HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

I think I've got to grips with solid state amps. Building them yourself ,you soon get to grips with bullshit .
.
Valve amps are and will remain a mystery.

So anybody care to offer an opinion on valves . Is thier really any difference between them or is it bullshit.

You read forums and the correct valves are the route to audio nirvana. Its the only thing you need to swap, honest!

So come on whats the truth.

That is not a simple question to answer.

IF you have sensitive speakers, single ended valve amps (depending what valve one uses) can sound wonderful, but the devil is in the detail.

Mind you, single ended Mosfet amps can sound wonderful as well.

I have examples of both types.

I burn the dust off this one, once in a while...



300b SET about 8 watts. Very nice with the Klipsch Heresys (as is the S80, or even the little AP10P)

The Doc's view was that valves cannot compete with solid state and the only reason why they had a revival is because Naim amps sound so bad.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 8:50 pm The Doc's view was that valves cannot compete with solid state and the only reason why they had a revival is because Naim amps sound so bad.

Well, not everything Richard said was fact.

But, his opinion is as valid as anyone elses.

He once told me that if he didn't have NVA, then he could live with an SET.

He liked the simplicity.

There are many and various ways to get a very good SET amp, 300b being a good example.

Most 300b SET amps are probably average to good. The very good ones need careful circuit design and good iron (transformers and chokes) which tends to make the component parts expensive.

Nick Gorham (Lurcher) is one who knows how to make a very good 300b SET amp, but don't expect it to be cheap.

On a personal note, I still have two 300b valves, but I've not had the luck, or skill, to make an excellent amp with them.

My current task is to make a decent 833a SET amp, one day I will succeed.

Valve amps exist and so do transistor amps. Why do they need to be compared? Who gives a fecking shite anyway? If you like ‘em great. If you don’t, great.

Treat yourself DQ and find out: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300-B-Single ... SwUQdgbftE
or a nice little DIY project: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HiFi-EL34-Va ... Sw3uxfBsR4

CN211276 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 8:50 pm The Doc's view was that valves cannot compete with solid state and the only reason why they had a revival is because Naim amps sound so bad.

That's a deliberately provocative view and not one I believe RD was truly signed up too, I guess he was just having a bit of fun at Naim's expense
I will one day give them a go simply to satisfy my curiosity