Hi - Fi buffs ?

[Blister]

Hi

I am toying with the idea of getting a valve amp to add to my HiFi system

Anyone on here have any recommendations without needing a Lotto win :mrgreen:

 

[Racers]

Hi, Blister

My advise, DON'T

Unless you like swaping valves every couple of years or to find which ones sound best.

What is your present system?

Pete

 

[Cegidfa]

Hello Blister,
I recently bought a complete Icon system.
An Icon Stereo 40 mk3 integrated amp, CDX1 valve CD player, both with the Jensen upgrade.
And MFV3 MK2 speakers. The sound is out of this world. I had never heard a valve amp before, and currently have a Meridian system.
The Icon wiped the floor with it. Anyone want a Meridian surround sound system?

Regards...Dick.

 

[gus3049]

Hi, Blister

My advise, DON'T

Unless you like swaping valves every couple of years or to find which ones sound best.

What is your present system?

Pete

Couldn't disagree more. I have changed valves twice in the fifteen years I've had mine. My wife who has the ears of a bat, confirms that the deterioration has been minor.

To a degree, it depends on your speakers but 'valve watts' are very different from 'transistor watts'.

My amp is a Leak Stereo 20. In theory 10 watts per channel, in practice 8 watts but it drives every speaker I have with no problem at all, from the 'orribly insensitive 15ohm LS3/5a's and Quad Electrostatics to the home made horns with Celestion units in. A sweeter, more lucid amp I haven't heard and it is possible to get a good one for only a few hundred pounds. All the rubbish about limited bass is just that, through the Quads - my main speakers - it is clean, crisp and articulate. All the instruments sound like the real ones do (I am a guitar maker and instrument repairer), although I'll grant that the lower pipes on the organ are a bit thin by some standards. I do have neighbours however - most people do.

It seems remarkably unfussy about the make of valves too. I'm running Sovtek and they are fine.

Go for it Allen.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I have had experience with valves in TVs so I know about aging and reliability and frequent a HiFi forum where valve rolling (swaping valves for the best sound) is talked about.

Solid state is easer to place (no microphoics) and easier to live with.

Valves seem to be the in thing at the moment, these things pass.

Leak stero 20 are well regarded valve amps and go for quite a lot these days and would probbaly need a re-build.

I have built my pre amp and power amps modified Cd players and enjoy messing around with electronics, but I don't like valves.

Blister might be better changing something else in his system to improve the music.

Pete

 

[woodaxed]

Valve watts and transistor watts are the same as long as its in rms , Valve cathodes do deteriorate they loose they oxide coating over a period of time depends on how long the unit has been on etc.
They do have a better tone than transistors.
It also depends on what you are feeding into it if you are using cds etc then you are putting digital recording against
analog.
then you have speakers and enclosures dependant on what they are made of changes things again.
If you are using eletrostatic speakers then give up.
tbh the beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And just for reference i was in electronics until i discovered wood ive built valve amps etc in the past and do still love them but dont have the money to build them anymore

 

[gus3049]

Hi,

Solid state is easer to place (no microphoics) and easier to live with.

Valves seem to be the in thing at the moment, these things pass.

Leak stero 20 are well regarded valve amps and go for quite a lot these days and would probbaly need a re-build.

Pete

Pete and I obviously disagree fundamentally about this. The Leak is totally unfussy about where its sited and I have never suffered from feedback problems. Valves have been 'the in thing' for as long as I have been listening to hi-fi (about 50 years now) As far as easy to live with is concerned, in the time I have had the Leak, I have owned various amps, mostly from Quad or Musical Fidelity, only two of them still work properly and one of them after a major rebuild by Quad. I reckon an amp that was made in 1961 and is still going strong (with two change of valves and one of the caps - easy swap) is easy to live with.

Just try it Allen. What is the budget by the way. You can get a fully sorted St20 from Classique Sounds in Leicester for a 'reasonable' sum.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Gordon

I remember long days working on valve tv's belching out heat, high voltages every where.
I guess that's why I am anti valve.

