Hello Meech33. Audio Mirror used to sell their brand new amps on Ebay. June of last year I was a high bidder on their 40 watt SET amp. Their Ebay ad stated that they would sell through an EscrowService if the buyer paid for the fee incurred using an Escrow company. After contacting Audio Mirror they refused to sell the amp using an Escrow Service company. I assumed that a brand new amp sold by the manufacturer would carry a warranty. Audio Mirror informed me that their brand new amps sold on Ebay had no warranty but they were willing to sell me a warranty at an additional expense. Their refusal to honor the Escrow sell as stated was allowed in their ad made me nervous. And wanting to sell me a warranty on a brand new amp made me start to thinking that something was not kosher. I frequent Audioasylum & the High Efficiency Speaker Forum and remembered that a member Magnetar had purchased a pair of the 40 watt SET amps off of Ebay. Magnetar is very knowledgeable about tube amps and repairs his own equipment. I was a tube newbie so I sent Magnetar a personal email asking his advice about Audio Mirror amps. On June 26, 2002 Magnetar replied on the High Efficiency Speaker Forum at Audioasylum. From Magnetar: A secondary in the PS transformer (multi-tapped secondaries) is undersized (12.6 volt) and can't handle the current. Last I heard the he had some higher current transformers ordered to eliminate the problem. I do not recommend getting the amps with the old transformer. I had to replace mine (he sent me another pair of the undersized transformers) and now have another one toasted. Hopefully I'll get the new ones N/C but it's hard to tell with these guys. There are others with the same problems. With the correct rated transformers the amps shold really sing. Magnetar was being very diplomatic in his response on Audioasylum as he was still trying to resolve his amp transformer problems with Audio Mirror. In his personal email reply to me, Magnetar stated that the guys running Audio Mirror could not be trusted as they had lied to him multiple times, could not keep their story straight and were giving him the run around. Magnetar adviced me to not buy the amps even with a warranty. I don't know if Magnetar ever resolved his transformer problems with Audio Mirror. This is just my opinion talking out my butt. I think Audio Mirror was dumping their amps with the undersized transformers to the unsuspecting public on Ebay knowing full well that the undersized PS transformers would fry & become toast. That is why they would not warranty their brand new amps sold on Ebay, but would sell you a warranty. I could be wrong, this is just my humble opinion. Needless to say I did not buy their amp. Shortly after in July of 2002, I bought a 6 month old pair of Welborne Labs 2A3 SET Moondogs with the Ultimate upgrade package off of Audiogon. I love Audiogon. I picked up a mint Welborne Labs Revellie tube preamp this year off of Audiogon to go with my Moondogs. And a couple of months ago I picked up a mint Llano Phoenix 300 watt x 2 mosfet/tube hybrid amp off of Audiogon. The Llano Phoenix I bought has separate boxes for the current & voltage sections of the amp. The VA2 voltage section uses 6SN7, 6SL7 & 12SN7 tubes. My Welborne amp & preamp uses 6SN7 tubes.If Audio Mirror has corrected their undersized transformer problem it might be a good amp...Caveat Emptor.
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