I'm still custodian of a lovely pair of rebuilt Croft-modified Quad II's - I can't say they're mine, but I've had them eighteen years now.. They're coloured to hell and back with a character all their own, but my Gawd it's a glorious experience to enjoy music through them as long as the speakers are easy to drive. Lovely with Epos 14's using Naim A5 cables.

Here's mine 'at work' in the mid 90's..



...and a few years ago at hifi dave's place..

But in fact a good 300B SE and properly installed Klipschorns do measure well, with speed and transparency on classical music that is awsum.  How many here expressing comments have heard such a system ?

That's a really concise and perfect definition, thank you.

More than anything, a hi-fi system should get as close to the master tape/master recording as possible without adding or removing anything.  It cannot go further back to the performance as that is the recording engineer's job.

Like it, it should be brought in to many discussions where focus and clarity would help.

I both resent and disagree with that strongly. I answered a question on why, technically, different amps and specifically valve ones, could interact with speakers differently etc. I answered it accurately. If people don't like technical facts try re writing the laws of physics. I don't colour technical answers to suit peoples prejudices. I also said I like valves when used appropriately and use them myself.
Your final comments are completely out of order and such ad hominem (PERSONAL COMMENTS REMOVED)
 An apology would be appropriate.

Careful now, everyone. There are several ad hominem comments here. If you disagree with the opinions, then disagree away. However, do not be calling the person names as it's disrespectful. We may need to clean this thread up if it goes on.

Warning Will Robinson

Non compliant bio matter detected leakage,  from out world possible infestation of bio dome

High profile decontamination procedure recommended

Now where's my Robin Hood outfit a non linear apparatus for chronological movement is requesting my presence

Same old same old, yah boo sucks valves are crap, single ended triodes are not hi-fi, push - pull is best of a bad lot blah blah. Heard these arguments a million times.

The truth is that single ended triode amps can produce some of the most magical sound quality on planet earth.
Undeniably, they are a specialist niche amplifiier, not for everyone, especially those with your average 87dB commercial speaker but for their afflicionados, and on the right speaker, nothing else will do. Respect needs to be afforded people who have made that personal decision, rather than scorn.

I myself, fell in love with SETs but as time went on and given my tastes for blues, soul, rock'n roll and Euro-Latin electronic lounge, I began to need something with a bit more heft and power, so I moved over to DIY, push-pull pentode amplifiers.

That has been a journey of discovery, during which I discovered the joys push-pull power pentodes with local feedback and the vital importance of power supplies.

99% of the criticism that people who are not valve lovers lay at the door of valve amps, ie too rounded, bloomy bass and rolled off treble, can be laid firmly at the door of the power supply. Powerful class AB valve amps with gaggles of tubes lined up in tiers across the front of the chassis and dirty great transformers at the back, may look impressive, and will be gloriously expensive, but will be a waste of time no matter how much global feedback band - aid they have.

It's THE POWER SUPPLY that makes or breaks the amp folks, not bling, fancy looking expensive tube rectifiers, or 10mm thick sculpted alloy faceplates I'm afraid. That goes (though for slightly different reasons) for both class AB pp and SET amps, which is why Nick's 300B SETs sound as superb as they do.

My pp pentode valve amp power supplies use high voltage Schottky diode, solid state bridge rectifiers, feeding choke input power supplies with thousands of microfarads of reservoir capacitance, such that when charged to 450V, they store 320J of energy. This makes them impervious to everything and they will maintain their voltage against large current swings without sagging. Such a power supply would strip and destroy a valve rectifier in seconds, but solid state rectification just laughs in the face of such demands.
Also they have zener regulated, constant current source fed screen grid supplies, to keep the power and driver pentodes clamped solid against any spurious outside modulation.

Get one of these power supplies in your powerful push-pull pentode or ultralinear valve amp and you get the kind of bass slam that most valve amp users can only dream of. You get pace, rhythm, timing, speed accompanied by the sweetness in the treble that is usually only the preserve of SET amplifiers.
This is nothing new and has been known about since the late Harvey Rosenberg added mega power supplies to his own valve amps, in the mid 1970s.

Commercial manufacturers won't do it. Power supplies aren't sexy and they cost money, which hits profit margins. Most people have never heard a valve amp with a proper power supply. Most people therefore don't know what they are missing.

To a large degree, I agree with this.

I think it's time we see more project photos, Philip. Your builds are always a good read.