Pete

 

[nev]

... It also depends on what you are feeding into it if you are using cds etc then you are putting digital recording against analog...

may as well skip the cd altogether. and go wireless too :shock: ... http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/product_0 ... Dock.shtml

5-10 years ago I used to work in a hifi shop, but valve stuff was a bit thin on the ground then , apart from the fatman stuff.
With all things hifi, change any component and it'll probably change the sound, you like it more - its better, you like it less its not, regardless of cost, make or component make up.
Any decent hifi shop should let you try something out without obligation.

 

[Harbo]

My main system is all valve - EAR Yoshino single ended , valve preamp, valve Leak Trough Line FM tuner ( one of the finest radios money can buy).
I used to be a Hi-Fi nut and built up a small collection.
I have a pair of Quad 11's, preamp and tuner, a pair of Leak TL12.1's and a couple of spare Trough Lines
Quad Electrostatics, Lowther Acoustas and Leak Sandwich speakers.

Not been used seriously for a while and as they seem to be fetching good prices at the moment I'm tempted to pass them on?

 

[Racers]

Hi, Harbo

You have some classic stuff that should fetch very good prices.
I would love to have another pair of ELS57 I had a nice all black pair, but i don't think the wife would be to happy.

Pete

 

[Harbo]

Yes the 57's sound fantastic but not very room (wife) friendly - that's why they have been mothballed for a number of years along with the other speakers.
I had plans to build a large music listening room to house all my stuff but it didn't happen

Rod

 

[bugbear]

Valve versus transistor is right up there with freehand versus jig.

BugBear

 

[gus3049]

Yes the 57's sound fantastic but not very room (wife) friendly - that's why they have been mothballed for a number of years along with the other speakers.
I had plans to build a large music listening room to house all my stuff but it didn't happen

Rod

My wife say that if the 57's go - she does.

I know I'm a lucky man.

 

[Harbo]

You certainly are - do you want another pair - once read an article about stacked pairs but they were hidden behind acoustic curtains?

Rod

 

[Blister]

My current system is alas all modern

I have the following

Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable fitted with a Audio technica AT120E cartridge
A set of arm scales shipped in from the USA
Marantz CD6002 CD player
Marantz PM6002 integrated amp
Marantz ST7001 DAB/FM/AM tuner

A pair of Tannoy Precision 6p studio monitors

My problem is , it all sounds somewhat muted / flat , not sure if its I tunes ?

I have some interesting vinyl , Zeppelin , the Who , Cream , ZZ top albums that I love listening too :mrgreen:
I am sure the vinyl sounds better than I tunes

So would like to better my listening pleasure :lol: 8)

 

[Racers]

Hi, Blister

I think you need to look at what you are feeding into your amp, the turntable and CD are the first place to start, rubbish in=rubbish out.

I don't know your buget so its hard to recommend something.

I have a Rotel RCD965BX CD player with a new masterclock different op-amps etc that sounds very good, thats looking for a new home. a bargan at £60.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

My current system is alas all modern

I have the following

Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable fitted with a Audio technica AT120E cartridge
A set of arm scales shipped in from the USA
Marantz CD6002 CD player
Marantz PM6002 integrated amp
Marantz ST7001 DAB/FM/AM tuner

A pair of Tannoy Precision 6p studio monitors

My problem is , it all sounds somewhat muted / flat , not sure if its I tunes ?

I have some interesting vinyl , Zeppelin , the Who , Cream , ZZ top albums that I love listening too :mrgreen:
I am sure the vinyl sounds better than I tunes

So would like to better my listening pleasure :lol: 8)

None of the kit you list plays Itunes data - how are you doing that?

BugBear

 

[Blister]

None of the kit you list plays Itunes data - how are you doing that?

BugBear

The only way I could see was to run a cable from my I mac headphone socket into the Aux port on the amp

 

[cambournepete]

None of the kit you list plays Itunes data - how are you doing that?

BugBear

The only way I could see was to run a cable from my I mac headphone socket into the Aux port on the amp

You want to invest in a USB/DAC converter. This takes the digital iTunes signal out of your Mac and converts it to analogue to plug into your amp.
Headphone sockets are notoriously poor quality audio-wise...

<edited to correct link typo>