Help needed to choose valve amp

Hello all

have been lurking here for a while with the occasional post. I would much appreciate your help and advise re valve amplification.

Due to a recent house move and a 2yr old daughter much of my hifi has been shelved in the past 15months. However I now find my Tannoy Project (a complete rebuild of cabinets and rework of crossovers on some SRM10 b's) is coming near to fruition. The rest of my system is Avid Sequel, Resolution Audio Opus 21 and Ekectrocomppaniet 4.6 pre and 100 dmb power. I have always wanted to try valve amps but am at a loss where to start. I would prefer to buy secondhand as my budget will only be what I get for the Electrocompaniets, therefore looking to spend no more than £1000 - £1300, if possible I'd like a little change from the sale of the amps for other bits and pieces.

Whilst the Tannoys are fairly sensitive 90db I know they do like driving so really low power sets are probably not an option.

Amps I have considered so far are:

Prima Luna (new or second hand)
WD 88VA
Hifi Collective
Rogue Audio Tempest (second hand)

the kits would have to be build for me as I wouldn't trust my self building them?

Any advice much appreciated - even if its just to tell me I'm nuts

many thanks philip

 

Being a WAD user and a big fan I'd say the WD88VA. Saying that, with your speakers you should be okay with the HiFi 300B, I use 300B's but PP not SE as is the case with the HFC amp, many will tell you nothing will beat a properly designed and built SE 300B.

 

beeroclock

I'm a big fan of ''proffessionally built kits''...

you not only get a cheap new valve amp, but also ...and this is where it scores over your average chinese import... get to specify the level of componentry that you have inside.

Depending on your budget....

1) for less than £500 (fully built up!) you could get the new EL84 amp from hifi collective. So new, it's not on general release yet. Call Nick at hifi collective to discuss component choices and prices. http://www.hificollective.co.uk/kitshome.html

2) The DIY hifisupply Ella. You can choose 3 levels of specs. This is a 40w EL34 based amp.
http://www.diyhifisupply.com/diyhs_ella.htm

3) Definitive Audio still have a Canary integrated with a border patrol power supply in, at about £1,000.


Personally, if budgets are tight I'd go with a hifi collective EL84 amp. It's a lovely valve, and with 20-30w class A it will be fine.

If you want to blow more cash, personally I'd take border patrol'd Canary over a Prima Luna or a Rogue Audio any day.

All IMO.

 

Thanks for that, seems like the Canary is now sold, i will try and talk to Nick at the HFC and see what he can come up with.

cheers philip

 

I had an Electro 4.7 and AW 120 combo and bought the first Icon model the MC-34. I preferred the Icon in almost every way, good as the Electros are, so I would suggest the Icon Stereo 40 at around 900 quid (current basic model I believe)

Good luck, welcome to the world of valves - you won't look back.

 

Hi
Why not keep your power amp and purchase a valve pre amp

I use a Audiovalve Eklipse Pre amp with a Electrocompaniet 250R Power Amp

The sound is very good indeed

 

Hi Koi

i have thought about doing that, but I think I want to get away from too many boxes and go back to a one box solution.

cheers philip

 

try a 4CX350B...my ham radio stuff and home built hi-fi do VERY well on them

 

What are the advantages of you sujjestions over a Cayin A88-T...

 

you can select the quality of components, caps, resistors, wire, tubes etc. everything apart from the transformers really.

 

I understand that, but aren't the transformers and design, more important then those components...

 

it's all important..

but which amp has the best transformer and circuit design?

 

I have no idea, this is my first tube amplifier...

But if you take a cheap amp and put the same tubes and components as in the best amp using the same tubes, wont the sound still be different / worst...

 

like you say, that will depend on the quality of the harder to replace components (like output transformers), the casing, the circuit diagram etc

 

Do you think they are more or less important than the ones you can easily change ?

I realise all are important, I didnt like my amp when I first got it, returned it, they send it back with different pre tubes, and now I like it very much, I think the old tubes where malfunctioning though...

 

The Puresound Bewitch is getting rave reviews... lots of power and grunt in the bass which belies a valve-amp. Uses KT88/6550 which will give you better bass than a EL34/84 (generally).

JJ

 

Hi JJ

I don't agree about the descriptions of the valves described.

The EL34 is a similar valve to the KT88 and 6550 in many ways, and the sound depends on implementation.

The EL84 sounds nothing at all like any of the above and is used in different applications.


All IME.

 

Haha... serves me right to post generalisations.

Yer right, heard the EL84s in Manley Stingrays and they were quite nice actually... there you go another recommendation which would just be over £1k second-hand.

JJ

 

Hey Thanks Guys

I'm just trying to digest as much of this as possible and spending rather alot of time on the net informing myself, whatever else I'm learning!!!

cheers philip

 

The EL84 is a real sleeper in the valve world, unmatched for sweetness, but low power. really under rated imo. a gem.Again , depends on the toplogy of the amp, but all EL84 based amps have a house sound (the ones i`ve heard anyway).