Icon Audio Stereo 20 PP

[Haselsh1]

In the midst of change, I have just got an absolute bargain via ebay. I did a scan of ebay last Saturday for valve amplifiers and up came an Icon Audio Stereo 20 PP. The starting bid was £275 with no bids. Now I know that this is in fact a £500 item when brand new and that this one was around one year old with minimal usage. I therefore bid £375 knowing that the courier charge was £25. On Thursday of this week the bidding ended and there wasn't one single bid other than mine. This means of course that I ended up paying a total of £300 for an EL84 powered valve amplifier.

My original plan was to have one built by Nick and this may indeed still happen but I now have the means to investigate whether or not I wish to pay out over a grand for an amplifier. In the meantime, I await the arrival of this amp and foresee a seriously good session of music listening when it gets here. I also foresee a seriously good tube rolling session coming up.

[Ali Tait]

Well done Shaun, should be good, the EL84 is a nice musical valve, and it's hard to make a poor amp with it.

[Haselsh1]

Thanks Ali. I know that this amplifier is around 15 wpc so is unlikely to be full Class A right through but at least its a starting point.

[Ali Tait]

The WAD KEL84 I used to have was the same output. A great soinding amp. The Icon should be pretty similar.

[Haselsh1]

I'll get some nice tasty photographs of it on here as soon as it is up and running and for those that are interested (Marco), the photographs will be monochrome and using real silver...!!!

[chris@panteg]

Nice buy Shaun

I like the Icon range of amps , let us know how you get on with it:)

[colinB]

Very nice after sales support as well from the two guys who run it.

[Haselsh1]

Well I had a nice three hour music session with the amplifier last night and damn good it was too. It has reminded me all over again why it is I just adore valve amplifiers. The purity of the sound is quite simply gorgeous. I was listening to my favourite Madelaine Peyroux album and for the first time ever heard the most diabolical edit towards the end of one of the songs. This would have been deeply embarassing for the engineer of this album had he realised that people could actually hear it. I then moved onto Burt Bacharach's latest offering which is a truly stunning CD featuring Rufus Wainright on one of the tracks. OK so this album is recorded quieter than the Peyroux album and with only 15 Watts on tap was a blessing. I don't think this amplifier likes loud shouty CD's.

My next move is to buy a Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE to use with my Project RPM4/Ortofon OM30 Super combination. Does anyone have any experience with Graham Slee phono stages...?

[Peter Stockwell]

The WAD KEL84 I used to have was the same output. A great soinding amp. The Icon should be pretty similar.

Thinking of getting a "winter" amp. How do you rate, say, the WAD el84 amp compared to a bantam gold?

Sent from my Nokia phone using Tapatalk.

[Ali Tait]

Hard to say Peter, I've not heard both on the same system. You won't be disappointed with the KEL though!

[Haselsh1]

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab240/Haselsh1/IconAudio.jpg

A very quick digital pic of the Stereo 20 PP now that it is up and running. I have removed the plastic fancy bit though as I am sure it will increase the life of the valves and I prefer a more conventional looking amp.

[colinB]

Looks great. I would take of the perspex too.
I sent mine to icon audio for a tube upgrade and it came back sounding much better. They are also Jensen cap suppliers so another mod worth thinking about.

[Ali Tait]

Better caps than Jensens around IMHO.

[colinB]

They are pricey. So in terms of oil in paper whats worth looking at Ali?

[Haselsh1]

Guys, I'm going to be looking at re-valving very soon so would be open to suggestions but I think I shall be looking at Philips valves ultimately. I also will be looking for a decent phono stage to do justice to a Project RPM4 that cost me 122 quid (yet another bargain had via ebay) so if anyone has any advice please let me know. I have my old Ortofon OM30 Super installed on that one so please, moving magnet only unless you know better.

At the moment I've just had an Acoustic Alchemy music session listening to 'Blue Chip' and although recorded nice and quiet, it sounded fantastic with a gorgeous recorded ambience so hopefully things can only get better from here on in.

If you have any thoughts, please let me know.

[Haselsh1]

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab240/Haselsh1/IconAudio.jpg

A very quick digital pic of the Stereo 20 PP now that it is up and running. I have removed the plastic fancy bit though as I am sure it will increase the life of the valves and I prefer a more conventional looking amp.

Don't ya just bloody love photography...? I do...!

[Ali Tait]

Colin, Audio Note Coppers are good. Doesn't have to be PIO though. I've found SCR teflons very good indeed, though pricey. Clarity caps are very good and cheap too.

