Some pics of what I'm using and not using right now.

I do fancy a go on that, when are you bringing it? I'm around all day Monday....

Lol.

Theres a few options. He has a 286 that's literally just a fit in the case it's provided in job.

I'll have a look at his site and see what the cost was

From what I can see, the 686 can't be built for much less than I paid for mine.

I have SMPS in mine and I suspect that's cheaper than a Toroid but unless I really costed it, I can't be sure.

Personally, I think the website could do with a Kit offer. All parts supplied except case.

It's a lot of money though, to be spending on a brand new item. I don't mind buying used as someone else takes the hit with the VAT etc and if I have to cash in I can shift it on at not much loss. Buying new I take a big hit if I have to sell.

Just going to go out and get the beer in and then I'll have another mess about with this Krell.

When you hear Oli's amp and you feel it's better than your Krell, yes I know you like to have in your system for a couple of months to try it out, but you know what I mean.  I don't know why you worry about £2000, (nearly said piffling £2000) the longer you keep the amp the less of a hit in real terms. Life's too short to worry about that £500 VAT ect. if you can afford it, and the amps for you.

I think would be an IF lol

There are a couple of things to consider TBH.

1) You'll never get back anything like the cost of the amplifier if you want to sell it

2) Cost. They are not cheap. Looking at £341 in VAT!

3) You will have to either build it yourself or find someone who'll do it for you.

4) If on me of the tiny SMD bits breaks, it could be catastrophic as they are nearly impossible to repair. At least atm there is still the option of replacing one module

Big move to get one of these

Tried a different mains cable in case it was just the fuse in the plug but no joy.

Something internal must have come loose in transit, or an internal fuse has blown.

Back to the KSA100 then.

You never make advances like that though. Sure, financially you may do but what's the point?

If everyone went with the safe option, financially, we'd all have LP12s and Harbeth speakers, what a dull place this would be lol.

What I have found to often be more rewarding, is unearthing the Gems. The little known bits of kit that truly spank the big ticket items.

The DCB1 kicked that off and it's still here, although that may fetch its cost price if I sold it.

The whole setup now is a little off the beaten path apart from the SP10 but even that isn't standard.

I don't buy items for menetary returns, I buy them for exploration and experience.

No I'll leave it, Even if I spotted something I wouldn't attempt to fix it myself.

I'm being churlish really, the KSA100 does sound superb. Got a bit of Donald Fagen on now and it's mint. I just prefer the slightly more 'etched' quality of the 50S. I'd probably be in the minority with that though. I've noticed over the years that lot of people don't like that overtly 'hi-fi' sound.

I can't think that there is much in the way of user suitable parts in the box but thought at least it would enlighten us.

Not worry. I'll come and see you when I can, I'll bring the 686 and if you want, I'll drop the 50 off at Alan's. Get him On It.

Room treatment is where that last 20% of your sound quality is hidden.

The Townsend bar things showed me that.

Actually Oli, if you've been where I have over the decades, I think you may find that the room is the 80%, because if your room is well set up, ANY stereo will sound pretty amazing. I had this demonstrated to me many years back, where a pair of HB1'sssssssss sounded absolutely wonderful and various other far more expensive and 'better elsewhere' speakers just sounded bigger and equally delightful, rather than a transformation.

I've heard two of my pairs of speakers sound totally different depending on the room. Here, the mid bass dominates but a larger room with different bass modes, the sound opens out incredibly. I don't know enough about acoustics, but apparently most rooms misbehave badly under around 200Hz and this is why some makers recommend getting the speakers at least a couple of feet away from a rear wall. Those wealthy single enthusiasts who post pics all over Facebook can afford to place their HiFi Shrine at one end of the room with the speakers set well in front and of course, a single listening chair to enjoy it all from.

Anyway, enough for the night. I hope the 50S is easy to fix. There's a little circuit board attached to the mains socket, with slider switch (set towards the transformer) and a mini power supply attached. There are several ribbons around, all of which plug in. I suspect these deal with the plateau bias arrangement and the sub board at the front that deals with it and a few of them attach to this sub board with a non-signal circuit at the front of the amp with said bias lights attached. It's a damned complex amp really, but the signal path doesn't follow the ribbons at all.

The best loudspeaker experience i ever heard was in a Recording studio that was basically built inside an Anechoic Chamber. Amazing what a Dead environment with absolutely no reflections can do.

I have never thought about re-sale values until my most recent purchase, the Techie DD and Rega arm. I have always purchased gear that I WANT TO KEEP and enjoy. How can you really enjoy your system and listening to music when it's always at the back of your mind - what am I going to change next?