"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Trevor Wilson" wrote


Not the easiest speaker to drive (they need a bit of power) but I
fancy giving valves a try.

**Why?


Why TF not??

**See below.



Do you have a desire to buy an amp which:
* Delivers less power.
* Consumes more power.
* Begins to wear out, from the first instant it is switched on.
* Has a declining base of ready availability of spare parts.
* Delivers a poorer frequency response.
* Delivers higher levels of all types of distortion.
* Possesses a poorer phase response.
Than a similarly priced SS amp?


Jeez, where does all this come from - a book your Grandfather gave you
called 'Things That Boys Do That Make Them Go Blind'...???

**Nope. 35 years experience in:
* Listening to valve and SS amps.
* Building valve and SS amps (my first amps, tuners and preamps were all
valve types).
* Servicing valve and SS amps (I cut my teeth servicing guitar amps, at
age 16).
* Logic and reason.


Developed some preferences of your own then?

**As a matter of fact, yes. Until 1978 (when I heard my first zero Global
NFB SS preamp) I MUCH preferred valve preamps. I preferred SS power amps,
much earlier than that. Then I heard an Audio Research D115. That altered my
perception towards valve power amps. I now beleive that provided the load is
suitably benign, a REALLY good valve power amp can sound almost
indisguishable from a really good SS amp. Crappy valve power amps are REALLY
easy to pick.




Oh ah - simply ooze 'personality' they do.

**Have you listened to a Rotel RA02? They're really very good. They
reproduce pretty much exactly what is fed into them, without altering the
signal in any meaningful fashion.


Zzzzzz....


IOW: They are REAL high fidelity amplifiers.


loads pistol, holds to own head


*BANG!!*


Like all real hi fi amps, the usual GIGO* applies. Likewise, if the
signal is superb, the little Rotel will allow that superbness to be
reaily apparent.


(I think the OP is seeking a little more 'soulfood' than just another
slice of 'ss ordinaire' - he's got a perfectly respectable little amp
already in the Cambridge Audio.... ;-)

**The Cambridge products, IME, are excellent. The small Rotel integrateds
are just a little better, IMO.


I've had 2 or 3 little Rotel integrateds in the past and one or two Rotel
power amps (nice to watch the front panel pumping along to the music)....


As are Arcams.


Oh ah, more 'personality overload'.....



*GIGO = Garbage In - Garbage Out.


Stoppit...

(I dropped my rusk when I first heard that expression.....)

**Good. Then you'll understand exactly what I mean.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au