Valve amps
 

In article ,
Stimpy wrote:
It would, I suggest, be better to compare them to mass-market audio
separates from manufacturers along the lines of Rotel, NAD and
Marantz

You have to specify what you want with these - they're not a take it
or leave it package like your 'stock' Astra, etc.

This comment confuses me. Can you explain what you mean by "You have to
specify what you want with these" in relation to Rotel/NAD/Marantz kit?

Well, do you want CD? FM? DAB? Vinyl? Tape? MD? And what speakers? What
power for the amp etc? The list is pretty endless. And then there's the
cables.

Buy a music centre and you just plug it all in.

Almost no mass-market production car on the market these days is a 'take
it or leave it' product; even the 'stock' Astra (currently the 1.6
Envoy) comes with an options list. Some of these a factory fit and are
incorporated into the vehicle at build; others are dealer fit and are
added by the dealer before delivery.

I'm not the one who brought this up, but every car will have a base model
where all you can specify is the colour etc without paying more. I assume
that's what Tat Chan meant by stock.

Do NAD provide a similar options list for each of their individual
models? I think not, you buy the amp you want directly from the
catalogue/dealer and you receive that model - NAD or the dealer don't
offer factory fit or dealer fit options to modify the product.

So you buy all your equipment without auditioning it first?

--
*Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Valve amps
 

Trevor Wilson can be safely ignored on this issue, providing:

You buy with the attidtude that if you don't like what you
get, you can sell it on, and won't take the hump about being
"ripped off"; cos at least he's right about the fact that you DO
take a risk if you buy without trying.

I bought one.

Apart from a problem with a blown-up cathode resistor, I like
the sound of my Chinese valve amp.

Trevor has a tendency to bluster and rant on this issue.


Martin
--
M.A.Poyser Tel.: 07967 110890
Manchester, U.K. http://www.fleetie.demon.co.uk

Valve amps
 

"Fleetie" wrote in message
...
Trevor Wilson can be safely ignored on this issue, providing:

You buy with the attidtude that if you don't like what you
get, you can sell it on, and won't take the hump about being
"ripped off"; cos at least he's right about the fact that you DO
take a risk if you buy without trying.

I bought one.

Apart from a problem with a blown-up cathode resistor, I like
the sound of my Chinese valve amp.

Trevor has a tendency to bluster and rant on this issue.


Martin
--
M.A.Poyser Tel.: 07967
110890
Manchester, U.K.
http://www.fleetie.demon.co.uk



The cathode resistor problem was likely caused by a faulty valve - just one
of the minor burdens of owning valved equipment. You expect a slightly
greater failure rate than SS (I don't mind, IMO its worth it) I've just
noticed that my (ss) Tivoli kitchen trannie was built in China & its of good
build quality & sound. I expect we'll see even better audio equipment coming
out of China in the future & from what I've seen on the web they've got some
attractive designs already.
My Lumley monoblocks have been running reliably for many years (mainly I
suspect because I pre-test the valves used and operate the amps within their
design parameters).

Mike

Valve amps
 

Thanks for the advice Andy - some helpful comments at last!!
Steve
"Andy Evans" wrote in message
...
It all depends on whether you understand circuits a bit and have some
soldering
skills. If you do, a Chinese amp may well represent good value for money.
But
remember that if you have it shipped from abroad you are in some
difficulty
regarding any manufacturing defects such as dry joints etc (which have
been
reported). There again, if you are confident with circuits you might as
well
build one, which is a different story, or rebuild a Leak amp like the
Stereo 20
which are plentiful and £300 -ish. With that you have the benefit of a
strong
user group to give you advice and help deal with any
problems.(hjleak@yahoogroups). To get up to speed with circuits, read
Morgan
Jones "Valve Amplifiers" which is an excellent guide to the basics.
Now, if you are a novice with valve amps I'd suggest a working model
bought in
Britain. Again, a refurbished Leak would be fine, by which I mean that any
old
and dodgy resistors, capacitors or valves have been replaced and the amp
certified fully working. For this try ebay or http://www.emporiumhifi.com/
for
instance.
As for having a valve amp - well I haven't been without one for 45 years.
And
by one, I mean usually several! Good luck, Andy

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

Valve amps
 

"Mike Gilmour" wrote
The cathode resistor problem was likely caused by a faulty valve - just one
of the minor burdens of owning valved equipment.

