It is somewhat ironic that the adjective heavy, lucid, dream-like descriptions awarded to valve audio equipment are based on something that they add to the signal, aka distortion, albeit of a kind that is easy on the ear and actually just plain 'nice'. Again, it's down to individual choice, there's no 'winners' in this game, no 'right' or 'wrong', it's what makes you happy. And as in life - in my opinion - happiness is always the final goal, not something that is a mere scientific fact or makes you enviable amongst friends, happiness is the goal. The fact that my route to happiness keeps morphing every few months is another matter and one that I try not to worry about.
It's not 20 watts - the Stereo 20 has 10 watts - per channel that is (the figure 20 comes from adding the channels together). But to be fair, beefier than many valve amps rated far higher in terms of watts per channel. The output transformers are bigger and heavier than many cheap chinese valve amps' MAINS transformers and the distortion figures are pretty low for a valve amp.
Funnily enough a similar misconception applies to Radfords only in the other direction, the STA25 actually has 35w per channel. (More if you buy a Mk 5 from Radford Revival).
Last edited by montesquieu; 19-03-2018 at 18:39.
In reality you are going to get between 12 to 15 watts each channel from a Stereo 20, dependent in reality on the age and quality of the output valves.
Having heard one and serviced the same I would highly recommend the Stereo 20.
If you aren't after ear bleeding sound levels I think you should try one. They do hold their price exceedingly well due to their performance.
I think the 10w point is where it hits 0.1% distortion, at higher powers the distortion starts to climb.
Very few modern valve amps are anywhere close to 0.1% distortion. I heard of a valve amp last week boasting of 2% distortion at its rated power output which I think is shocking.
Anyone who would like a standard unmolested Stereo 20, let me know, I have one sitting around doing nothing!
I even have the preamp, and Tuner to go with it.
A...
"Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
Nikola Tesla
Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]
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Matthew 5:10
and this has just turned up
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/t...-audio.213585/
ou might slip, you might slide, you might
Stumble and fall by the road side
But don't you ever let nobody drag your spirit down
Remember you're walking up to heaven
Don't let nobody turn you around
… Walk with the rich, walk with the poor
Learn from everyone, that's what life is for
And don't you let nobody drag your spirit down
Eric Bibb
For tne budget mentioned, the op could get an audio innovations s500 and snell j2.
A very nice introduction to valves.
Come sale time, or upgrade time, providing bought correctly from these or similar forums, he wouldn’t lose a penny.
And tney would be very easy to move on.
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Location: Torridon, Achnasheen, Highlands
Posts: 93
I'm Steve.