ampage Tube Amps / Music Electronics	For current discussions, please visit Music Electronics Forum.

ampage archive

Vintage threads from the first ten years

AIMS Amps

:

11/25/1999 8:36 AM

Hi y'all,
Anyone know anything about AIMS tube amps? We spotted a couple for pretty cheap. They are 120W (so they claim). Saw a head, and also a combo with what I think are a couple Alnico Emminence speakers in it.(They have the horseshoes...am I right...or just wishing?).Also running a bunch of 7025's and 12AT7's. Reverb and tremelo. Would $150 be too much for either of these weirdos? They both work...and they are loud!! Can anyone fill me in, please?
Thanks,
(Always looking for weird stuff...)
Brad

11/25/1999 8:42 AM
Brad	OH... forgot to mention...running a pair of 6550's...is that 120W? Thanks, Brad

11/25/1999 9:30 AM

Brad
I owned an Aims 120 combo that I used for my
main gig amp for many years. I loved that thing.
I bought It new in 1974. It was made by Aims amplifier company, located somewhere in Arizona, and came with a lifetime Gaurentee. Unfortunatly when I needed it , my amp had outlived the company. I finally put it to rest after about ten years of moderate use. An amp tec told me there was distortion in the output stage and that it might need a new output transformer. With what I know now about amps , a new set of 6550's would probably have cured the crossover distortion. Needless to say I took it to the wrong repair guy. If I had a chance to buy it again for $100, I would. One thing though, because of the amps age , It should have had power supply filter caps. $ 30-40 expense.
How about new power tubes? Can you do those things yourself . I guess I 'm saying price verses expense.

11/25/1999 11:06 PM

Thanks Tracy,
Yeah, I can do most of that. I could probably pick up the Dual 12 combo for around $150, and get the head for a lot less. Both are in good condition. The combo is REAL heavy.
I found a submission on Harmony Central, and the guy seemed to think it was close to a Fender, circuitry-wise. The head seems to be exactly the same as the combo, without the speakers. It's a funky looking thing....would look really cool with a Roland Space Echo sitting on it. What would be a
typical wattage with 2 6550's. It was loud, but not sure 120W loud as it indicates on the speaker out jack(which BTW...says 5 ohms....weird choice.)
Anyway, thanks again..
Brad

11/26/1999 1:12 AM

quote:
"What would be a typical wattage with 2 6550's"

50 watts would be a real good guess--I think there max diss. is about 30w--safe bet go with 50w.

As for the price--A working tube amp of that size as long as it works seems like a real good price to me.

bw

11/26/1999 7:41 AM
Psycho Bass Guy	Max rated dissapation on 6550's in just 35 watts(6550A is 42 watts) but they will run to twice that in certain circuits. (Ampeg SVT, Fender 400PS just to name a couple). How come anyway? You'd figure if back in the day when they rated the tubes, the manufacturers would want the numbers to be higher. Why are they rated so conservatively? Psycho >^}

11/26/1999 2:10 PM
Brad	Thanks, I didn't think it was 120 watts loud, but that's what it says on both amps is the output. Wonder why they put that? Anyway, gonna go check them out today, and with some of the info I have found, I think I can probably talk them into going $125 on the combo and $75 on the head. (I love dickering with pawnshop dodo's.) Would make good additions to the "oddball" side of my room. Brad

Page 1 of 2