"Rob" wrote in message
...

FWIW the three bits of valve kit I have (Beard power, AI integrated and
EAR phono), and the one I had (Carmenta pre), are pretty quiet. The Beard
has a slight hum from the unit (transformers?), but less than some SS amps
I've had.

The Beard valve amps that I have seen perform well. They have fairly small
mains transformers, which are bolted straight to the chassis. Setting them
on rubber grommets (and also tightening the bolts that secure the
laminations)
gets rid of the transformer noise.

Iain