"Andy Evans" wrote in message
oups.com...
* Ignore magazine reviews (you have no idea what their agenda may be)

Another conspiracy theorist ! Some reviewers may be deaf but reviews
are a very useful starting point for drawing up a short list.

Talking to hifi dealers and research their suggestions in magazines is
a good plan.

The point about size of room, speakers etc is that if the room is small
and speakers sensitive, then the OP could use something like a 2a3 or
300b amp - push pull even, doesn't have to be single ended. Other
things being equal I'd expect a PP 2a3 or 300b amp to outclass a
pentode amp with global feedback. Could be the OP already figured he
had to use pentodes because of speakers/size of room, but how do we
know?

Talking to dealers is a question of who you talk to, as are most things
in this world. I think some of us alleged "conspiracy theorists" are
simply realists.



The trouble with the 'strictly correct' approach such as is expounded by
Trevor is that there is a certain lack of 'real world' practicality - there
may be a branch of 'Valve Amps R Us' on a street corner in most Aussie
towns, but the truth is that getting to see/hear and, worse still, *loan*
valve amps in the UK is still no easy thing to do. Plus with a home loan
there is the baggage of feeling somewhat obliged to buy summat if the dealer
has been totally spiffing about the whole idea and usually a certain sense
of 'hurry up' with the audition.....

Narrowing the choice with the practical considerations of other kit, room
size &c. &c. to a couple of the strongest contenders by means of advice,
magazine reviews and recommendation and then buying both the 'finalists' so
that one can audition them to death with no strings attached, over as long a
period as you want (as I suggested) isn't so daft if you can move the
unwanted amp along at cost or, at least, a tolerable loss - not when you
take your time and travelling costs into account.

Whenever I have gone for 'Option C' (that being both Options A *and* B - my
SOP) I have had no trouble finding a taker for the 'loser' in such a
comparison situation. The prospective buyer usually gets the opportunity to
audition the 'spare' item at his leisure and/or a loan of it to make his
mind up with no pressure whatoever from me...

....not to mention a 'satisfaction guarantee' and money back *without
question* if anything proved disappointing for any reason within a
reasonable time period...