I liked the intention of the opening post and started to read it. I made it to page 2 before you put your usual contamination all over it. This and the generalisation about musicians being poor audio enthisiasts. Personal experience or just another generalisation? Any more valid than a generalisation about Thai fans being the next Gary Glitter?

Come on Nick, one day you will hopefully look back and realise that you have a set of opinions, no more no less than the next person. You have a set of preferences as well. The day you are capable of suppressing them without mention of your choices or your rejections will be the day to take you seriously.

I have two valve systems, I do not consider them voodoo, I am captivated by their strengths to the point of accepting their weaknesses. They are used for music not sound etc. They fit into my lifestyle. At certain times of the year they get used a lot, at others I'm busy with other things. I have no intention of changing them. I use a Sony Walkman MP3 on one for sheer variety of music as well as TV, video and DVD. The other is radio, occasional CD and one of those sh1t-average SME record players...

Personal message over, there's no need to comment wider for everyone else but I don't want to leave my message as a personal rant so for the sake of good order: good valve equipment falls into the scope of what has already been mentioned. Preservation of some things over others.

Sorry to hijack the thread Gents, I've been spending too much time around people with a pulse and don't have the patience one often needs towards certain elite audio folk.