£500 Valve amps

All general audio posts go here.
jimbob
Posts: 716
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:35 pm
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by jimbob »

Yeah I'd be happy doing point to point if I could get circuit diagrams and a parts list.
Squeezebox Touch - Cambridge Audio Azur (pre) - Mycetias 250A Power Amp - Mycetias V2 Speakers

User avatar
Classicrock
Posts: 2316
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:51 pm
Location: Bristol
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 15 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by Classicrock »

I Know What I like (In Your Wardrobe)

jimbob
Posts: 716
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:35 pm
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by jimbob »

Thanks classicrock, that looks very interesting
Squeezebox Touch - Cambridge Audio Azur (pre) - Mycetias 250A Power Amp - Mycetias V2 Speakers

jimbob
Posts: 716
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:35 pm
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by jimbob »

Squeezebox Touch - Cambridge Audio Azur (pre) - Mycetias 250A Power Amp - Mycetias V2 Speakers

Geoff.R.G
Posts: 1562
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:46 pm
Location: Denham UK
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 476 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

jimbob wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:11 pm https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283453439699

Any thoughts about this?
Looks elegant from the outside and tidy enough on the inside. The meters add to the looks but I am not sure they have any practical value nor do I know what they do for the sound but on the principle that "no component is better than a component*" I would say they don't help.

*Quoting that well known designer R Dunn.

jimbob
Posts: 716
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:35 pm
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by jimbob »

My concern with these new, cheap valve amps is that they're all bling and that I'd be much better looking for second hand
Squeezebox Touch - Cambridge Audio Azur (pre) - Mycetias 250A Power Amp - Mycetias V2 Speakers

Geoff.R.G
Posts: 1562
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:46 pm
Location: Denham UK
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 476 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

jimbob wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:33 pm My concern with these new, cheap valve amps is that they're all bling and that I'd be much better looking for second hand
Well the meters definitely qualify.

I was going to suggest that you looked for a Leak or Quad vintage amplifier, I was but then I looked and discovered that they are either in need of refurbishment or way beyond your budget.

Lurcher300b
Posts: 933
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 1:58 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by Lurcher300b »

If you are up for this sort of DIY, you'll have a reasonable chance of making yourself a (near?) World Class (in the midrange) amplifier for that sort of money.
You would be hard pressed to find a pair of output transformers that were anywhere near world class for that money let alone the rest of the amp.
These users thanked the author Lurcher300b for the post:
savvypaul (Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:06 pm)

valvesRus
Posts: 562
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2018 2:34 pm
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 63 times
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by valvesRus »

I've been building valve amplifiers since 2006, and despite building very many different sorts of valve amps I've yet to achieve one of "world class status".

I have a long term project which I hope will get closer to that aim but on a £500 budget - no chance.

The very first amp I built was an 832a push pull, and even today I like what it does. If you want DIY then you could build one today for under your budget.

First you need to decide how much power your speakers need.

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: £500 Valve amps

Unread post by Latteman »

jimbob wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:36 pm Could anyone recommend any good, second hand valve amps at around £500??
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174417138561
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

Post Reply