In article ,
Andy Evans wrote:
it's just that the atmosphere in this ng is putrid because of its
constant pests.

And you're very much in danger of becoming one. Perhaps you need a valve
only group where your 'views' wouldn't be challenged?

--
*A backward poet writes inverse.*

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

On 25 Jul 2003 14:17:57 GMT, ohawker (Andy
Evans) wrote:

Hello Dave,
could you please set your newsreader so it
follows the convention as regards quoting

Sadly there's not much hope of that - I don't know how to do it and I doubt if
I have the time to learn. Sorry. Cheers, Andy

=== Andy Evans ===

Don't even bother trying - you won't be able to do it. You use AOL,
whose news reader is even worse (if that were possible) than Outlook
Express.

d

_____________________________

http://www.pearce.uk.com

Silicon is best .. accept it ... but like you, I will carry on listening to
what I've got until they invent something better

Hello Jim - if I read you correctly you are saying:
a) I like valves and listen to them because I haven't yet heard any better - if
I did I'd probably switch
b) There is a 'best' and a 'not best'

I'd agree completely with a), though I'd worry that if - say - a digital amp
came along that smoked all my valve gear, I'd be left with several boxes of
redundant parts. It hasn't happened yet, but of course it could.
I think that with b) we are falling into the kind of competitiveness that is
destroying this newsgroup. One of the contributors to this thread very sensibly
suggested that we substitute 'better for the purpose it is used for' which is a
lot more flexible. What do you think? Cheers, Andy

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

Don't even bother trying - you won't be able to do it. You use AOL, whose news
reader is even worse (if that were possible) than Outlook Express.

Hello Don - yes, this is what I've been told before. I've been given different
news reader options but haven't got round to them. I'm just about to grapple
with broadband, then after that try to modernise my website. So much to do, so
little time. Thanks for posting, Andy

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

On 25 Jul 2003 09:03:36 GMT, ohawker (Andy
Evans) wrote:

There's a reason why valve fans have to use 70-year old devices.

I suggest it's you who are 70 years out of date with valves - not only are
designs changing but new - and in some cases better - valves are being
produced. But of course you wouldn't want to admit that would you?

You have no clue what you're talking about. The most linear power
valve on the market is still the 845. OTOH, whatever 'new' valves are
being produced (mostly variants on the 300B IIRC), they are no match
for solid-state devices if you want an *accurate* amplifier.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 10:53:56 +0100, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 06:49:39 GMT, Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

Yup, and the E-type Jag was a great car - in the sixties......

Now even my wife's Audi TT will blow the doors off an E-type,

Even so, I know which I would prefer, and it wouldn't be character-free
vorsprung durch tecnik.

I take it that you've never driven a TT. One thing it does not lack is
character. Granted, I'd like a 1963 mkI 4.2 E-type coupe as well, for
a weekend toy.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On 25 Jul 2003 09:32:56 GMT, ohawker (Andy
Evans) wrote:

I would (if I may) suggest the best way forward is for the relatively few
'valvies'
here to avoid the contention and simply ignore 'anti valve' remarks.

Thanks Kieth - thank you very much for a very sympathetic post. All your points
are good ones. I'm surprised that there isn't more support for valves in the UK
- it really seems to be far more popular in the USA and the Far East - hence
I'm not against calling them 'tubes' in deference to our US friends who are
really carrying the banner.

Valves are not popular here because we have a long history of having a
sensible approach to music reproduction.

As you well know, valve lovers can regularly use
RAT and AA and that's really enough since that's where the action is (together
with the Joelist). It just seems a rather forlorn fact that you can't discuss
valves on a British newsgroup after our country has had such a great history in
valves.

'History' is right - the UK now has a great tradition of fine SS amps.

It's called progress.

I still use my Leak ST20 that I bought new with my Dad and I have
substantial loyalty to the British valve tradition. But practically speaking,
it is impossible to ignore the Kruegerton virus - it does too much damage.
Taking valves onto the vinyl board is one suggestion, but not really 'honest' -
many valve users prefer CDs these days. I personalloy wouldn't defend vinyl,
though I still use it. But as you say, the sound of a really good valve amp is
something that you just don't get in off-the-shelf "What Hi-Fi *****" boxes of
cheapo parts made in China.

