Affordable Valve Amps

Richda86

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Well, I'm learning a huge amount about electronics from the affordable valve company site..

My electronics lecturer at Uni was clearly an fool, I didn’t learn half this stuff!!

I'm now off to remove all remote control related electronics from every piece of equipment in my house.

Have you read some of his claims!!
 

davedotco

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Richda86 said:
Well, I'm learning a huge amount about electronics from the affordable valve company site..

My electronics lecturer at Uni was clearly an fool, I didn’t learn half this stuff!!

I'm now off to remove all remote control related electronics from every piece of equipment in my house.

Have you read some of his claims!!

As I said on another thread, a bit 'eccentric'. Difficult to deal with unless you are prepared to hand on every word he utters.

If new Icon Audio product is too pricy, look in the personal classifieds in Hi-fi Wigwam, there are often some s/hand valve amps available, plenty of helpful support too.
 

Grinder

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Richda86 said:
Well, I'm learning a huge amount about electronics from the affordable valve company site..

My electronics lecturer at Uni was clearly an fool, I didn’t learn half this stuff!!

I'm now off to remove all remote control related electronics from every piece of equipment in my house.

Have you read some of his claims!!

I haven't but the website structure and poor grammar was enough to put me off.

If you are interested there is a rebuttal to some of their claims on this link

http://www.hifiandaudio.com/avc.htm

I have no knowledge of this company either other than what I read on their website and what other people post abount them, but it is a legible website which I guess is half the battle to win internet sales.
 

Teo

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What means affordable for you ?

Take care that there are lots of manufacturers , the price shouldn't be the only factor .

What speakers do you have ? the valve amps can be found frequently in low power versions , 2x8 W , - 2x20 W , you need there very sensitive speakers , over 92 dB ,probably. These days one guy in greece sell a Cyber 10 Consonance Opera Audio on the auction site -affordable

Another thing with valve amps : they need tube replacement , and then you need to make a bias current adjustment .If the amp doesn't have an external acces to the bias sdjustment screws (like the Cayin ) or an autobias like PrimaLuna (both over my budget for now), there can be a potential electocution hazard when getting inside the amp .If you have a technician who knows about valve amps , you're saved about this lat issue .These things are keeping me away for the moment from the valve amps ,even if I checked myself the web about these .
 

The General

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I bought an el34 lim signature in 2005, works Ok, but I feel new valves needed, but after numerous phone calls, numbers left, 3 ebat messages and 1 final attempt leaving my contact on their mobile Im unhappy that I cannot just ring and get a person to answer and give a minutes advice.

Any business has to look after existing customers, or they dont buy another!
 

The General

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Just to update you all, I,ve had 1 email back from Affordable Valve proprietor saying had really bad flu for 2 weeks, and would answer my question re new valves in 24 hours, yet another week has gone by with no further reply, or contact from all my calls to mobile, landline etc. How hard can it be to see to existing clients needs, customer service is awful in my experience. Or the flu came back, lol.
 

The General

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Ive given up, we are now at 9.11.14, still no reply of any kind from the unubtainable Valve Co, the phone when I have tried rings forever, so either its closed down, or answering nmachine faulty.

Have found plenty of valve suppliers, and a close by company who can set up bias etc for the new bottles.

So its goodby to AVC.
 

Infiniteloop

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Jul 23, 2010
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Teo said:
What means affordable for you ?

Take care that there are lots of manufacturers , the price shouldn't be the only factor .

What speakers do you have ? the valve amps can be found frequently in low power versions , 2x8 W , - 2x20 W , you need there very sensitive speakers , over 92 dB ,probably. These days one guy in greece sell a Cyber 10 Consonance Opera Audio on the auction site -affordable

Another thing with valve amps : they need tube replacement , and then you need to make a bias current adjustment .If the amp doesn't have an external acces to the bias sdjustment screws (like the Cayin ) or an autobias like PrimaLuna (both over my budget for now), there can be a potential electocution hazard when getting inside the amp .If you have a technician who knows about valve amps , you're saved about this lat issue .These things are keeping me away for the moment from the valve amps ,even if I checked myself the web about these .

Some of your concerns are a little over the top.

Whilst it is true that some SET Valve Amps are in the lower power range, some are not. (mine is a 24 Watter) - Besides, I have found that despite low wattage ratings, Valve Amps are powerful beyond their ratings. I have driven Sonus Faber speakers of 'only' 86 dB sensitivity with a 14 Watt Amp to very satisfying levels.

My current Unison Research 24 Watt SET drives my 89 dB Focal 1008Be speakers very well. It's not just about speaker sensitivity, but about how 'easy' to drive they are.

In addition, once you move away from SET Amps, Push-Pull Valve Amps are much more powerful, although arguably not as 'sweet' sounding.

Valves are easy to change and buy, with many sources available online for both new and vintage NOS examples.

Some Valve Amps are self-biasing and others require a few seconds of adjustment from outside the unit.

I have never come across an example where you have to get inside the unit with a screwdriver, as I agree, this would be very dangerous - as it would with any electical device.

There really is little to fear from Valve Amp ownership and they reward you with a sweet, never aggressive, alluring, liquid sound that never becomes tiring.

Most Valve Amps are built like Tanks, are designed to last and most Valve Amp owners take immense care over their equipment, so second-hand equipment is a good buy. They are also relatively easy to repair and maintain vs. SS Amps.

I'm about to acquire a Devialet 200, which is a very different beast to the Unison Research S8 I currently have, but I cannot bear to let the S8 go.....
 

The General

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Im sorted, bought 4 matched Gold Lions KT66, found a PA Company a few miles from me, extreemly helpful guys, took the AVC el34 amp there, they fit valves & checked and adjusted bias whilst I waited for £36, sounds great, so if anyone has same problem of getting nowhere with this nutter in Kent, just ask and I will supply name of valve supplier & the Company for the bias, which is just on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border.
 

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