Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Ten Tec Centurion

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - HF & HF+6M

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Ten Tec Centurion
Reviews: 55MSRP: 1895.00
Description:
Full QSK, a pair of 3-500Z tubes for 1300 watts PEP on SSB.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://radio.tentec.com/Amateur/Amplifiers/TT422
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00554.9
K3ICH Rating: 2002-11-25
THE 3-500 Standard Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the standard by which all other 3-500 amps are to be judged. Never had a moments problem, stable, easy to tune up, and keeps on working. Typical Ten-Tec I guess. They do amps RIGHT!
K4ZA Rating: 2002-06-21
Great value ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The SO2R setup here was two OMNI SIX Pluses & Centurions...simply superb CW combination. (Never got a bad report on SSB, either, but hardly ever operate phone.) Anyway, job layoff required selling off some ham gear (including one amp). The venerable old SB-220, dragged out of retirement is not as smooth. It's hard to beat the Centurion--represents a solid value IMHO....

Small transistor failure only mishap in over two years use. Loads up (into monoband antennas) vy easily & smoothly.

Having toured the factory, & seen ten-tec building their own caps/xmfs (which may explain parts delays), it's impressive to look at the finished product. Mine's a workhorse....
K4RWW Rating: 2002-03-08
Well above average Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The Centurion is well above average and easy to recommend. On the plus side: very quiet, reliable proven design, economical easy to obtain tubes, good metering, easy to tune, light weight, superior service, made in USA. On the negative side: unconventional offset front panel design, price creep in recent years vs. competition is putting a new Centurion out of reach of many potential buyers. This is an excellent amp to buy used as the 3-500 tubes are especially forgiving of mistreatment. The design and components used insure a long life.
K8XQ Rating: 2002-02-25
Great Amp and Awesome Value Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After eons of pondering every amp out there for a once in a lifetime purchase I chose the Centurion and layed down the $2050 for the amp and shipping.I received it before XMAS as a gift to myself and after what seems forever,I did the mods and got it on the air.The time it took being totally my fault and doing, I tuned it up on 75 and with 100 watts drive it pumped out an impressive 1400 watts! Wow! the least it has shown me is 1000 watts and I am totally pleased. I really pondered the Alpha 87A for 6 G's for the automatic tune but once I came to my senses the TenTec meets my performance needs, quality expectation, and the security of knowing if I ever do develop a problem that I have that reputation to lean on for customer service. This amp is a great amp and worth the money plus it is a purchase I don't ever expect to have to make again.Considering all the tubes to choose from the venerable old 3-500Z's are always going to be around at a fair price and gives you enough RF out that the guy on the other end will never know the difference.Have at it.73 Kev
WD5FUN Rating: 2002-02-16
The best Amp I have ever owned Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had the Centurion about 8 months and it is the third amplifier that I have owned. The first two were made in Japan and were good amps, but they do not compare with the smooth and efficient operation of this one. It is easy to tune and is much cleaner on output than the others.
K6RB Rating: 2001-12-18
Best amp I've owned Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my third HF amplifier and clearly the best one I've owned. I'm an active contester that uses both CW and SSB modes. I drive the Centurion with an ICOM 761 and have no trouble getting 1000 watts out on all bands. I did have one problem when it first arrived. The QSK mode would flake out. I called Ten-Tec and I was advised to simply jumper across one diode. I did and the problem never recurred. It looks very clean on my monitorscope and runs cool and reasonably quiet even when going full tilt for 15 hours straight. I think it's the best value in amplifiers out there.
W8OB Rating: 2001-10-11
EXCELLANT AMP! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
i received my new amp in yesterdays ups and am very impressed with the quality of the amp
it easily makes its rated output power, the qsk is silky smooth in operation and it matches
my omni 6 plus. fan runs very quiet and tuning is smooth. yep this one is a keeper. i will
update this review after i have had the amp about a year but since its a ten-tec i dont see
where anything will go wrong, but if it does help is only a phone call away and you get to
talk to a real person.
K4NR Rating: 2000-10-18
Quality Amp! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having owned another brand of amplifier without QSK, I have to admit the Centurion is great on full-QSK CW.

I'm running it with the Omni 6 and it interfaces and operates perfectly. The relay noise is light and I don't notice it with headphones on.

Tunes smoothly--no arcing even on 160 meters. (ARRL review unit arced--perhaps Tentec fixed that bug in later models)

I opened mine up (a late model used amp)and found a pair of RF Parts 3-500ZG tubes. I'm not sure what Tentec used for original tubes since Eimac discontinued the 3-500Z. It produces rated power (1250 watts) on all bands. 12 meters requires a bit more drive than the others.

I'm looking forward to years of service from this amplifier.

73 de Tom, K4NR
AA8VE Rating: 2000-10-11
Well pleased Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My Centurion is the most expensive piece of ham gear I own. You can bet I looked at all the others before buying this amp. For the price and amount of features, just do the math, it's the best value per watt there is. At first I did have a few small problems, the fan had a noisy bushing and the filament transformer had a hum in it. I was in a bit of a stew when I called T*T and was at once relieved by their kind, wonderful service department. They gave me a choice of sending it back or them sending the parts so I could do the work. I chose the latter and the parts were here before I could put the phone down! Working on this amp was a joy, it is built with craftmenship and very good layout. It has been over 3 years now and I've not had any trouble at all. This amp runs to spec. in every way and driving it with an Omni-V the QSK is second to none. I like the metering, overall looks, and front panel layout and most important it puts out a very clean, strong signal. I have no desire or need to look for anything else in an amplifier.......This one will be here till the cow's come home!
K2ACB Rating: 2000-09-19
you get your money's worth from this amplifier Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased my Centurian used about 8 months ago.The unit I purchased was about 8 or 9 years old.I had Ten Tec refurbish the amplifier,bring it up to date and ascertain that the finals were in good condition.They charged reasonably for this service. I am very satisfied with the Centurian.Even though it doesn't load to a full 1500 watts,only 1300,how do you tell the difference between the 200 watts?Anyway,I rarely load the amplifier to full power. As previously noted in other reviews on this amplifier,it is very forgiving of loading mistakes.It comes with qsk,works on all the WARC bands and operates flawlessly. Most important as far as I am concerned is that Ten Tec service is second to none.I spoke on several occasions to the technician who refurbished my Centurian.He was very informative.I know I can count on Ten Tec service.In the last few years several companies that have manufactured amateur radio amplifiers have gone out of business. Summing up,the Centurian is an an excellent amplifier and a good value for the money,especially if you can get one in good condition used.Ten Tec service is also a plus.