Tube Powered Stellavox- aka Stellapex

[U47]

Here are a few pics of a unique tubed Stellavox SP-7 with 6112 and 6111 tubes. Record and playback electronics are built into the tiny Stella chassis with an outboard power supply. Switchable AME or NAB eq at 15 ips. Pretty tasty piece. My friend in Japan built this about 10 years ago. It took him two solid weeks to design and build. There is a description of it in the Stellavox book.

 

[kach22i]

I'm not sure I understand it, but it looks like quality.

 

[U47]

this might clear it up. It is a Stellavox portable open reel deck with custom tube electronics installed- quite an engineering feat.

 

[jcmusic]

Hey Rich,
Looking good how does it sound?

Jay

 

[U47]

Sound is very fine- more like a refined 351 Ampex sound. Very full and rich, but with less hum and hiss than the 351. It uses a custom JRF head and a simplified 351 circuit with Riken Ohm resistors and other choice parts with an outboard choke loaded power supply.

Rich Brown
Portland, Oregon

 

[tony ky ma]

this might clear it up. It is a Stellavox portable open reel deck with custom tube electronics installed- quite an engineering feat.

I think I had met you and the machine 5 years ago in Las Weges during the CES, were you there ? at that time only one room showed a modified Ampex and your machine was playing , since there I haven't been to the CES again maybe this year will have a lot of RTR items come out I guess
tony ma

 

[U47]

Hi Tony
We did meet up 5 years ago in Vegas- maybe 6. I had the Stellavox SP-8 at the time. I've been bringing the Stellas to CES, VSAC and RMAF for about 10 years. I think I was the only one playing tape at these shows up until a few years ago when Kara started bringing her Ampex 351 to shows. I introduced her to tape through playing my Stellavox in her room in Vegas around 7 years ago. I've been promoting open reel tape as THE superior source for 25 years. Tape was deader than the proverbial doornail from 1990 to about 2007.

Rich Brown
Portland, Oregon

 

[mep]

Are those tubes soldered directly to the circuit instead of using tube sockets? If so, that will be fun at tube changing time.

 

[U47]

the tubes are not socketed. The 6000 series of tubes are very long lasting military grade tubes. They are operated very conservatively and should not need to be replaced for many hundreds if not thousands of hours, unlike a lot of modern high end tube designs.

REB