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H-K Citation 11

71.34.81.154
Posted on April 2, 2016 at 16:04:02
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016






I am soon to be in possession of a H-K Citation 11 Tube amp and pre-amp. Only cost was shipping from the midwest to Oregon. I've read a little on them, and it seems Caps and Resistors will likely all need replacing. My very educated guess is the ones in now are all original.
Any help directing me to documentation on the process and parts suppliers would be enormously appreciated. I am quite capable as a technician having done guitar amp and guitar wiring before - just not H-K brand equipment.
Thanks!
Digital? What's that...

 

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RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 2, 2016 at 19:01:21
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Get a hold of Jim McShane and get the right kits you need..They come with first rate parts and we use them in the McIntosh stereo tube amps as well with stellar results so this way you won't go bankrupt and crazy trying to source parts from all over the country.He is been selling these kits for years and years and we are all floored by the results.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

Looks like a model one pre and model two power amp, posted on April 2, 2016 at 19:32:06
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Not 11. Great stuff for sure. McShane is the place like Mike said. Gonna sound sweet when done and spend as much as you can they are worth of it. Certainly the power amp anyway.

ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 2, 2016 at 19:33:45
Eli Duttman
Audiophile

Posts: 10455
Location: Monroe Township, NJ
Joined: March 31, 2000
 As Mike Samra said, Jim McShane is the man.

BTW those units are Citation I (1) and Citation II (2). In proper repair, those units kick royal butt.


Eli D.

 

RE: Looks like a model one pre and model two power amp, posted on April 2, 2016 at 19:36:15
Eli Duttman
Audiophile

Posts: 10455
Location: Monroe Township, NJ
Joined: March 31, 2000
 The preamp is worth investing in too, but definitely do the amp 1st. A simple 50 KOhm passive control center is quite adequate for digital source listening.


Eli D.

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 2, 2016 at 22:26:20
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Many thanks for the prompt replies. I will certainly get McShane kits. Hopefully my long ago experience with Heathkits will re-emerge from the cobwebs of my memory! I still have a Dynaco FM5 that I built from a kit, and which will join the H-K powertrain.
Cheers!
Digital? What's that...

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 3, 2016 at 04:19:20
Uncle Mike
 You have come into good fortune!

 

RE: Looks like a model one pre and model two power amp, posted on April 3, 2016 at 06:07:30
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Yes I meant restoring and upgrading with the best possible parts. The II is worthy of top dollar parts. The one is worth restoring for sure too but say if the new owner doesn't do vinyl or has a limited budget saving money would-be spending less on the pre. That was my point.

ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Looks like a model one pre and model two power amp, posted on April 3, 2016 at 07:29:08
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 No worries - I'll take my time and do the best job I'm able. In my business (custom furniture) there are no shortcuts. Like the saying goes " there's never time to do it right but always time to do it over"... NOT!
I do spin vinyl, which I can only do with one receiver (NAD 7125) at this point. It will be good to have another / better system for that as well as more modern input methods.
I'll re-work the power amp first, then the pre amp as time allows.
I'll also be curious to try the power amp with my small mixing board and pair of speakers as amplification for acoustic guitar and vocal microphones. It will be too heavy to lug around to coffee house gigs, but fun to try at home.
Many thanks again,
-C
www.charlesfreeborn.com
www.freebornguitars.com
Digital? What's that...

 

You came into a windfall., posted on April 3, 2016 at 12:22:36
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 To get those for free,either somebody loves you, or you threatened to blackmail and expose someone.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: You came into a windfall., posted on April 3, 2016 at 13:51:35
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Just lucky. Wife's family -after her uncle died there was no desire to own it, no desire to deal with selling, so we got it for the cost of freight. I plan to do right by it.

Digital? What's that...

 

RE: You came into a windfall., posted on April 3, 2016 at 17:34:56
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 I have many,many amps and a run a mono pair of Citation 2s on my Martin Logan CLXs on the panels.They handle everything from 70hz on up and the subs do everything below 70hz.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: You came into a windfall., posted on April 3, 2016 at 18:32:13
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Just lucky. Wife's family -after her uncle died there was no desire to own it, no desire to deal with selling, so we got it for the cost of freight. I plan to do right by it.

Digital? What's that...

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 3, 2016 at 20:49:34
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4310
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 To complete the set you should look for a Citation IIIX tuner. It has a sterling reputation and was also designed by Stu Hegeman the designer of your other Citation gear(as well as the Dynaco FM3 tuner).

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 4, 2016 at 09:49:52
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep an eye out. Meanwhile I'll use my Dynaco that I built from a kit many many years ago...
Digital? What's that...

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 9, 2016 at 13:15:13
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Citation(s) arrived yesterday safe and sound from Indiana. Amp has a layer of dust on and around the tubes, but otherwise looks whole and undamaged. I'll get it on the bench in the next few days and snap some pics. Then, on to modifications and testing.

Digital? What's that...

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 25, 2016 at 09:13:31
PakProtector
Audiophile

Posts: 12366
Joined: May 14, 2002
 Do the amp one side at a time, there is a lot going on...:) Likely the resistors other than Carbon Comp can stay, though the LTP balance pot is likely going to need replaced too. Nice bias pots are also useful.

Congrats on the score, that is about two Cleveland's worth you're getting for the shipping bill...:)
cheers,
Douglas

Friend, I would not hurt thee for the world...but thou art standing where I am about to shoot.

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 28, 2016 at 12:28:50
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016














Finally got the amp on my bench and popped the hood.
There was a dust bunny under the tube cage as big as a squirrel..
I've learned that my wife's uncle built it as a kit. He was an electrical engineer (Purdue grad) for Delco, so I'm confident he knew how to read a schematic.
Point to point wiring isn't the best I've seen, but not the worst by any means. All the joints looked sound. Couldn't find any evidence of burned or damaged parts inside, so we may be good to go. No idea of condition of tubes. I remember back in the 70's there were tube testing kiosks in the radio repair shops. Are those still around? I'll get the cap kits and read up on replacing other pots, resistors and part likely to have aged or failed. It will be slow going as budget and time is a little tight right now, but I'm looking forward to taking my time and doing it right. There are a couple of repair shops here in Portland that can help out if I get in a pickle. Retro audio gear is all the rage these days. I'll have to unbox my Nakamichi 480 cassette deck when I've got the H-K running... I would like to know how to adapt one of the inputs to receive signal from a CD player. I'll primarily use this system for vinyl, FM and a little cassette, but CD would be good to. Many thanks for all of your input and I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.
Digital? What's that...

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 28, 2016 at 12:46:57
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2199
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 Wow, original Genalex KT88's, nice! If you need some local help with your projects, contact Pat at Classic Tube Audio at the link below.

 

RE: H-K Citation 11, posted on April 28, 2016 at 13:43:48
CFreeborn
Manufacturer

Posts: 9
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: April 2, 2016
 Many thanks. Will do.
Digital? What's that...

 

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