BBC World Service Gear Auction

[Ali Tait]

Yes, Snell are very good with a decent valve amp. Decent sensitivity too.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Yes, Snell are very good with a decent valve amp. Decent sensitivity too.

Believe it or not they are very good with NVA as well

[Ali Tait]

I quite believe it Richard. However I've only ever heard a pair on the end of a valve amp, so can't comment on using sand amps.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I quite believe it Richard. However I've only ever heard a pair on the end of a valve amp, so can't comment on using sand amps.

Silicon is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass, but very rarely occurs as the pure free element in nature. It is most widely distributed in dusts, sands, planetoids, and planets as various forms of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making silicon the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 28% by mass) after oxygen.

Today, most semiconductor chips and transistors are created with silicon, and so are all valves as glass is made from silicon. So I am afraid using your dismissive terminology both transistor and valve amps are sand amps.

[Lindsayt]

Did anyone win anything at this auction? I put in a pretty low bid on a tape machine and got out-bid. Pretty low in case it needed any repairs to bring it up to full working condition.

The annoying thing is, I can't find anywhere that tells me what the final selling prices were of any items I was interested in.

[southall-1998]

HoneyDew probably won some LS3/5a's

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I can build bloody sight better things that I want than they can sell me, so for me it was a non event, apart from to see how much money the BBC waste.

[Ali Tait]

I quite believe it Richard. However I've only ever heard a pair on the end of a valve amp, so can't comment on using sand amps.

Silicon is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass, but very rarely occurs as the pure free element in nature. It is most widely distributed in dusts, sands, planetoids, and planets as various forms of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making silicon the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 28% by mass) after oxygen.


Today, most semiconductor chips and transistors are created with silicon, and so are all valves as glass is made from silicon. So I am afraid using your dismissive terminology both transistor and valve amps are sand amps.

It was not meant in any way as dismissive. I am aware of the abundance of silicon and it's use in glass. Some may use the term in a derogatory sense, I however do not. It's just quicker to type than transistor.

[Lindsayt]

LS3/5a's would be worth buying at the right price for putting on eBay and selling to some Far East collector for a nice profit. Mentioning that they were used by the BBC World Service might even increase their value.

Something to bear in mind with these auctions is that you'd have to add 40% to the bid price to arrive at the price you'd have to pay due to VAT and buyers premium.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

It was not meant in any way as dismissive. I am aware of the abundance of silicon and it's use in glass. Some may use the term in a derogatory sense, I however do not. It's just quicker to type than transistor.

No prob'

I just find those that have moved to valve away from Naim and the flat earth, but still bring their absolutism with them, slightly pathetic. And like converted smokers they have to try and convert the rest of us. The only victim - the open mind.

So they brought the term sand amp into the vocabulary as a term of derision, they pollute a lot of forums, like PFM particularly where they constantly bitch with those who are still stuck with the flat earth bullshit, I am not sure which of them is worse. Where as the likes of Lindsay, and I am sure you keep an open mind.