Vintage Tube Amp

A DESCRIPTION OF THIS AMPLIFIER IS PROVIDED AFTER THE PHOTOS. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE DESCRIPTION. Ive never seen another one like it anywhere (including on the Internet). It may, in fact, be one-of-a-kind and is historically significant as will be discussed further below. Please read the following Description carefully as it contains useful and very interesting historical information regarding this amplifier. DETAILED INFORMATION INVOLVING THE AMPLIFIER. According to my research and information on the amplifier that was with it when I bought it, this amplifier was made by a company known as the DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION American Television, Inc. DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION was an interesting and unusual joint operation involving two of the worlds greatest television and electronic inventors/engineers: Lee Deforest and Ulises Sanabria. To read more about them and their activities including the above-listed corporations, do a Google search for Sanabria TV, Deforest Sanabria Corporation, and Deforest Console. DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION was not the same entity as Deforest-Crosley which was a Canadian company that is totally unrelated and did not involve the historic collaboration between Lee Deforest and Ulises Sanabria. Evidently, Lee Deforest and Ulises Sanabria started out by working together in connection with an electronics school American Television, Inc. Which trained thousands of electrical technicians, many of which participated in WWII in the electronics field (supposedly, around 2000 of their students were recruited by the army in WWII). Instead, it simply involves information that I have obtained on the Internet and elsewhere. I also read that only a very few models were produced by the DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION and that they went out of business in around 1961. Again, for more information involving Lee Deforest and Ulises Sanabria which were true pioneers in the electronics field, feel free to check out the information available on-line using the above-listed search terms on Google. I was not able to find any detailed information on-line regarding stereo amplifiers made by the DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION. Again, only a handful of TV set models were made by this company as mentioned above. Also, check out the photo of the tubes which came with the amplifier when I bought it that have the DEFOREST-SANABRIA name on them. This amplifier may have been part of a TV/Stereo console made by the company or may have been a stand-alone stereo unit (I dont know anything about the origin or history of the amplifier). Both amplifiers clearly look like they were made by the same company (DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION). Nonetheless, there appears to be more similarities than differences between both amplifiers and I believe that they were both made by the DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION although, again, I cant be sure of the correctness of any of the information presented in this listing as previously noted. Regarding the amplifier chassis, it is a kind of bronze/copper color as the photos show. Ive seen a few pictures on-line of TV sets made by the DEFOREST-SANABRIA COPORATION and the ones that I saw also used chassis units that are the same bronze/copper color. The chassis looks decent in my view for its age but, as the photos show, does have some discolored areas, scuffs, scratches, bends, scrapes, marks, stains, dings, dents, rough spots, etc. On it from age, use, etc. However, it is an interesting-looking chassis in my view and check out all of the various pictures of it that I have provided. Located on the top surface of the amplifier is a large and heavy power transformer, and 2 output transformers (with both of the output transformers having the same code numbers on them as will be discussed further below). The output transformers are very large for a chassis like this (twice as large as those used by Magnavox tube amplifiers from the same time period with similar tube-lineups). The output transformers are secured to the chassis using screws and, in addition, are soldered in place which is interesting. Located on the front side face of the amplifier chassis are: (1) two small jacks which are both secured in place using rivets; (2) an assembly of some sort with has two large prongs (secured in place using rivets); and (3) a round 4-hole socket. Located on the rear side face of the amplifier chassis are: (1) a round 3-hole socket (secured in place by rivets); and (2) two square 2-hole sockets (secured in place by rivets). I know nothing about these jacks, prong assembly, and sockets, and I also do not know if they work, how they work, what they are supposed to do, if they are correct, if they are functional, if they are original, etc. There is no on/off switch or other controls on this amplifier. Likewise, there is no power cord/plug provided with this amplifier. Furthermore, there are some additional holes and openings on the top surface of the amplifier chassis, the function of which I do not know (I also dont know if they are original or not). In addition, there are no side panels on the amplifier chassis and the chassis is open on the sides as the photos show. Regarding the tubes which are included with the amplifier (and came with it when I bought it), they are as follows: (A) 6V6GT; (B) 6V6GT; (C) 6V6GT; (D) 6V6GT; (E) 12AU7; and (F) 12AU7. I did not test these tubes and I therefore do not know if they are good or not. Likewise, I dont know if these tubes are the correct ones for this amplifier and I will therefore leave an assessment of all issues involving the tubes, if they are correct, if they are good, etc. It should be noted that the other DEFOREST-SANABRIA amplifier mentioned above also evidently used the same tube line-up. One very interesting item is that all of the tubes except for one of the 6V6 tubes have the DEFOREST-SANABRIA name on them. See the photos of these tubes that I have provided. This name is on the base of three of the 6V6 tubes (the remaining 6V6 has nothing on its base). Also, one of the 6V6 tubes has part of the DEFOREST-SANABRIA name rubbed off but most of it is there. The 12AU7 tubes also appear to have this name on them, with various portions of it being rubbed off on both tubes (especially on one of these tubes where only a fraction of it is readable). As stated above, I