Allen 63 2-D questions....

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

Hope you can help. Ok, there is this old Allen 63 2-D (that's what it says on the instrument). It has old lamp amplifier, but some speakers appear to be broken (sound is terrible, so most likely some cones went bad). Now, is it possible to connect this organ to some PA live sound system (amplifier + 2 speakers, possible subwoofer)? OK, I realize it sounds like a blasphemy for many of you, but I'm curious if this will work. I opened the back of the instrument and there is a bunch of wires. Four of them seem to be a signal rca connected wires, coming out of in metal boxes placed right behind volume pedals (I wish I had taken a picture). Anyway, will or will not it work? Please help...!

Thank you

[jbird604]

If by "lamp" amplifier you mean "tube" amp, that would be a relic of the analog era, possibly 1950's or early 60's. So perhaps you are not seeing a 632 at all, which is a mid-70's model. Although, a 632 would indeed have four audio cables coming out, since it's a four-channel (two-computer) organ. Or maybe what you are thinking is a tube amp is not a tube amp. The solid state amps have some large cylindrical metal capacitors standing up on the chassis, and they might be mistaken for tubes.

You can try playing it through a PA amp if you wish. It may not sound very good, and the expression may or may not work properly, since the expression circuitry depends on the amplifier having a specific, rather high impedance at the input.

But if it's currently unplayable due to ruined speakers, what do you have to lose? There are reasons why the audio is split into four channels, whether you are looking at an actual 632 or at an old analog organ. There are intentional tuning offsets between the channels, and if it's analog, different ranks of oscillators. But just to find out if it's any good, go ahead and hook it up to the PA. Just be aware that an organist may find it very frustrating to play that way.

An organ, in order to properly perform and do the job it is meant to do, must be correctly installed, with the right kind of speakers in the right kind of placement. A PA system almost never does justice to the sound of an organ, no matter how good the system is, because PA systems are designed, normally, to project sound right at people's ears. Organ sound, in contrast, sounds better when it bounces off the surfaces of the room before reaching the ears.

[Guest]

John thank you
Tubes, of course. No idea what came over me to say lamps. Also, most likely you are right regarding capacitors. They kinda looked like lamps...that is tubes.
I think I'll try to hook it up just to see if/how it works. Or perhaps you or someone else on the forum would suggest other solution.
Thank you for your thorough answer. You have been most helpful.