own amp, stick to the
> 811,
> or 572B type amps....all solid designs!
>
> BILL K2OWR.....I'm gonna pay for my words, I know:-(
>
>
>
>> Bill
>>
>> I too like the AL-82 and have not trouble with mine. But, I run mine in
>> conservative mode and not full throttle. Nice amp, but like all amps
>> they
>> need to be tuned properly. The QRO-2000 is a nice amp too, but I don't
>> think he makes many of them anymore.
>>
>> I do like the 3-500Z bottles for cost.
>>
>> Lee - K0WA
>>
>> In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you
>> don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you
>> can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some
>> Common Sense. Is Common Sense divine?
>>
>> Common Sense is the image of the Creator expressing revealed truth in my
>> mind. - J. Wolf
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> "... I'd like to weigh in on this.....
>> The Ameritron AL82 seems to me to be the most rugged and powerful
>> amplifier
>> in the twin 3-500Z class.
>> The power supply alone makes all the others seem puny and the output is
>> higher than all others in this class.
>> They can be had for as little as $1200 used and are truly a contesters
>> dream
>> amplifier.
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>
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