[Ali Tait]

Guys, I'm going to be looking at re-valving very soon so would be open to suggestions but I think I shall be looking at Philips valves ultimately. I also will be looking for a decent phono stage to do justice to a Project RPM4 that cost me 122 quid (yet another bargain had via ebay) so if anyone has any advice please let me know. I have my old Ortofon OM30 Super installed on that one so please, moving magnet only unless you know better.

At the moment I've just had an Acoustic Alchemy music session listening to 'Blue Chip' and although recorded nice and quiet, it sounded fantastic with a gorgeous recorded ambience so hopefully things can only get better from here on in.

If you have any thoughts, please let me know.

The Philips from Langrex are good, I had some in my KEL.

These are meant to be good too-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Matched-quartet-6P14P-EV-EL84-Gold-Grid-NIB-Rare-/130542784441?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1e64f4cfb9

I have a pair of these in an EL84 SEP amp, and they are also very good-

http://www.hotroxuk.com/el84-n709-genalex-gold-lion-14040-0.html

[Stratmangler]

My next move is to buy a Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE to use with my Project RPM4/Ortofon OM30 Super combination. Does anyone have any experience with Graham Slee phono stages...?

I've been running the MkI version Gram Amp 2 SE for a long time now, and it's an excellent and dependable performer.

[Ali Tait]

What's the front end valve Shaun?

[Butuz]

Mmm I've got a soft spot for Icon Audio lovely looking stuff at good prices. Maybe one day I will own one! I really fancy trying the LA4 pre.

Butuz

[Haselsh1]

What's the front end valve Shaun?

Ali the front end is taken care of by 12AX7's and 12AY7's, I think. I guess the 12AX7 is the driver yes, and the 12AY7's are the splitters...????

[Gromit]

You won't be disappointed with the KEL though!

+1 :)

I owned a KEL84 a few years ago (admittedly a modded one with a smattering fo Black Gates, NOS Philips EL84's) and it was a total gem of an amp. Sweet, endearingly musical and just so darn listenable. Used with some Audio Note AX2's (91db/1w) it gelled beautifully.

I'd have another one if I had some spare cash/more efficient speakers.

[Ali Tait]

Ali the front end is taken care of by 12AX7's and 12AY7's, I think. I guess the 12AX7 is the driver yes, and the 12AY7's are the splitters...????

Dunno, not seen the circuit. It may be worth trying different valves here too, as I've often found changing the front end valves can change the sound more than changing the power valves.

[southall-1998]

Haselsh1,

I've never heard the Icon Audio Stereo 20 PP. It sure looks very nice.

Is this amp based on the Leak Stereo 20? I wonder if the the Icon 20 PP sounds very similar to the Leak?

Regards.

[Haselsh1]

Shane, it is indeed based upon the Leak Stereo 20 amplifier.

The Icon Audio uses a full class A front end with EL84's running in Class A/B biased towards Class A. It has automatic bias so there is no awkward setting up of valves and it looks really nice but is a little small when compared to their more expensive amplifiers.

The sound is everything you would expect from a valve amplifier. My only real problem is that I am using loudspeakers with an efficiency of just 86db/W/m. It is a very good job I never listen to very loud music.

[Haselsh1]

For those that are more technically minded; the amplifier is hard wired throughout, having no circuit board. It uses a single 12AX7 valve and two AU7 valves in the front end and four EL84 power valves. Sensitivity is 250mv for full output which is 15 Wpc. It uses Nichicron/Rubicon caps and metal film and wire wound resistors. The volume pot is the now typical ALPS 'Blue' type. The overall design is one of very low feedback.

[Haselsh1]

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab240/Haselsh1/IconAudio2.jpg

Here's a view of the amplifier without all of the rather silly plastic adornment. I've taken the photo late in the day so that, at least you can see the valve glow. I continue to be seriously impressed with this little amplifier and love the fact it brings so much to my very modest hi-fi system. I have now ordered a Musical Fidelity V-LPS phono stage just because I've got one at the right price. This is my way of getting things going after the collapse of my business late last year. Over the next few years of working, who knows what'll happen to my hi-fi. My wish to have an EL34 based amplifier could at last become a reality. You never know, they may even be monoblocks.

[southall-1998]

Haselsh1,

I see you can plug headphones to this amp. Have you tried any headphones with it yet?

Kind Regards.

[Haselsh1]

Haselsh1,

I see you can plug headphones to this amp. Have you tried any headphones with it yet?

Kind Regards.

As yet, I don't possess any headphones at all but it is something I shall be looking into in the not too distant future.