|
Post by martiansunrise on Jan 31, 2022 12:55:26 GMT
thanks oli/alan
i probably don't need 240W. the smaller one would do. i guess you'd need to think about future set ups and resale.
i love the radford, but owning a 60 yr old valve amp can be a bit of a chore.
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jan 31, 2022 14:21:05 GMT
thanks oli/alan i probably don't need 240W. the smaller one would do. i guess you'd need to think about future set ups and resale. i love the radford, but owning a 60 yr old valve amp can be a bit of a chore. It's not about whether you *need it* It's about what sounds best for me. I haven't got 240wpc, my 686 is being built for 140wpc. Future resale is very strong, but I have only seen two of these for sale and that was because the guy was building a pair of monoblocks I think.
|
|
|
Post by mrian on Jan 31, 2022 14:54:40 GMT
thanks oli/alan i probably don't need 240W. the smaller one would do. i guess you'd need to think about future set ups and resale. i love the radford, but owning a 60 yr old valve amp can be a bit of a chore. I ran a pair of leak T12 from circa 1950 for about 15 years. Used daily all I ever needed to do was to change the rectifier tube (had to be Mullard, everything else sparked) and the output tubes. Having said that Graham Tricker did replace virtually all the caps and reististor before I used them in earnest. The point being owning an old valve amps need not be a chore
|
|
|
Post by martiansunrise on Jan 31, 2022 15:11:21 GMT
i just changed the output valves (not cheap) and now there is a bit of a crackle and pop for the left channel. i am assuming old/dirty connections. it is a pain in the pipe when you are trying to evaluate phono stages.
i get that it should be perfect, and that i could send it off for renovation but that would not be an issues with a newer ss amp. it was looked at not too long ago.
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jan 31, 2022 16:55:06 GMT
i just changed the output valves (not cheap) and now there is a bit of a crackle and pop for the left channel. i am assuming old/dirty connections. it is a pain in the pipe when you are trying to evaluate phono stages. i get that it should be perfect, and that i could send it off for renovation but that would not be an issues with a newer ss amp. it was looked at not too long ago. I am afraid that's the reality of using valve amplification, and vintage stuff only misbehaves more with age. I have had a few valve amps here and they ALL required attention at some point. Luckily i had Alan on the doorstep, but had i not, i probably wouldn't have tried them at all.
|
|
|
Post by martiansunrise on Jan 31, 2022 17:25:34 GMT
yeah, i get that. i am just finding it a bit of a pain at the moment and weighing up the option of restoring the amp or going the unknown, but potentially more reliable route.
i'd like to try a big posho powerhouse at some point, too.
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jan 31, 2022 17:28:46 GMT
yeah, i get that. i am just finding it a bit of a pain at the moment and weighing up the option of restoring the amp or going the unknown, but potentially more reliable route. i'd like to try a big posho powerhouse at some point, too. Plenty of choice out there at the minute. There is a big electroacompaniet, a big Plinius and eBay is chock full of big amps. When i have built the 686, you are welcome to come and have a listen. I haven forgotten about the Avalon either, it's just that it is pieces awaiting a delivery of CCC wire.
|
|
|
Post by mrian on Jan 31, 2022 18:53:41 GMT
In all honesty i have run a wide range of tube amps over the years, most of the power amps and integrated gave me problems. The pre amps were generally trouble free.
SS has generally been very reliable, but some if my mid 70s amps have needed attention. Caps etc and fine after
I liked class d but fear of faukts and repair challenges, like throw the board away and get another, if you can, sent me back to class a/b
Of course the modern surface mount technology may make all modern amps redundant after a component fail.
Maybe older ss is the way to go
|
|
|
Post by sq225917 on Jan 31, 2022 19:04:29 GMT
Alan my monos are different again, they use the stereo chip and run each of the two channel per chip in parallel, then I have two boards per monoblock, bridged.
