Which one would you buy

Hamand for the win! SkiFi for $3200 is a waste of money! Go to the Stereophile archives to read a review and test of the HF-81. Pay attention to John Atkinson's measurements.

Yeah, definitely Ham & Hifi. Super clean unit, nice inside pics, decent parts used, no apparent silliness. Nice deal. Sky-fi is well into "dreamer" territory at $3K+; they are looking to make a lot of money. I know the HF-81 model is revered, but the Eico HF-22 (amp only, and you need a pair for stereo) seemingly flies under the radar - they sound GREAT and have more power!

I'd never buy anything from Skyfi their pricing is ludicrous I'll take Ham & Hifi too nice looking unit.

Sorry that I threw my HF-81 out (literally from a 3rd floor window into a dumpster). 

Obvious from my OP that I don't respect Ski-High-Fi and this is a perfect example of a rip-off. I do have two sets of rebuilt (one modified) EICO HF-35s in regular use. 

I would have to know if they were factory refurbished. 
I generally stay away from rebuilt anything, specially from EBay

I would have to know if they were factory refurbished. 
I generally stay away from rebuilt anything, specially from EBay

Doesn’t apply to a (mostly) kit amplifier from the 1960s. What REALLY applies is good under-the-hood pics, so you can check for general wiring quality, og transformers (old wiring leads), new vs. crusty old caps, modern thermistor (in place of the solenoid), etc. Sky-fi is charging a 100%+ premium, claiming rebuild / refurb, and didn’t even bother to post internal pics - "trust us, bro".

Generally, what @mulveling said. 

Skyfi's business model is to soothe the paranoid, you-get-what-you-pay-for crowd with bloated prices and cloying pseudotechnical mini-essays.

The Ham & Hi-fi listing does have great pictures showing a quality rebuild. Where I diverge a bit is reading this from their listing

note that the tubes are untested and we cannot guarantee their condition, particularly the vintage 12AX7. Further, you'll notice that the screws that hold the gold cover in place are missing, but you can likely find substitutes at your local hardware store.

1. Why didn't they test the tubes? Surely a shop with the word "ham" in its name has got a tube tester somewhere.

2. If the tubes are untested, how was the amp tested? Different set of tubes? Maybe I missed that part and now I'm too lazy to go back 😃

3. Just replace the cover screws already if your local hardware store "likely" has them. Asking $855 for an amp but not bothering to get $2 worth of screws and spray painting their heads to match, I don't know, unless I'm missing something, that kinda rubs me the wrong way honestly.

Neither - as a Pilot 240 sounds better than the 81 (owned an 81 that I had refurbished once in the late 70's and still own a 240).

Hifi poser Jeff Day brought the 81 back into focus @ one point.

Didn't care for the phono sections in either, but tape through the line inputs was stellar as is CD through the 240.

DeKay

@devinplombier I think what they mean by untested is that they can't guarantee the condition of the tubes. They're working but they don't know the specs. It's barely an issue. It also looks like they're not the rebuilders–just reselling it..

1. Why didn't they test the tubes? Surely a shop with the word "ham" in its name has got a tube tester somewhere.

2. If the tubes are untested, how was the amp tested? Different set of tubes? Maybe I missed that part and now I'm too lazy to go back 😃

3. Just replace the cover screws already if your local hardware store "likely" has them. Asking $855 for an amp but not bothering to get $2 worth of screws and spray painting their heads to match, I don't know, unless I'm missing something, that kinda rubs me the wrong way honestly.

@devinplombier  Ooof, I didn't see that - your're right it's sheer laziness & sloppiness, which is a  bit disconcerting in this context. That said, the internals look really nice, and their feedback is 100% - so I would still go ahead with purchase if I really wanted that unit. You'd hope maybe they have a "known good" keeper tube set for rebuild testing, and then they pop in the unit's "original, as supplied" tubes back in at the very end (still very lazy not to re-test). OR they didn't actually rebuild it, and are just selling someone else's rebuild. 

The price is right, but still, just why leave these loose ends??

The rebuild on the less expensive unit looks good, but I used Yellow Illinois coupling caps on mine @ the recommendation of the friend who rebuilt it (he used Orange coupling caps in my Dynaco gear).

The only time we disagreed was when he wanted to put a brass nut on my Ibanez PF300.

DeKay

The rebuild on the less expensive unit looks good, but I used Yellow Illinois coupling caps on mine @ the recommendation of the friend who rebuilt it (he used Orange coupling caps in my Dynaco gear).

@devinplombier  Yes, years ago I had a great tech who recommened & used Illinois Caps on vintage rebuilds. I’ve had Eicos & Heathkits done with both IC’s and Orange Drops. Never any problem with either of these caps. Looks like the H&H unit (yes, they are not the rebuilder - just passing it along) uses both of these caps. Also looks like they may have replaced the multi-section can cap with a standard electrolytic, which is OK - it works fine. The CE can cap used by Sky-Fi is a more premuim option. 

But this is also a good opportunity to work in my regular "Alps Blue Velvet" pot bashing, which Sky-Fi advertises as using in their unit. I absolutely HATE that pot; it always ruins the sound quality. Almost anything else is better.  

But this is also a good opportunity to work in my regular "Alps Blue Velvet" pot bashing, which Sky-Fi advertises as using in their unit.

@mulveling 

100% agreed, though honestly there are worse offenders out there than this little $855 amp.

To wit, from the product page of a $5,995 preamp:

Look inside the most well-known brand of tube preamps and you will see a chip called a DS1666-10 Digital Resistor IC. At Primaluna, we understand the temptation to use this chip as they cost $4 each (half that in quantity!). The preamp will sound fine and be quiet, but true to “chips” it will add an electronic “sheen” to the sound. PrimaLuna prefers analogue. And we use the Gold Standard in motorized potentiometers:  The iconic Alps Blue Velvet. Why? Because they track perfectly, stay quiet, and don’t sound like chips!

https://www.primaluna-usa.com/primaluna-evo-400-tube-preamplifier

@devinplombier We all hate the Alps BV! I replaced the volume pot on my tube preamplifier.

Sky-fi has been driving up prices for years on equipment that does not come close to what it’s worth. I honestly think they are money laundering, can’t come to any other reason for some of their pricing. I would never buy from them. The other seems a like a reasonable priced unit and looks to be in good shape.  

Sky-Fi is dead to me.  I questioned them once on their “made up” retail price and was immediately blocked.  No warning, just blocked.  I have secretly hoped they would go out of business in the last 10 years.  My prayers have not been answered yet.  

Why have you narrowed it down to these two.

don't waste your money on either of them.  CJ has amazing integrated.

@squared80  1. They were the only two that are refurbished at the time of posting. 2. I wanted to draw attention to the price difference. 

Why have you narrowed it down to these two.

@kymanor1 Thanks. I guess.

don't waste your money on either of them.  CJ has amazing integrated.

The Hamand hifi - $855.  I think the SkiFi Audio is ugly, and I don't trust their work.  Not to mention, you would have $2345.00 left over to do all kinds of things,  I don't think it's even a choice.   Places like StereoRehab love this stuff and will restore it to its original state, down to the screws originally used, and you would still have two grand left over.

It should be noted that SkyFi did NOT refurbish this amp. They only tested it and changed the volume pot. 

David Wasserman owner of Stereo Exchange is a partner in SkyHigh! Their prices like Crazy Eddies Eddy Carroll used to say are "Insane"

Ski-Fi prices looks like gauging, I avoid them