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Post by John on Dec 30, 2015 19:17:05 GMT
I heard a few valve amps mostly DIY I really liked Andrew Randall amp. It worked well with his speakers These days I am a solid state guy (I used to have an all valve based system) and I can still enjoy a good valve based system. Today I was listening to a Temple Audio Prototype based on the Monos and the sound was as good as Martin system. A very different approach to music playback but stunning results John, If you can expand on this. I have been using Temple monos on battery for a couple of years and have yet to hear anything that betters what I hear for me. I put a nice pre in front of mine and they sang!!!! I have a some nice valve kel 84 monos/power amp....the Temples just sound right to me! Sorry to tread cap but IMHO well executed digital amps are the elephant in the room. PM on the way |
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Post by dsjr on Dec 30, 2015 19:38:51 GMT
Are you the 'Andrew' I know Andrew?  I do agree and feel that for DOMESTIC use, a little bit of audio flattery can go a HUGE way in making the perceived sound more enjoyable (suspending disbelief in the mechanics of it all), but I get the sneaky suspicion that good High Fidelity reproduction INCLUDES the musical vibes and not just things like micro-macro details, silence between notes or soundstage. Like I said, the Crofted Quad II's are truly magnificent when driving the simple loads they like and whenever I get them out to play, I just don't care about so-called Hifi attributes. I think most of us do this subconsciously when playing vinyl records, all but ignoring the noise floor and occasional ticks and pops. My record players aren't anything like as good as many of others here, yet I had a wonderful time playing old records at Christmas and one of them had been carved up by a Collaro (Ronette) cartridge with a bad stylus, which the Rega Carbon did a fantastic job with.. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2015 19:46:44 GMT
Yep, the one with what always seems to be opposing tastes to you lol  we really are chalk n cheese but vive la difference, I had to smile when you singled out Icon Audio as they are about the only valve amps I haven't liked. Made me want to snooze. OTOH my fave stuff would probably have you diving for cover. But that's my point. If we are both happy, who gives a monkey about the other's tastes, or those of the engineer who'd probably think we were both wrecking the sound he intended to create. Edit. You make some very interesting observations about listening too. I believe we do most of our listening in trance state rather than critically evaluating. Whatever it takes for us to "drop our guard" and suspend disbelief will differ from person to person. If a sound ticks your boxes then I believe you go into a different state pretty quickly. For me "High Fidelity" means the ability to get me to drop my guard and go into a state of allowing. That's when it ceases to be audio and is simply music. |
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Post by pre65 on Dec 30, 2015 19:50:16 GMT
To be honest, as long as my system gives me pleasure I don't care if it's (according to Jez) not high fidelity.
My recently deceased father in law loved the sound of his 50 year old radiogram. Lovely tone he said. He was no audiphile but he knew what he liked.
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Post by John on Dec 30, 2015 19:58:58 GMT
I tend not to worry what other people think of my system, what matters is I enjoy it. In the end we get a system set up to our own bias for better or worse.
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Post by dsjr on Dec 30, 2015 21:06:32 GMT
Yep, the one with what always seems to be opposing tastes to you lol we really are chalk n cheese but vive la difference, I had to smile when you singled out Icon Audio as they are about the only valve amps I haven't liked. Made me want to snooze. OTOH my fave stuff would probably have you diving for cover. But that's my point. If we are both happy, who gives a monkey about the other's tastes, or those of the engineer who'd probably think we were both wrecking the sound he intended to create. Edit. You make some very interesting observations about listening too. I believe we do most of our listening in trance state rather than critically evaluating. Whatever it takes for us to "drop our guard" and suspend disbelief will differ from person to person. If a sound ticks your boxes then I believe you go into a different state pretty quickly. For me "High Fidelity" means the ability to get me to drop my guard and go into a state of allowing. That's when it ceases to be audio and is simply music. The Icon Audio amps I liked were the recent KT120 (mainly) based ones at hifi_dave's place, selling for around two grand. He did have one early on I remember, which had what I'd call a 'traditional' softer valve sound. They were compared with Croft, Puresound, Rega and a temperamental leak Stereo 20, which I found rather 'funky' sounding for the couple of minutes before one valve started glowed red - not a valve problem I think we discovered, so it's back in his 'museum' pending service.. Hopefully I had some form of frame of reference with that lot..