That is consistent with what the seller said he has discovered.


Martin
--
M.A.Poyser Tel.: 07967 110890
Manchester, U.K. http://www.fleetie.demon.co.uk

Valve amps
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Stimpy wrote:

It would, I suggest, be better to compare them to mass-market audio
separates from manufacturers along the lines of Rotel, NAD and
Marantz

You have to specify what you want with these - they're not a take it
or leave it package like your 'stock' Astra, etc.


This comment confuses me. Can you explain what you mean by "You have to
specify what you want with these" in relation to Rotel/NAD/Marantz kit?


Well, do you want CD? FM? DAB? Vinyl? Tape? MD? And what speakers? What
power for the amp etc? The list is pretty endless. And then there's the
cables.

Buy a music centre and you just plug it all in.


Almost no mass-market production car on the market these days is a 'take
it or leave it' product; even the 'stock' Astra (currently the 1.6
Envoy) comes with an options list. Some of these a factory fit and are
incorporated into the vehicle at build; others are dealer fit and are
added by the dealer before delivery.


I'm not the one who brought this up, but every car will have a base model
where all you can specify is the colour etc without paying more. I assume
that's what Tat Chan meant by stock.



perhaps I should have used a better choice of words. I really wasn't
refering to 'stock' as in 'base model with no frills.'

I should have stated "mass market car like Astra/Corolla/Pulsar"

sorry if this caused any confusion.

Anyway ... I know people who buy cars based on features and they don't
test drive them first (new cars anyway, you might be able to do a test
drive on a 2nd hand model). If you are buying an ex-govt or fleet car at
an auction, I doubt you would be able to do a test drive as well.


btw, your "I got a sweater for Christmas ..." sig was pretty funny, Dave.

Valve amps
 

StaffBull wrote:

Has anyone any info on the Chinese valve amps floating around on e -bay? I
am thinking of going to valve amplification as I am predominately listening
to more mellow stuff and the hardest thing I listen to is the doors.
It would be powering a set of B&W CDM1 SE's and getting its IP from a
systemdek IIV and a NAD HDCD - currently amped with a NAD C320BEE.

Any advice/info much appreciated - there are no hi fi shops in N Wales with
any valve amps so auditioning is out of the question.

Why do you think you need a valve amp ?

What difference do you think it will make compared to what you have ?



Graham

Valve amps
 

"StaffBull" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice Andy - some helpful comments at last!!

**Thank you for suggesting that my words were without merit.

As they say: "A fool and his money....."


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Valve amps
 

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...
StaffBull wrote:

Has anyone any info on the Chinese valve amps floating around on e -bay?
I
am thinking of going to valve amplification as I am predominately
listening
to more mellow stuff and the hardest thing I listen to is the doors.
It would be powering a set of B&W CDM1 SE's and getting its IP from a
systemdek IIV and a NAD HDCD - currently amped with a NAD C320BEE.

Any advice/info much appreciated - there are no hi fi shops in N Wales
with
any valve amps so auditioning is out of the question.

Why do you think you need a valve amp ?

What difference do you think it will make compared to what you have ?

**Now you're being hopeful. He dodged my questions (which mirrored yours)
and prefers the advice of those who will **** in his pocket.

Like many deluded listeners, he under the misapprehension that a *all* valve
amplifiers are good and *all* SS amplifier are bad. The reality is quite
different, of course. There are a staggeringly large number of crappy valve
amps and a goodly number of crappy SS amps on the market. Assuming that all
valve amps are good, is just dumb.

--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Valve amps
 

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 16:30:32 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Stimpy wrote:
**Would you buy a car without first driving it?

well, if you are getting a stock standard Astra/Corolla/Pulsar ...

They are the equivalent of a music centre...

If by that you're trying to suggest the models listed are an 'inferior'
product then you're wrong... They're well made, well engineered
mainstream vehicles designed to appeal to a mass-market looking for well
equipped, comfortable functional transport at an affordable price where
core functionality is more important than image

As is a decent music centre.

It would, I suggest, be better to compare them to mass-market audio
separates from manufacturers along the lines of Rotel, NAD and Marantz

You have to specify what you want with these - they're not a take it or
leave it package like your 'stock' Astra, etc.

Last time I looked, there were a lot more Astra models than there were
NADs....................
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering