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FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed

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Posted on April 24, 2016 at 18:36:57
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 After four full decades, the truth is made known. The Bob Fulton " Footlocker " amps were a pair of Luxman MB-3045s. They were used until the ( too hard run ) special 8045G triode Finals tubes wore out.

Robert Fulton, and his V.P., were not able to find good-enough-sounding replacements, in the triode-connected 6550 or KT-88 range, so Bob retired the amps.

My information source is impeccable. Trust me.

Any of us, who may have wondered all of these years, .... now know !

Fun stuff.

Jeff Medwin

 

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RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 24, 2016 at 21:03:28
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4309
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 I recall being at Gordon Holt's when Bob showed up with the foot locker with Fulton Goldcables coming out of holes in the locker. I can't recall my reaction to the sound.

I've always felt that Bob was one of those special people who could make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. His stuff always did great justice to the music and the parts he used to build his speakers looked like they only belonged it white box speakers.

If I recall correctly the problem with the Luxman amps was the difference inAC voltage in Japan and the US. It was just enough higher here to over drive the tubes and wear them out quickly.

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 24, 2016 at 21:36:19
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 The real problem was the Luxman MB-3045's original design - that the young engineer, Tim, did not run the tubes conservatively to start with.

THAT, I know today, is simply NOT good engineering.

Now a days, my " second " audio mentor ( Bob was my first ) has taught me to run tubes at Golden Ratio proportions of their maximum plate dissipations, ( 62% ) and the tubes last, almost " forever" and actually SOUND less stressed also, as a bonus to boot. Live and learn !!

So, as a modern example, my DIY 2015-designed and built Type 45 SET amp dissipates 6.2 Watts from a 10 Watt rated plate. Perfect.

Yes, Robert Fulton was gifted, and a gentleman - a born-again Christian who walked the walk. Robert was 19 years older than I, and like a father-figure to me. I loved him, miss him, but he remains in my heart.

His speakers' 1.6 mHY inductors were called " wroinkers " because they were the coils from Packard cars, starting motors, which were "dumped" by Packard when they went from 6 to 12 Volt systems. The " wroinker " was the sound of the car, when starting with a 6 volt system in the cold Minnesota winter !! :-).

Fun in Minneapolis, at the FMI speaker factory.

BTW, HaHax, we two share a mutual friend, MZ.

Jeff Medwin

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 25, 2016 at 09:41:21
used-hifi
Audiophile

Posts: 1100
Location: Surprise AZ
Joined: March 18, 2003
 Jeff, Are you serious about the footlocker amp? I was told it was a 430?!

hmmm why the misdirection's?....

we also knew from our friend Mr Fulton liked the AR D150 tube amp but never knew of this luxman amp...strange

I happen to have a friend Frank who was closer to Fred Devere then Robert and never mentioned it was always a 430 in that foot locker

now the question is where did you acquire your information?? did you always know??

Thanks Jeff

Lawrence

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 25, 2016 at 09:44:02
6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4390
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001
 From what I have heard- if you want to re-tube the Lux 3045 amps- a better choice is EL-34s over 6550s and their varriants
Happy Listening

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 25, 2016 at 09:53:58
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 HK 430, NOPE !!

Found out directly from Fulton's VP, Bob Fredere, who has direct experience and also has been MIA for three decades. We only found out this month. We never knew !!

Jeff Medwin

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 25, 2016 at 09:57:23
used-hifi
Audiophile

Posts: 1100
Location: Surprise AZ
Joined: March 18, 2003
 Holy cow!! maybe we could talk about it offline?


Lawrence

 

The problem with the 8045G was too much bias, posted on April 25, 2016 at 10:42:17
garymuffley
Dealer

Posts: 445
Location: Maryland
Joined: March 29, 2006
 I have owned several pair of 3045s (still have a pair). The problem was simply too much idle current. The amps had a plate voltage close to 500 VDC and the recommended bias setting was 75 milli-amps for an idle plate dissipation of 37.5 watts! The tubes wore out from too much heat. Plain and simple. I biased my amps at 50 milli-amps (25 watts dissipation) and the tubes lasted much longer.

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on April 25, 2016 at 20:41:42
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4309
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 Two great guys, Bob and MZ. Both offered tons to audio and both were under appreciated.

 

RE: The problem with the 8045G was too much bias, posted on April 25, 2016 at 20:46:17
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4309
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 What ever the reason, that kind of design is inexcuseable. There's no reason tubes can't last a very long time. It just takes good design and understanding the tubes one is working with. Tube designs that constantly need new tubes are poor designs. The prototype Berning BA150 was turned on in 1972 and turned off in 1977 with no measureable wear on the tubes.

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on November 17, 2022 at 05:55:14
BBeck
Audiophile

Posts: 462
Location: South Florida
Joined: July 28, 2004
 I have it on good authority that Fulton's footlocker amp was a heavily-modified MB-3045. My information is that Ray Marion at Pro Musica in Urbana, IL designed and implemented that mod. Pro Musica was a Fulton dealer. Ray had a master's in EE and discerning ears. His business partner Steve Wieman was probably involved deeply too. People who have heard both the stock and modified amps say that the improvement was significant and the modified MB-3045 could be considered among the best amplifiers ever made.
___
Brian

 

RE: FULTON 's " Footlocker " Amplifier ... Finally Revealed, posted on January 12, 2024 at 14:50:17
BBeck
Audiophile

Posts: 462
Location: South Florida
Joined: July 28, 2004



Footlocker amps in the house for refurbishment.
___
Brian

 

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