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2015 21:09:24 GMT
The ones I heard were the Stereo 20 and Stereo 40. They did nothing to offend, but also,nothing to excite. I'm not sure if the company has a "house sound" but those two amps seemed similar. Pity, because I really liked the looks and build.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2015 21:23:31 GMT
Yep, the one with what always seems to be opposing tastes to you lol we really are chalk n cheese but vive la difference, I had to smile when you singled out Icon Audio as they are about the only valve amps I haven't liked. Made me want to snooze. OTOH my fave stuff would probably have you diving for cover. But that's my point. If we are both happy, who gives a monkey about the other's tastes, or those of the engineer who'd probably think we were both wrecking the sound he intended to create. Edit. You make some very interesting observations about listening too. I believe we do most of our listening in trance state rather than critically evaluating. Whatever it takes for us to "drop our guard" and suspend disbelief will differ from person to person. If a sound ticks your boxes then I believe you go into a different state pretty quickly. For me "High Fidelity" means the ability to get me to drop my guard and go into a state of allowing. That's when it ceases to be audio and is simply music. The Icon Audio amps I liked were the recent KT120 (mainly) based ones at hifi_dave's place, selling for around two grand. He did have one early on I remember, which had what I'd call a 'traditional' softer valve sound. They were compared with Croft, Puresound, Rega and a temperamental leak Stereo 20, which I found rather 'funky' sounding for the couple of minutes before one valve started glowed red - not a valve problem I think we discovered, so it's back in his 'museum' pending service.. Hopefully I had some form of frame of reference with that lot..
My much modified Leak Stereo 20 sounds fantastic! |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 30, 2015 21:54:27 GMT
A well fettled Stereo 20 has the most superb midrange liquidity this side of Fort Knox.
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Post by dsjr on Dec 31, 2015 13:17:56 GMT
Andrew, the Icon I didn't much care for was the Stereo 40 I think from memory. The larger ones (now fetchingly styled with brushed copper tops and a meter on the front) did sound different and in my opinion rather better indeed I recall. Worth a look on their site... prices have increased though - the baby Stereo 20 has gone up by 50% in the last year or two (£749 from £549 if memory serves)
I really hope 'that' Stereo 20 gets sorted as I agree, the sound was really good and another one to 'lose yourself' into the music. It has been rebuilt, but needs a 'good dose of looking at' to get it properly running.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2015 13:39:43 GMT
A well fettled Stereo 20 has the most superb midrange liquidity this side of Fort Knox. Whilst I can't claim familiarity with midrange purity in the Fort Knox area, I can report that with the right mods a Leak Stereo 20 can sound stunning from top to bottom.... including bass that's the tightest this side of Gateshead I once tried offering these mods commercially but it was pointed out that if people wanted a really good modern valve amp, that indeed is what they will buy. Most buying an old Leak are doing it for the vintage originality of the unit. I couldn't really argue with that! In my own case I already had the Leak so made it into the amp it could of been if designed 50 years later... all reversible for originality of course. I have designed and built regulated PSU boards for it about a year ago but not got round to fitting them yet. Should be interesting! |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 31, 2015 14:03:38 GMT
it was liquidity being compared with Fort Knox!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2015 14:21:30 GMT
it was liquidity being compared with Fort Knox!  |
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we really are chalk n cheese but vive la difference, I had to smile when you singled out Icon Audio as they are about the only valve amps I haven't liked. Made me want to snooze. OTOH my fave stuff would probably have you diving for cover. But that's my point. If we are both happy, who gives a monkey about the other's tastes, or those of the engineer who'd probably think we were both wrecking the sound he intended to create.
