Bigman80
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The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 10:13:43 GMT
im off work till thursday,get yourself down south for a listen to a full fat kt88  I'd love to mate, but I'm at work lol.. Typical |
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Post by karma67 on Aug 30, 2020 10:26:44 GMT
im off work till thursday,get yourself down south for a listen to a full fat kt88 I'd love to mate, but I'm at work lol.. Typical oh well you'll have to badger angus then to get my bearings done so i can bring it with me,long with the tt lol. |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 10:34:29 GMT
I'd love to mate, but I'm at work lol.. Typical oh well you'll have to badger angus then to get my bearings done so i can bring it with me,long with the tt lol. Hahaha, I do t think Angus allows valves in his house lol |
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Post by macca on Aug 30, 2020 10:47:05 GMT
dsjr macca The Radford is a well known quantity isnt it. We all know the Transformers are epic, we all know they are considered to be some of the very best vintage Valve amps of all time and we all know that to buy a well sorted one, you would need some serious cash. I am also unsure as to would point another review of this amp would achieve, or who it would help. If you are looking at a Radford, you already know about it. The PL5 was an opportunity to try something that i had heard of, but not much about. I bought it totally prepared for it to be Sh#t in all honesty but it's been a really nice surprise. You guys should know me by now. If it's a bit obscure, i am into it, and that's what appealed here. You should also know that if i want a valve amplifier of the Radfords level, i'd contact my valve guru to see if we could match it for less money. Ironically, he already has a serious OTL unit just awaiting repair, which i will compare to this when done....if he lets me lol There is always someone out there who is designing gear under the radar and creating special gear. Thats where i would head off to. If a Radford came my way on loan, i would absolutely revel in the opportunity to review it...maybe radfordrevival would facilitate this? We can only ask. I didn't think the PL would be Sh#t, I don't think you really did either or you wouldn't have bothered. Just thought it would be good for you to try a Radford just for reference purposes, so if you review other valve amps you've got some context to one of the best. I reckon a really good OTL would be better though. Alan's OTL made my XTZ power amp sound broken by comparison. And that's not hyperbole, that's really how much difference there was. That was the big black one though, not the little silver one which was nothing special. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2020 11:23:21 GMT
If it wasn't for the fact I can't be arsed to go past the end of my drive let alone the width of the country he could have a go on mine....  Postage an option?
I don't like to be a party pooper but give me a shout when hell has frozen over lol
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 11:27:11 GMT
I don't like to be a party pooper but give me a shout when hell has frozen over lol
Hahahaha.....fair enough. Totally understandable |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 11:32:39 GMT
dsjr macca The Radford is a well known quantity isnt it. We all know the Transformers are epic, we all know they are considered to be some of the very best vintage Valve amps of all time and we all know that to buy a well sorted one, you would need some serious cash. I am also unsure as to would point another review of this amp would achieve, or who it would help. If you are looking at a Radford, you already know about it. The PL5 was an opportunity to try something that i had heard of, but not much about. I bought it totally prepared for it to be Sh#t in all honesty but it's been a really nice surprise. You guys should know me by now. If it's a bit obscure, i am into it, and that's what appealed here. You should also know that if i want a valve amplifier of the Radfords level, i'd contact my valve guru to see if we could match it for less money. Ironically, he already has a serious OTL unit just awaiting repair, which i will compare to this when done....if he lets me lol There is always someone out there who is designing gear under the radar and creating special gear. Thats where i would head off to. If a Radford came my way on loan, i would absolutely revel in the opportunity to review it...maybe radfordrevival would facilitate this? We can only ask. I didn't think the PL would be Sh#t, I don't think you really did either or you wouldn't have bothered. Just thought it would be good for you to try a Radford just for reference purposes, so if you review other valve amps you've got some context to one of the best. I reckon a really good OTL would be better though. Alan's OTL made my XTZ power amp sound broken by comparison. And that's not hyperbole, that's really how much difference there was. That was the big black one though, not the little silver one which was nothing special. No, you're quite right. I wouldn't have bought it had I not thought it would be decent... Yes, it's the Black OTL that I'm talking of. It's special. No doubt. The Silver one wasn't firing on all cylinders when you heard it, I believe. Can't be sure....but I agree, the Black one is where the magic lives. I also total agree about hearing a Top Notch valve amp and having a solid reference point.....suppose I'd better find a Radford......... |
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Post by mikeyb on Aug 30, 2020 15:45:16 GMT
I think that during my weeks of research into buying a Primaluna amp I read somewhere that the one mentioned in the Stereophile test was deemed faulty and not long after that they changed the transformers in the subsequent builds too.
I know my Dialogue Premium HP Power amp ain't going anywhere and I'd buy the matching pre amp in a heartbeat if I could find a used one.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 16:52:03 GMT
I think that during my weeks of research into buying a Primaluna amp I read somewhere that the one mentioned in the Stereophile test was deemed faulty and not long after that they changed the transformers in the subsequent builds too. I know my Dialogue Premium HP Power amp ain't going anywhere and I'd buy the matching pre amp in a heartbeat if I could find a used one. I can only say what i hear, and so far th PrimaLuna has not put a foot wrong. I am currently listening to "Magic sam - West Side Soul" on vinyl and i am telling you, i have goosebumps on my toes.....it's utterly captivating, and not in a "papering over the cracks" kind of way. It's revealing, detailed and bouncing! It does take you out of the "I must listen carefully" frame of mind just leaves the sum of the parts of the track perfectly displayed. I really don't care how this PL5 measures at the moment, this is FUN |
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Post by karma67 on Aug 30, 2020 17:33:35 GMT
I think that during my weeks of research into buying a Primaluna amp I read somewhere that the one mentioned in the Stereophile test was deemed faulty and not long after that they changed the transformers in the subsequent builds too. I know my Dialogue Premium HP Power amp ain't going anywhere and I'd buy the matching pre amp in a heartbeat if I could find a used one. It does take you out of the "I must listen carefully" frame of mind just leaves the sum of the parts of the track perfectly displayed. that is a lovely place to be! |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 18:03:35 GMT
It does take you out of the "I must listen carefully" frame of mind just leaves the sum of the parts of the track perfectly displayed. that is a lovely place to be! I agree.....it's kind of like the scrutiny has been eased. Very hard to pin it down as to exactly what it is, but I'm playing vinyl for fun....that is a novel feeling. |
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Post by karma67 on Aug 30, 2020 18:07:15 GMT
that is a lovely place to be! I agree.....it's kind of like the scrutiny has been eased. Very hard to pin it down as to exactly what it is, but I'm playing vinyl for fun....that is a novel feeling. yep,over the past month with the plinth and new armboard i've had a gut full of critical listening.im in the' happy place' for a change,i like it here i may stay a while |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
The HiFi Bear/Audioaddicts/Bigbottle Owner
Posts: 16,398
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 30, 2020 19:18:13 GMT
Half my system isnt even fully constructed lol.....it's been like this for months now.
This has allowed me to just relax and listen
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