Valve amp suggestions

FYI, this guy is using SC1's with a MkI Pathos Classic One: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/general/messages/16954.html

Another spot-on review from TNT here: http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/newclassicone_e.html

DT

 

Make the effort to listen to the Prima Luna. I only had a brief listen (it was someone elses dem) but it sounded great. Looks wonderfull to, very nicely finished.


Paul.

 

The Prima Luna's seem to be about your money new, and look good for the money.

For second hand cash though, brands like ARC, Conrad Johnson, Cary, Rogue Audio etc might offer you more. Im thinking about the resale value as much as I am sound.

Buying the right product at the right price is a pre-requisite for me these days - I dont buy anything unless Im sure I can get my money back on it in a year or two...

So! It depends if you want NEW... cattylink, edenlake, a prima luna, Unison Research etc..

Or second hand!

This is all dead obvious for many, but Im just saying it because we get lots of new people reading this kind of thread.

 

Thanks guys,

Lots of advice for a valve newbie, they also look more interesting.

I will now compile my quest for the new amp, this is a part of buying hi fi that I really enjoy.

Gathering the information , what dealers sell, I may very well plump for a used amp.This is my usual habit, only bought the cd player new, everything else including stands and rack is used. Better value.

 

Deans 'Rogue Audio Tempest' suggestion is very good if you havent had a valve amp before.

Id be suprised if its more than a couple of years old.

I remember when Rogue Audio were really launched in the UK, and its definately in the last five years.

They are good sounding, well made, has a remote, looks nice, and being very new will (hopefully) not be a headache for someone who doesnt know much about valves *(yet!).

The fact that the amp will automatically bias the valves that you put in is a definate bonus, and makes your life a lot easier (this means you can change valves like a lightbulb instead of going to see a bloke to set the voltage levels appropriately - the amp does this for you).

A big appeal is that the amp will also already be 240v, which saves any voltage conversion malarky.

 

Just to add that there is a Croft GCi integrated on Pink Fish. Never heard the amp but it seems to have attracted favourable comments.


Paul.

 

Just like to say whichever you choose, valves are wonderful sounding, not flabby and slow like they used to be. Mine was a huge jump over my nu vista hybrid, the biggest jump in quality I have ever had from an amp.

 

Not all valve amps are good

I will mention here that not all valve amps are good; I had a bad experience with a Unison Research S2K - bluntly put this is the worst sounding integrated amplifier for the purist audio market I have ever heard! So whatever you do, don't purchase one of these second hand.

Oh, and I had an excellent experience with my father old Leak Stereo 20 made in 1942.

 

Prologue 2, great amp. KT88's, plenty of gutsy power, auto-bias, plug 'n' play, bobs your uncle.

 

The Stereo 20 didn't emerge until 1958.....

Great amp though, mine certainly didn't sound 45 years old, no hint of 'flabby-ness' to be detected , nor was there in the (60's) Beam Echo DL7-35's I had, quite the opposite in fact.

 

I have the £1000 KT88 prologue 2, which you can safely put EL34's into.

However, you cannot do vice versa and put KT88's into the £800 el34 prologue 1 (well, according to absolute sounds/ pistol music/ guildford audio/ and the primaluna main company itself that is )
I'd say go for the prologue 1 / 2 dependant on budget....great sound for a great price imho

 

Just how 'flabby-bassy' is the Prima Luna (with either valve type)? Its the only thing stopping me from having a go. Obviously, it doesn't have to be as tight as the departed Dynavector HX1.2/MF9s but can it match a Sugden A21a, say; don't want to go down hill from there.

 

IMHO people get sort of ''brand of the moment hard-ons'' (a term I've just made up..no shi*..!) at the moment the valve amp words of choice on PFM are ''Prima Luna''.


... I shouldnt complain I guess, ATC had their moment in the spotlight, so did Densen, etc.

