The ACOM 2000 is basically an upgraded copy of the Alpha 87A but with tetrodes. Alpha had ACOM building their manual tune amplifier in 1991 using a pair of 4CX800A7’s. Then ACOM looked at building the Alpha 87A. Build quality suffered with the 91B and Alpha brought the production back to the US. Because of the Alpha 87A product, ACOM was able to design their current 2000A which copied the basic design of the 87A. You will note the similarities in layout.
Alpha has stopped using the 4CX800A7 tubes in their manual tune amplifiers with the Alpha 8100. This was due to tube scarcity. In 2009 Alpha started to producing the 8410 manual tune amplifier which uses a pair of massive 4CX1000A’s. ACOM, which still uses the 4CX800A7, has put on a good face saying there is no problems getting the tubes but that just is not the case. TenTec, Alpha and other have stopped using the tube along with most other manufactures. I have no idea where Brian at QRO is getting tubes. All the tubes that are available are NOS (New Old Stock) from the 1990’s and are floating around in various locations in Russia someplace.
The Alpha 9500 uses the 3CX1500B/8877 triode and is very linear. These tubes are made by no less than 5 manufactures and will be around long after amateur radio has left the planet. No problem with tube availability.
I have watched the Alpha 9500 amplifier putting out 3000 watts plus sending CQ Dayton into a dummy load at the ham convention for three days straight. The amplifier design, quality control and component selection is very high with no compromises. In addition Alpha still supports older designs going back to 1977. When running the amplifier at 1500 watts you have a lot of head room. The amplifier uses a 3.5 KVA transformer with a full wave bridge.
On item always to consider is where the factory service is located. Alpha is in the US. ACOM has a service location in Massachusetts, but the manufacturing is in Bulgaria.
It should be noted that only the Alpha 9500 is type accepted (Parts 97.317) by the FCC for 12 and 10 meter operation. None of the other amplifier manufactures have FCC type acceptance for operation above 21.450 MHz. What has been done is the past is to make modifications available for the ham to do and place ten meter operation into the design and that is fine if you feel competent modifying you new amplifier. That is no longer allowed by the FCC. 1500 watt amplifiers must now have a gain of less than 15dB at legal output and they must have zero gain from 26-28 MHz.
Both amplifiers have a 4 year warranty. The Alpha uses the original factory tube warranty which is 1 year. I don’t know what the tube warranty is for the ACOM tubes.
When receiving an amplifier quote also get a quote for spare matched tubes (same manafacturing date) ask what the amplifier manufacture will sell you a spare set of tubes for. I would make that a condition of the sale.
With a single tube that problem goes away.
