David Holgate wrote in message ...
The message
from "Trevor Wilson" contains these words:

**It doesn't bother me, one bit, how far you shove your head into the sand.
It is your problem, not mine, that you care not one bit for logic and
reason. If you want to buy *any* piece of audio equipment, without first
listening to it, you deserve exactly what you are likely to receive.

Good luck. Because that is what you are relying on.

I doubt is the situation is often as simple as not caring for logic and
reason. Few audiophiles are in the position of being able to audition a
wide range of valve gear.

**Just I would never marry a woman, or buy an automobile without a
proper 'test drive', nor would I (or any sane person) buy a piece of
audio equipment, without a suitable test. Had the original poster
decided on a (say) Quad II, then I could understand, as he has already
experienced one. Assuming that a valve amplifier will solve his
problems, is, IMO, a rather foolish thought.


New gear (of any quality) seems to be priced way out of Martin's budget
range, and be offered for sale secondhand very infrequently (and snapped
up very quickly). Apart from Nick's suggestions about kits, I would
suggest that he contact some reliable dealers as a serious buyer, and
then be prepared for a long wait. Audio engineers who work on valve
equipment may also offer some leads.

**His budget is set at less than the level of one decent output
transformer, let alone a whole amplifier. He may well be advised to
broaden his selection process to include some decent SS amps.


Meanwhile, his choices a trawl the web and the mags (luck needed
there too) and ask for advice from ngs like this one, where wider
experience can be drawn on.

FWIW, I notice that there is a company which advertises in HiFi World
(www.audioclassics.co.uk) with powers (£260) and preamps (£190) but I
have no personal knowledge of their products.


**Me either, but at those prices, they're likely to be Chinese
products. My experience with Chinese valve amps has, thus far, not
been overly good. None (I've examined) use decent output transformers.

Trevor Wilson