I think some valve amps would sound great with the speakers you're trying, but as Im sure you know there are tens of models you could try.


happy listening

 

Alex, have you tried EAR 834T ?


http://www.dmlaudio.it/ear_834t_ibrid_integrated.htm

 

Probably my fault as I'm seriously considering buying one! My logic being that I don't know much about valve amps (though want to learn) and the PL is auto-biasing, has a plate fuse, and is very versatile as it will take a good variety of different sounding tube types. If you can think of another better integrated (I don't want a pre / power) that I can land for £1k (absolute tops, preferably less) then I'm interested, either new or second hand.

My requirements are:

a) Reliability – I can't afford for the thing to need driving to a repair shop if a tube blows (I don't drive and need to play records for my living, so can't be without a working amp for long), i.e. I want proper competently designed fuse protection and probably don't want vintage for the same reason. I don't want to keep more than a spare set of valves and a couple of fuses handy to keep the thing running.

b) The amp must be able to drive Harbeth C7s, Quad 57s and possibly huge Tannoys or JBLs (latter three just to ensure it is future proof as they are the only things I'd dump the C7s for). I am not a volume freak, probably only 75-80db tops and it's not a huge room. If the amp is not auto biasing then I want it to be simple to bias myself without disembowelment (i.e. reachable from the top panel) and needing nothing more exotic than a screwdriver and a multimeter.

Any options to the PL or even offers of S/H kit for sale gratefully received.

Tony.

 

Apologies for getting manufacturer's date wrong on the Leak Stereo 20 - I just realised I put in my dad's birth year.

Does anyone out there know where I can get a good value mint condition Leak Stereo 20? One where perhaps an enthusiast engineer successfully reconditions them ready to connect with modern equipment?

 

The A21a is a fantastic amp, and although there are valve amps out there of equivalent new and 2nd hand cost/value that are capable of sounding as good (in a slightly different way) or arguably better (maybe in some but perhaps not all departments), I'd keep the Sugden if I were you.....unless you can afford to have two great amps.

One of my greatest hifi regrets is selling my A21a, despite all the good stuff I've had since. If you really like it, keep it, and resist the temptation to change for the sake of change!

I say that, but of course I am a huge hypocrite and change my stuff pointlessly all the time...hence my regret!

 

Chris,

sorry I made the recommendation for the Prologue over at PFM. It was for the reasons Tony has highlighted - it is a safe introduction to valves with all the advantages one would expect from the likes of Linn or Naim in terms of back up.It also sounds very good for the money.

Yes there are better amplifiers, and I feel Alex is best off holding onto the Sugden until he can invest in something like the Berning or some Border Patrols, but for many, the Prima Luna offers the sound quality of the better chinese imports along with a far better finish, peace of mind, and resale value.

Whilst £1K would get you onto the bottom rung of the 300b family tree (either via kits or companies such as Consonance s/h), I am not a great beleiver in buying "starter models" regardless of the technology employed.

So, whilst I agree with you that PF forumites tend to have a different mentality to product recommendations (sweeping generalisation but many are former Naim owwners - baa), I would hate for that to disguise the fact that the Prologue 2 is a very sound purchase IMO.

 

Yes its Tony and Michael's fault (as well as every reviewer and owner of Prima Luna I could find).

Leaving valves aside, which I will, I have 2 options: 1. cheap, good, inflexible - buy a Densen B-100 for home and move the A21 to work. 2. less cheap, even better, flexible - track down a Lavardin IS Ref, leave the A21 at home but be able to use either amp at either venue. Both options involve keeping the Sugden (option 3 involves A21SE and not Lavardin, so I'd have 2 Sugdens!).

PS Michael knows what he's talking about and, with LV OBX, I'll wait until I can jump mid-way onto the valve ladder.

 

The PrimaLuna Two is REALLY good as a tube amp and better than most Chinese look-al-likes, which most of the time have a softer sound and/or have less power.

The PrimaLuna is actually quite neutral and powerful sounding compared to most valve amps (except Border Patrol... ). It also has some bass slam with well-matched speakers. Most of all, they make MUSIC! You will know that they are limited technically speaking when you put them against a Lavardin IS Ref or even Sugden A21SE, but there is no denying the ease with which they let you focus on the music. Although it is a trait of the IS Ref or A21SE to do that, the PrimaLuna will do that even better. With your LV OBX, all amps above will do very well, as will Exposure.