On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 13:30:03 -0000, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote


But that's what a good valve amp does to you:-)


Yes, a good valve amp can be as good as an SS amp, just a whole load
more expensive.


Hmm*....

OK, you may be interested in this:

Yesterday a very nice chap called to buy some kit/have a bit of a sesh (here
for over 3 hours). He brought with him his own recently acquired 350 quid
Quad** pre/power amp (not the lesser model - I'm not sure what it was) which
I can only describe as *outstanding* - one of the very few ss amps I've
heard that I could easily live with!!

After a while, I cut a Dynavox EL34 PP amp (*250 quid) into the equation and
whanged a very dramatic drum 'n bass techno 12 inch 45 on with the wick up
to about halfway. To say his eybrows shot up would be an understatement - he
'bought it' in less than 10 seconds from a stone cold start with the
original Chinese EL34s in it which are raw from virtually zero use!! OK, he
didn't buy it as such (had spent a few bob already) but I will be very
surprised if he doesn't buy one in the future!!

Maybe - but it is like I always say about buying speakers. If you hear
a pair that make you go "WOW", just walk on by - they ain't hi fi, and
I can't live with them in the long time.

Now, I suspect he will read this, I invite him to say so here if he doesn't
agree with what I've said.

I don't want to see the 'valve vs ss' (or CD vs LP) **** perpetuated in this
group any longer than is absolutely necessary (although even a little part
of me wants to 'keep valves special'!!) - all I will say is that CD/LP and
even MP3s on his amazing little iPod *all* sounded fekkin' *excellent*
whether it was valves, ss, B&Ws or my Jerichos!! (Ain't those iPods
summat? - Up to 60 Gig in the palm of your hand!!)

iPods are brilliant, but I suspect they are being matched in every
respect apart from fashion by all the MP3 players.


Preferences are one thing - hurling babies out with the bathwater on the
basis of some stupid personal prejudice (based on whatever factology) is
another!! I see the differences as being rather like petrol/diesel engines -
different ways of achieving much the same end result with specific reasons
for choosing/advocating either one.....

Expect the diesels still go tick-a-tick-a-tick if you listen
carefully.

(What I got from the sesh was how amazingly similar the Jerichos and B&Ws
started out and how very different they sounded after a short while....!!??)

Fun, innit?


**quid Quad??

Wasn't he in Mopey Dick.....???

:-)

Call me Ishmail.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com