Hi Alan,
Cheers, I kind of got that feeling from your reaction (and Darren's) as soon as we started spinning vinyl. However, it's nice having access to three different sources, all of which I can enjoy listening to music on with similar standards of sound quality
Yeah, I know where you're coming from. The system has essentially stayed the same now for about 5 years, with mainly just some tinkering to the 'infrastructure', so yes I know it intimately well (strengths and weaknesses), which thus makes it reasonably easy to identify differences whenever 'alien' components are used.The brilliant thing is with such a sorted system that you know so well is that you can recognise and pinpoint the variations with different kit and I thank you for that.
Yup, I do agree. The quality of the iron is where the bulk of the cost comes from on a 'conventional' valve amp, so much so that you can virtually tell how good its going to be from just lifting it up! The Copper amp features very large mains and output transformers, hand-wound by an ex-engineer for GEC.I guess the spaciousness of the mid range on the copper amp in comparison is down to the copper being class A. Of course the benefit of going down the hybrid route is not requiring the expense of the quality iron needed in an all valve power amp.
I also think that the 'sonic signature' of valve amplifiers is largely governed by the designer's choice of output tubes, and of course how well or otherwise the circuit employed gets the most out of them. At this point, it may be a good idea to remind folks of which valves your AIR and KIN unit use, and some other technical specs for both items, such as the power output of the amp, etc.
Yes the cost of the Paul Hynes linear PSU bumps things up a bit, but still to no where near the cost of my CDP/DAC or turntable, so the RPi, even at £400, still represents extraordinary value for money!I didn't quite realise your spend on the Rpi so that explains why it was so close behind the others sources...
Btw, looks like we'll be seeing each other again soon, as I'll also be going to Macca's place on Monday
I'd like to try and get the basics of his system sorted out, so that the wee daftee can start enjoying his music again. It's no fun at all when your system just isn't doing it for you. I've been there before, and it's a royal head-fuck.
Marco.