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Reviews For: Ten-Tec Titan 425

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

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Review Summary For : Ten-Tec Titan 425
Reviews: 29MSRP: 3195.00
Description:
Full QSK, pair of 3CX800A7 tubes, 1500W output.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/tentec/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00294.8
PY2ONU Rating: 2021-07-31
The best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In my 20 years of radio amateur I had many problems with amplifiers (ameritron, tl-922, transistorized amps, etc) always giving me problems (maintenance) until a ham friend offered me a ten tec titan 425. I buyed an HOW, It is solid with 1.5 KW without complaining, tremendously strong and healthy! I strongly recommend this amp to those who are tired of shipping amps for technicians to fix. IT IS AMAZINGLY STRONG!
WJ3Z Rating: 2017-10-11
Workhorse!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I now own two Titan 425 amplifiers. I agree that there are some issue but these are older amps. Unfortunately I am rapidly becoming an expert on these amps because I use mine daily and have had some issues...

Power Supply:
There is a known problem with the plate transformers shorting out. I recently went through this with my first titan and now know the complete process of how to order a Peter Dahl replacement from Hammon transformers. You have to order through Digikey and they are not cheap at $817 but the replacement is true Peter Dahl quality and a drop in part.

Just last night while working some DX, while transmitting my 2nd Titan died. Power simply turned off and I am now troubleshooting what the problem is. I wont give up on these amps, they are great amps for the money but the power supplies need some care.
PY7DJ Rating: 2017-08-24
35w in 1kw out easy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
in my life i have:
2 - FL-2100Z
1 - SB-200
1 - AL-811
2 - TL-922/A

But non compares with Tentec Titan, my amp version is lastest factory made and have variable capacitor with anti-arc protetion and we work at 12/17 and 30m .. i never use more tham my legal limit (1kw) but with 35w in i have 1kw out easy ... to rtty its so easy to work ... 1kw key down no time limit ... this is a silence amp, no relay click (vacuum relay) and blower is not make much noise ... perfect amp, at my dummyload i have 2kw with 90w in ...73 de PY7DJ
KC0CWU Rating: 2015-02-21
This thing is a brute! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Quiet operation,loads of headroom. Might be the best buy in used amps available. QSK is awesome(99%cw here)Easy 1.5 kw all bands easy tune
I like the remote supply light desktop unit.Watch your drive easily exceeds legal limit.This is my first legal limit amp(Centurion, Al-811 in the past) just everything you would expect , runs cool even in contest's. Works great with my K-3. If I was ever to add another LL amp here I would look for another Titan. 73 kc0cwu
KD0BQ Rating: 2011-11-03
Outstanding Amplifier Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was fortunate enough several years ago to purchase my Titan 425 from the family of a local silent key. It had been in storage for some time and I had to have Ten Tec replace the bias board and eventually I replaced all eight of the power supply electrolytic capacitors which shorted causing overdrive issues. Thankfully the CX-800A finals were okay.

Since the repairs the amp has run flawlessly and yes I learned it is important to follow the manufacturer recommendation regarding drive power. It easily puts out 1500 watts, simple to tune, especialy if you write down the settings for every band. Even considering the initial repairs the outlay has been well worth it.
The Titan 425 is a fantastic amplifier.
KC6RCM Rating: 2011-04-28
Reliable over the years. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Ten Tec 425 has been a reliable amplifier for me since I purchased it new in 1990. The only issue that I experienced was the input bias circuit board located in the rf deck. I talked to the service department about the problem and in a few days the replacement board arrived with the enclosed invoice noting to please send back the old board along with a payment of $30.00 for the cost of the new circuit board.

It was convenient to be able to call Ten Tec service and discuss the problem with a knowledgeable technician. To troubleshoot and resolve the issue without having to ship the entire unit for repair saves time and money.

The amplifier is very easy to tune and fits in nicely with other similarly styled Ten Tec equipment in one's shack.

N9FDE Rating: 2010-11-27
Great Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As one of the other reviewers had said, I have the Good Fortune to have come across a 425 Golden Titan #49. I don't know how that happened but it has made it to my bench and I think it will stay there for a long time to come. This amp tunes so fast that you can't believe it. I have to say though if this is your first BIG amp be careful when loading it and by all means use the factory preset starting positions in the manual, it will get you to the right place and fast. This amp does not load like your little AL80A, and if you try to load it like that you'll be way off and the tubes will not like you very much. When properly loaded this amp is silent and makes no "Grunting" at all. As a matter of fact you can barely hear the relay kick in, and with 40 to 50 watts of drive this thing will do legal limit all day long with very little heat. This amp has a bunch of head room and will easily do around 2300 out if driven to hard. Have a good watt meter that is accurate, I use a Tel-post digital and find that most all needle type meters just are not fast enough. All in all this amp is a keeper and I think one of the best that Ten-Tec ever made. Very clean construction and has a great power supply and best of all the power supply is on the floor and out of the way. Yes the tubes for this amp are expensive but are easy to find, But if you treat this amp right and take care in your loading the tubes will last your life time.
If they had a 10 in the rating I would give it that.

N9FDE
Bill
W6IML Rating: 2010-02-13
Smooth amp Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I wanted a small kilowatt amp for my desktop, so I bought a used Titan 425. I was told the amp was in primo shape, but it was not quite "primo" imo. The case was missing two fasteners, and had a few scratches on the case and remote P/S. No big deal, I painted the P/S case and replaced the missing fasteners.
I fired it up and it lit up very nicely. After the manditory warm up, I loaded up on twenty. At first, it loaded smoothly and quickly, but when I had it up to the 1500 watt legal limit, the remote P/S started grunting, and loudly. I knew then I would have to do something about the noise...sending 20wpm and listening to "bzz bzz bzz" every time I sent was very distracting.
The QSK was very smooth indeed. Typical Ten Tec, and I was quite pleased with the quick smooth silent [other than the P/S bzz bzz]operation of the QSK option.
SSB was, in a word, great. No snap, pop, or any other noises from the amp at any power out level. On all bands from 80 thru 10, 1500 watts output measured with my trusty Bird 43 with the 2500 watt slug.
I worked and worked on the P/S to get rid of the bzz bzz...no joy. I decided to sell the amp and let someone else deal with the bzz bzz. I asked and got what I originally paid for this Titan 425.
All in all, a good amp, other than that infernal BZZ BZZ!
If you find one, check the P/S before buying.
VE3YZR Rating: 2010-02-12
A Toyota of amps Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Reliable, durable, meets or exceeds expectations, without braking that bank account.
Simple to use, quiet, low drive for high output.
Herculean power supply.

No, it is not a Formula 1, but those have a different price point.

If you want a work horse and see it used, do get it.
Review the PS, change caps maybe.

Ragchew with it until the lips fall off, a keeper!
N1JMS Rating: 2009-03-03
A Workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Clean and simple design, compact size, EZ to tune and rock-solid. Made it the USA. Simple to repair. What else do you need or want from an HF amp?