WTD: Headphone Amp

[Lawrence001]

I would steer clear. You have some nice headphones there and you don't want a faulty amp doing anything nasty for the sake of £50.

Anyway, that's what I think.

The little dots are quite ubiquitous, so I would wait a bit myself

I would take a punt myself, could be the valve, or my old once had a slightly loose clamp in the valve socket that sometimes made a noise. I fixed it by expanding the joint with a pin.

[sumday]

Watford Valves offer a few kits of matched tubes for Little Dot range, each with its own particular sound...and price
I currently use a MK3 with a set costing under 35quid purely as a preamp.
It's way better than its price point would suggest....quite shockingly so.

Of course the single RCA input could be an issue....I route all my sources digitally through a DAC.
It warms them up nicely.

[Lawrence001]

I'm waiting for my delivery of several matched sets of Russian gold pin EV valves for the LD mk2/3 maybe they also work on the 4. Will report back with findings and can sell on a couple of them if they work nicely.

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[gninnam]

Hmm. Do I wait for one that is reported as having no issues or, like you say, take a punt..............
Decisions, decisions!

[Lerxst]

I have 2 little dots MK II and MK IV. They all take the same kind of valves - Watford valves do a few kits, yes.

Ask the guy selling it if he swaps the left and right valves over (big ones, test, then little ones, test) does it now buzz from a different channel? If so, it's the valve or valve connectors - maybe corroded. If not there is something else wrong. If the fomer, go for it, if the latter, leave it. Be aware a whole new valve set with a halfway decent set of valves, even unmatched, costs about £85, with VAT, which Watford Valves don't seem to mention until it is checkout time on their webpage.

These things are massive value for money - upto the MK IV (not the SE). They are asking almost regular prices after those models.

[Lawrence001]

If it's the socket, the problem won't follow the valve. I could do my valve sets for about £25 plus postage!

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[gninnam]

I know in the add he is shipping it with other valves so I assume that the problem isn't these.
After the unit has warmed up the noise goes so could be caused by a poor solder or connection (once warmed up the sound goes)?

Cheers

[gninnam]

Just got this from the vendor when asked about moving the valves:

"I have yes. If you tap the case of the amp lightly the buzz disappears temporarily until warm"

[Lawrence001]

Probably dry solder joint.occasionally I think a dodgy capacitor can do this too?

[gninnam]

Punt or not - that is the question.
Currently sat at £52 with 2 hours to go - if it goes over £80 then I think I should hang on for one with no issues so will make a bid in the next few hours and see where we end up!