RADAR is a price search engine. We link to the original listing — we never sell direct. Transactions happen on the source site.
This is a buyer’s market: USD 800 is a genuine bargain against the comparable set, sitting below the US$825 25th percentile and far under the US$2,500 median. Even allowing for the title’s odd wording and unknown condition, the price leaves meaningful room for servicing or tube replacement without becoming an ordinary purchase.
The appeal is its vintage Dynaco PAS foundation, modified around the Pass circuit to improve output drive and make it more suitable for modern amplifiers. Properly executed, that should retain the tube preamp’s musical character while avoiding some of the original PAS’s load-related limitations. Before buying, verify who performed the modification, inspect the power supply and coupling capacitors, confirm both channels and controls work, and establish tube condition. At this price, however, documented originality matters less than safe operation and a clean, quiet output.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Dynaco emerged in 1955 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when hi-fi pioneer David Hafler partnered with engineer Ed Laurent to form the Dyna Company. Hafler brought expertise from his earlier Acrosound venture, which produced high-quality output transformers starting in 1950. The duo targeted the burgeoning hi-fi market with affordable, DIY-friendly kits, launching the Mk II 50-watt tube amplifier shortly after incorporation and relocating to a former chocolate factory for expanded operations.
The brand specialized in tube amplifiers that defined its legacy, including the iconic Stereo 70—over 350,000 units sold—alongside models like the Mk III. Dynaco expanded into FM tuners such as the FM-1, bookshelf speakers like the A-25, solid-state amps, and innovative systems like the Dynaquad for simulated four-channel sound. Late-1970s efforts included the Phase III speakers, though the company shifted toward kits and components emphasizing value and performance.
Dynaco holds a revered position as the era's top-selling tube amp maker, beloved by budget-conscious audiophiles for reliable, high-value hi-fi. Liquidated in 1980 after Hafler's sale to a toy firm, its vintage gear remains a collector's staple, with later revivals by Panor Corporation producing replicas for tube enthusiasts seeking that classic warmth and build-it-yourself appeal.
See all Dynaco listings on RADAR.
