Your journey with lower-watt tube amps -- Can a kit be good enough?


Looking for stories about your low-watt amp journeys.

Here's the situation: I have new speakers, 97 db. Trying them with lower watt tube amps (45/211, 300b, etc) seems generally wise. I am attempting to borrow some from audiophiles in the area. 

The horizon beyond trying these things involves actually buying some. I'm looking at a budget limit of about $5k.

Curious as to folks' experience with lower-watt amp kits vs. those of good makers (e.g. Dennis Had, etc.).

If you have any thoughts about the following, I'd be interested:

Did you start out with a kit and then get dissatisfied? Why?

Did you compare kits vs. pre-made and find big differences?

Did you find you could get the equivalent level of quality in a kit for much less than the same pre-made version? How about kit vs. used?

Also: did you find there was a difference between "point to point wiring" vs. "PCB" in these various permutations?

I realize that there are good kits and bad ones, good pre-made amps and bad ones. I'm hoping you'll be comparing units which seem at comparable levels of quality and price-points.

Thanks.

hilde45

Showing 3 responses by dekay

Hilde45:

My long term experience is with an Audion Silver Night DH/SET 300B amp and my currently owned/early DH/SET 2A3 Bottlehead kits.

I’ve also tried (@ home) an early "single ended" Decware amp (EL84/6922 I think), an Audion "single ended" EL34 based amp and a few vintage "single ended" EL84 based amps (Magnavox and one "stamped" RCA that may have been of Japanese manufacture).

If you want to try single ended (not DH/SET) cheap look into the current model SE Coincident EL34 based integrated amp.

Good reviews, less expensive tubes (even for really good ones) and there’s a used one for sale a 30 minute drive from Denver (you know the place).

I’m not familiar with contemporary Bottlehead (my amps are 20+ years old), but the reviews are good.

I’ve looked into Elekit and would go with the better Lundahl (sp?) OT upgrade, but I’m not certain if they have PT’s for 115AC as most listed are for 100 (the vendor in Canada could answer this).

Anyway, try it is my rec as I’ve enjoyed my meager DH/SET setup (no highs/tweeters - no lows/woofers) for the past 20+ years.

PS:

On the really cheap (just single ended/not DH/SET) Musical Paradise has a little integrated SE amp for $500, or so.

I would buy it from the local vendor (think he’s in Canada).

 

DeKay

Hilde:

Like the "vacation" take.

I don't care about true to the source/low lows/high highs - I just want to be entertained and fooled a bit - take a brief vacation while listening.

 

DeKay