Author Topic: Where to Get Audio Prism and Red Rose Music Components Repaired and Upgraded  (Read 2801 times)

Offline Duos

  • Seeking Help
  • **
  • Posts: 12
There is an old 2016 thread with the subject title "Red Rose Music Repair Service." I stumbled across that thread several days ago. As there was no real answer within about where to get Red Rose and Audio Prism components repaired/updated, for those in need for such services in the future I am updating info in this new thread. The old thread mentions Brian Hawkins. He is the guy! But contact details for him were incorrect. FYI: I own several Red Rose components and Brian has updated my amps and preamp. 

Here's Brian's info: For repairs and upgrades to Red Rose and Audio Prism components a good option is Raptor Electronics. The owner, Brian Hawkins, was part of the original AudioPrism/Red Rose technical team. He can repair and make modifications/upgrades to electronics made by Audio Prism & Red Rose. Raptor contact details:
https://raptorelectronics.com/

Note: In addition to his repair/update service, he has a day job. As such sometimes he is quite busy requiring patience to connect with him.
Hodge-Podge of Components
Turntables: Rega P3 - Basis Audio 2001 for mono LPs
Preamps: Melos 222B - Red Rose Silver 3A - CAT Ultimate II
Amps: Fisher KX-200 - Red Rose Reference 1 monoblocks
Speakers: KEF 107 - Klipsch Heresy - Altec Valencia - Bozak 302

Offline BobM

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
These pieces are getting long in the tooth now, but I still love my Mantissa preamp. I hope it lasts forever without any need for repair.

What upgrades have you done? I replaced the coupling caps in mine and upgraded the power supply caps as well. Of course I've tried lots of different tubes too before settling on what I'm using now.
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you'll have to blow your nose.

Offline Duos

  • Seeking Help
  • **
  • Posts: 12
Howdy Bob, I just noticed your post. Nice you own a Mantissa.

Per upgrading my Red Rose preamp. My preamp was a Red Rose 3 Silver Signature. Brian updated it to the 3a version. Prior to that he may have added to or changed regulation in the preamp's power supply. I'd have to go back through emails to determine if my fuzzy memory per regulation is correct.

I understand that different tubes will affect the preamp's sound. Unusual for me, I spent little time doing so. Mostly due to my system being more or less in chaos subsequent to selling some favored components when I moved cross country. Which tubes did you find worked the best in your Mantissa? Should you have but one front-end source, the preamp's fidelity is supposed to improve by using the preamp's hot-rod mode which as I recall circumvents the source selector switch.

Check out the webpage on Brian's website that describes the various incarnations of the Audio Prism Mantissa and its cousin the Red Rose Silver Signature. See:
https://raptorelectronics.com/subpage3.html
Hodge-Podge of Components
Turntables: Rega P3 - Basis Audio 2001 for mono LPs
Preamps: Melos 222B - Red Rose Silver 3A - CAT Ultimate II
Amps: Fisher KX-200 - Red Rose Reference 1 monoblocks
Speakers: KEF 107 - Klipsch Heresy - Altec Valencia - Bozak 302

Offline BobM

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
I found Baldwin 12AU7's to be the best one of that type.

The 6922 or 6DJ8's could be almost anything you want, depending on the type of sound you need - sharp, smooth, dynamic, mellow, bloomy. Each brand of 6922 has it's own character and this unit will show you all of that. It is the tone control in this unit, IMO.

I also owned a Debut II amp for a while, and while it was very nice it didn't drive my speakers very well. I sold it to a friend and it sang in his system. More efficient speakers than mine. Truly a great amp.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 02:24:32 PM by BobM »
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you'll have to blow your nose.

Offline Duos

  • Seeking Help
  • **
  • Posts: 12
Hi Bob; good info thanks. Likely you are aware that Baldwin manufactured organs. They did not manufacture tubes BUT ..... most Baldwin labeled tubes were tested and only used if they met Baldwin's rigorous specifications. Thus, many Baldwin tubes are superb for audio applications. I suspect two of their requirements were low noise/microphonics and both triodes within each tube were tightly balanced. Wondering if you can tell which tube company made your Baldwin 12AU7s and the year they were made?

Long time ago I asked Brian (the Red Rose guy) about tube rolling. He said that both the 12AU7/5814 and 6DJ8/6922 affect the sound. Brian agrees with you as he mentioned the 6DJ8/6922 has a greater sonic contribution than the 12AU7/5814. He mentioned he preferred Amperex 7308 tubes first then the 6922. (I assume that meant an Amperex 6922 though he did not indicate a vintage which would have been helpful as Amperex 6DJ8s/6922s changed over the years they were made.) Additionally, he said the stock tubes (in my preamp and thus likely in yours) were the JAN Philips 6DJ8 and 5814. And that the 12AU7 is not a tube he uses in 3 Silvers. Wondering which 6922 or 6DJ8 works best for you and do those tubes indicate year made?

Now you got me interested in tube rolling when I get my system setup!

FYI: I found an old email where Brian provided a brief explanation of the benefits of upgrading to a 3a model:
"The Silver Signature 3a put in active regulation from the 450V supply with another circuit board added. That increased the isolation between the left and right channels improving space around instruments and definition. The standard 3a had passive filtration added directly to the board with a few foils cut on the board and parts added between the left and right channel from the main 450v regulator. The active filtration improved isolation by over 80dB while the passive was closer to 15dB."

Someplace Brian provided more informative details about the benefits of that upgrade, but I have not found that email.
Hodge-Podge of Components
Turntables: Rega P3 - Basis Audio 2001 for mono LPs
Preamps: Melos 222B - Red Rose Silver 3A - CAT Ultimate II
Amps: Fisher KX-200 - Red Rose Reference 1 monoblocks
Speakers: KEF 107 - Klipsch Heresy - Altec Valencia - Bozak 302