dont know if these are the correct tubes for this amplifier and whether or not these tubes are in the correct sockets in the photos. I also dont know if these tubes are good or not since I have not tested them. I also did not check the tube sockets and I likewise cannot warrant or guarantee that they are good, original, and operational. However, it should be noted that all of the tube sockets are secured to the chassis using rivets and not screws. Accordingly, I will again leave all of the issues with the tubes whether the tubes are good, whether the sockets are good, what sockets the tubes should be in, whether these tubes are correct for this amplifier, etc. Also, I have no idea if the wiring in the amplifier is correct or good and I dont know anything about the transformers used by the amplifier if they are correct, original, good, etc. Regarding the electronic components used by the amplifier, I have provided an underside view of the amplifier in the photos which shows various components, wires, etc. There is also a small transformer underneath the chassis which is shown in the photo. However, regarding all 4 of the transformers used by the amplifier (the two output transformers, the power transformer, and the transformer underneath the chassis), it is very interesting to note that all of these transformers have XF printed on them, following by various other numbers/letters. For example, both of the output transformers have XF402 printed on them. The power transformer has XF431-AD on it (and 883246), and the transformer underneath the chassis has XF400 on it (and 1038240). However, the fact that XF is directly on all of these transformers might signify that they have something in common although I dont know if this is correct or not. Finally, I dont know if anything any parts, components, etc. Have been added to this amplifier or not including the power transformer and the other parts/components/transformers, etc. Some of the parts beneath the chassis look newer than other parts in my view but I dont really know if this is correct or not and if anything has been added, updated, modified, etc. In connection with this amplifier. I did notice that at least one of the wires from the transformer are covered with electrical tape and not connected to anything. Likewise, there is a fuse mounted in a fuse-holder beneath the chassis. I did not test this fuse or remove this fuse and I dont know if it is good, original, the correct one for this amplifier, if it is wired correctly, etc. Accordingly, I know nothing about this amplifiers history of repairs, modifications, additions, substitutions, etc. (if any) and I will leave an overview of all of these items including the fuse, transformers, etc. Please check out the detailed view of the underside of the amplifier chassis which I have provided. In summary and in my opinion based on my research as discussed above, this amplifier is extremely rare and may, in fact, but one-of-a-kind or a sole survivor. Likewise, it appears to be of important historical significance and evidently was the result of a joint effort by two very famous pioneer inventors in the electronics field, namely, Lee Deforest and Ulises Sanabria. I believe that it would make a wonderful addition to any vintage amplifier collection and a really special item to own! I have not done anything to this amplifier and all of its parts, transformers, wires, electronic components, tubes, sockets, capacitors, resistors, jacks, prong assembly, fuse, and all of its other components and I know nothing about their condition. The above-described amplifier may have been worked on, repaired, had parts replaced/repaired, had parts added, and/or been modified by someone else in the past, but I dont know whether this is true or not. In this regard, I have done nothing to this amplifier and I have not inspected it internally or externally. However, I do not know how much work, parts, wires, wiring work/replacement, repairs, rewiring, upgrading, power transformer(s), output transformer(s), electronic components, power cord/plug, additional parts, tubes, jacks, sockets, resistors, capacitors, fuse(s), etc. Likewise, I dont know if any or all of the historical information listed above involving the DEFOREST-SANABRIA CORPORATION is correct or not and, in this regard, I cannot guarantee that it is accurate and complete. This amplifier is very heavy. While I will pack this item very securely, some of the wires, components, parts, capacitors, resistors, sockets, transformers, jacks, prongs used by the prong assembly, resistors, capacitors, fuse, etc. However, I will do my best to try and prevent these situations by very carefully packing this amplifier although I cannot guarantee that they wont happen. Please make a note of this. Furthermore, all of the tubes, tube sockets, capacitors, resistors, jacks, transformers, sockets, prong assembly, fuse, and all of the amplifiers other components/parts need to be checked out by an electronic expert to see if the tubes are good, if the tubes are the correct ones, if the tubes are in the correct sockets, if the fuse is good, if the fuse is the correct one for this amplifier, and if all of the tubes, tube sockets, capacitors, resistors, jacks, transformers, sockets, prong assembly, fuse, and all of the amplifiers other components/parts are good and operational before the amplifier is powered-up, tested, used, worked on, modified, connected to any other equipment, connected to a power source/supply, supplied with a power cord/plug, upgraded, operated connected to any speakers, etc. Likewise, I have no idea whether everything is original or not in the above-listed equipment and I therefore cannot make any warranties regarding originality. In this regard, I do not know if any of the parts, power transformer, output transformers, capacitors, resistors, jacks, sockets, prong assembly, fuse, and all of the other components used in the amplifier are original or if they have been replaced and/or added at some time in the past. I also do not warrant that this amplifier is complete and I do not know if there are any missing or incorrect parts/components, etc. The item “ULTRA RARE VINTAGE DEFOREST-SANABRIA STEREO TUBE AMP AMPLIFIER UNIQUE -LOOK” is in sale since Tuesday, January 21, 2020. This item is in the category “Consumer Electronics\Vintage Electronics\Vintage Audio & Video\Vintage Amplifiers & Tube Amps”. The seller is “jaymalkin” and is located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. This item can be shipped to United States.