Indeed not - since what you get from those 'off-the -shelf' amps is an
amplified version of the input, with negligible added artifacts......

Blame the British Hi-Fi press, solid state
monopolies like BADA, Russ Andrews etc.etc. for turning the British tradition
of solid invention into a nation of mindless tweakers obsessed with cables and
funny feet. All my friends in the UK are builders, not users. We don't go into
Hi-Fi stores, we buy componants in RS or Maplins. We've carefully taught
ourselves to build amps, preamps etc through books like Morgan's "Valve
Amplifiers" - another instance of the great UK living tradition.

If you'd been skilled as well as careful, youi'd have been designing
and building solid-state amplifiers! :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith G
wrote:
"Andy Evans" wrote



In less than a minute the Kit88 valve amp had blown the Technics (MY
Technics, no less) into the weeds!


I would be interested to know your reactions if you first fitted a pair of
resistors in series with the outputs of the Technics. Values of around
0.47
to 1 Ohms between each output and the speaker. This would roughly mimic
the
relatively high output impedances typical of valve amps.

I'd be curious to know if, after listening, you felt this changed things
in
a way that made you feel that the Technics now sounded more like the valve
amp.


OK, so far the amp has been playing all afternoon in the background with the
resistors fitted thus
http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/keit.../resistors.jpg (speaker wires
connected to the B terminals) as per Stewart's suggestion.

Neither Swim nor I have been listening very closely (both been busy), but at
this stage I can report hearing no difference whatsoever. Swim, OTOH,
'guesses' she can hear: 'less fulsome', slight graininess' and 'possibly a
little recessive' when the B setting is used (She is completely 'blind' in
this and has no idea how I have the amp wired up.) However, when pressed she
also admits it all might be imagined....?

We will conduct a better 'test session' either later tonight or sometime
over the weekend. If there is nothing conclusive, I will take the resistors
out and chop them straight into a set of wires and try 'with and without'
games with wires. I will also show her how to switch between A and B (dead
easy) so that I can try to discern a difference. If a clear and consistent
pattern does evolve I will report that back here, otherwise take it that we
can't tell them apart.

As it appears that the low volume of traffic in 'ukrav' (so far) is being
'monitored' by someone here who thinks a mile long, acrimonious bashing
session in ukra counts as 'normal traffic', I feel disinclined to feed this
group with my fun and games. (Public experimentation and 'soft trolls'...)

A week or so ago this group was down to about 3 posts a day (guess who
from). Perhaps it's time for one or two of us to let it ride and see what
this group really adds up to, if left to its own devices......

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 18:52:27 +0100, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 17:04:06 GMT, Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

If you'd been skilled as well as careful, you'd have been designing
and building solid-state amplifiers! :-)

Instead of working in, say, a bank?

Probably, but since I've never worked in a bank, I wouldn't know.....

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 18:51:35 +0100, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 17:04:06 GMT, Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 10:53:56 +0100, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 06:49:39 GMT, Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

Yup, and the E-type Jag was a great car - in the sixties......

Now even my wife's Audi TT will blow the doors off an E-type,

Even so, I know which I would prefer, and it wouldn't be character-free
vorsprung durch tecnik.

I take it that you've never driven a TT.

Then you take it wrong.

In which case, you just don't understand integrity and character.

I've never yet sat in either a VW or an Audio
that I would consider as characterful. The closest was a Quattro, but
even that had a bit too much teutonic blandness about it.

Are you *sure* that you've driven a TT?

One thing it does not lack is character. Granted, I'd like a 1963 mkI
4.2 E-type coupe as well, for a weekend toy.

If we're talking 'likes' then I'm afraid it will be (and has been) for
an awfully long time time a GT40.

456 GT for me. It's just totally *right*. Or 500 Superamerica if we're
talking about long-term drooling.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering