"Andy Evans" wrote in message
...
As far as I know CJ has been using the same Mullard type circuit since
time
began. I once had a Prem 4 and I've heard some of the big ones. Good as
far as
it goes, but if you're plonking down some big money you should expect
more.
Now, to get to the really cutting edge stuff you need to audition amps
with
output triodes like 211, 845, 2a3 and 300b. KJ has one or two - I heard a
Nagra
845 amp there which is about the least kind of quality you should consider
if
you're really serious. But so much of the really good stuff these days is
kits,
home builds and boutique stuff, the reason being that the parts are
expensive
(output tubes at around £100 each, audiophile capacitors, costly
transformers).
So you are less likely to find the really good stuff in HiFi showrooms
because
they're made in small quantities, plus much of the good stuff comes from
the
USA, Germany, Far East. How to proceed? You need to talk at some length to
users of valve equipment, e.g. by joining the London Audiocircle.
http://www.earthcurrents.com/london-live/
Also hang out on rec.audio.tubes, www.audioasylum.com and
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/index.php?s=
While it's extremely pleasant to discuss valves on this forum, and a few
of us
still do, we've taken the serious discussions elsewhere because if you
want to
discuss valves, do so with valve users. Opinions and cliches from
exclusively
ss users (some of whom believe they run this forum) are quite pointless -
this
is a very specialist field and you need the inside knowledge.

=== Andy Evans ===
Visit our Website:- http://www.artsandmedia.com
Audio, music and health pages and interesting links.

I've played around with the idea of building a monoblocks pair myself for
some time but its risky expenditure if it all ends up being not hi-end. I'm
looking for an amplifier that'll drive the Infinity RS-1b mid/treble panels
comfortably, they are not an easy load & really need over 130W per channel
to bring out the dynamics.
Buying specialist wound o/p transformers is half the battle and relatively
easy to source but not to know the real sonic quality, other components &
valves at far far less cost than paying for a factory built amplifier.
I can never understand why so many power amps still use paralleled output
valves when there are transmitting valves out there that could singly do the
job...scarily high B+ I suppose..but that doesn't phase me as I trained and
worked with transmitting valve circuits & I'm still alive (just)...jeeze it
would be a real blue glow instead of the fake blue leds that lights up
modern gear & maybe even water cooled :-) (How cool is that?)
Thanks for the links I'll look at the London Audiocircle this evening.

Mike