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Jan 31, 2022 19:14:10 GMT
In all honesty i have run a wide range of tube amps over the years, most of the power amps and integrated gave me problems. The pre amps were generally trouble free. SS has generally been very reliable, but some if my mid 70s amps have needed attention. Caps etc and fine after I liked class d but fear of faukts and repair challenges, like throw the board away and get another, if you can, sent me back to class a/b Of course the modern surface mount technology may make all modern amps redundant after a component fail. Maybe older ss is the way to go Yeah, older Jap gear seems to be full of unobtanium. I had a couple of Sony ES Amps here, and whilst I loved them they both had issues. For me, it was a HUGE relief to get of the merry go round and have something brand new. Caps need changing in any amp after 30 years, and any carbon resistors should be changed for metal film anyway, IMO.
|
|
|
Post by antonio on Feb 1, 2022 2:27:35 GMT
In all honesty i have run a wide range of tube amps over the years, most of the power amps and integrated gave me problems. The pre amps were generally trouble free. SS has generally been very reliable, but some if my mid 70s amps have needed attention. Caps etc and fine after I liked class d but fear of faukts and repair challenges, like throw the board away and get another, if you can, sent me back to class a/b Of course the modern surface mount technology may make all modern amps redundant after a component fail. Maybe older ss is the way to go Yeah, older Jap gear seems to be full of unobtanium. I had a couple of Sony ES Amps here, and whilst I loved them they both had issues. For me, it was a HUGE relief to get of the merry go round and have something brand new. Caps need changing in any amp after 30 years, and any carbon resistors should be changed for metal film anyway, IMO. You had two Sony amps, but whatcha got now
|
|
|
Post by antonio on Feb 1, 2022 2:35:07 GMT
i just changed the output valves (not cheap) and now there is a bit of a crackle and pop for the left channel. i am assuming old/dirty connections. it is a pain in the pipe when you are trying to evaluate phono stages. i get that it should be perfect, and that i could send it off for renovation but that would not be an issues with a newer ss amp. it was looked at not too long ago. I am afraid that's the reality of using valve amplification, and vintage stuff only misbehaves more with age. I have had a few valve amps here and they ALL required attention at some point. Luckily i had Alan on the doorstep, but had i not, i probably wouldn't have tried them at all. Have to agree, especially with the probs I have just had and my brother switched back to SS after years of Audio Research and VTL, and these were modern valve amps. I have to say I am enjoying my Chinese amp now it's working again though, and think I'd be pushed to find something that sounds so good for the money.
|
|
|
Post by mrian on Feb 19, 2022 10:46:43 GMT
As i expected the price has dropped, £2375. On the bay at this price too so probably some room for negotiation if bought off ebay. Looks like absolute bargain is looming for someone now
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2022 12:18:27 GMT
As you can’t get 686 boards right now, it might be the only way to get a 686.
|
|
|
Post by jimbo on Feb 19, 2022 12:25:09 GMT
I think I priced up a 686 BOM at around £1800 when I last looked which would give a considerable saving over one built?
Oli, am I a bit out now on this pricing?
I am sure your Deluxe version your building may well exceed this figure?
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Feb 19, 2022 13:04:55 GMT
I think I priced up a 686 BOM at around £1800 when I last looked which would give a considerable saving over one built? Oli, am I a bit out now on this pricing? I am sure your Deluxe version your building may well exceed this figure? £1800 DIY is still doable. Trouble is that the parts just arent available and those that are have gone right up in price. I was going to put 20,000uf caps in the new 686 but the ones i want arent available until september. Same for Tom and his chips. He cannot get any stock and the 686 boards are now out of stock, i believe.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2022 13:10:35 GMT
I think he still has a couple left.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2022 13:13:20 GMT
Going back to the build in this thread, I think Joe is being clever with his aluminium heat sinks. It saves having to drill and tap the crap metal in the case.
|
|
Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,144
|
Post by Bigman80 on Mar 7, 2022 21:34:40 GMT
Going back to the build in this thread, I think Joe is being clever with his aluminium heat sinks. It saves having to drill and tap the crap metal in the case. Yeah, I'd agree with that, but with decent tools it isn't hard to do that sort of thing well. Luckily, I need neither tools nor skill....I have an Angus 🤣 In all seriousness, I should be getting my grubby little mits on a very decent milling machine at some point, so I probably need to learn how to use it, and get the most out of it. Not that I can afford the electricity to run it 😂
|
|