UK Tube pre/headphone amps

[Yoga]

Herrow :¬)

I'd quite like the Woo Audio 2 amp, but as you know, it's a US product and hence you need to remove your financial trousers, underwear and dignity before owning one.

Since there are a lot of tube fans here, can anyone recommend any UK based products, in the £500 range that are seriously good? Tried and tested.

Need to power active studio monitors and some LCD-2 headphones!

Current SS options are Burson HA-160D and EE Minimax + M-Stage.

Any advice would be very much appreciated :cool:

[Ali Tait]

Ask Nick to build you something. :)

[Yoga]

Very interested by custom builds, but there is an element of risk with regards to system matching. With most gear, you search for stuff that has a particular sound, one which matches the rest of your setup. This is bypassed, and it does cause concern, considering the effort taken to build these things.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Ali Tait, marketing manager to "lurched audio" hehe, I'm joshin!

I'd have a think on that as an option Ross ...
Quality wise, winner I'm sure ...
The downfall is really what if it breaks and (god forbid) nick gets hit by a bus ... That really the only worry on getting something custom ...
I have plans to get nick to build me something ... Money and work and baby on way and stuff in the way more and more at the mo but one day hopefully soon ... And speaking from the experience of owning a custom build pre (that if fackin blindin) and having owned a Williams audio copper dac ... This sorta stuff is very good value for money!!!

[Yoga]

Ali Tait, marketing manager to "lurched audio" hehe, I'm joshin!

I'd have a think on that as an option Ross ...
Quality wise, winner I'm sure ...
The downfall is really what if it breaks and (god forbid) nick gets hit by a bus ... That really the only worry on getting something custom ...
I have plans to get nick to build me something ... Money and work and baby on way and stuff in the way more and more at the mo but one day hopefully soon ... And speaking from the experience of owning a custom build pre (that if fackin blindin) and having owned a Williams audio copper dac ... This sorta stuff is very good value for money!!!

Yes the maintenance is another consideration, time-wise. It's more to do with the fact you can't really audition a custom build. Well, maybe you can! Nick? :¬)

[lurcher]

Yes the maintenance is another consideration, time-wise. It's more to do with the fact you can't really audition a custom build. Well, maybe you can! Nick? :¬)]

Well, first point, its a good one. Anyone who I build stuff for is more than welcome to ask for the docs that go with a design. Though there is nothing I build that cant be serviced by any competent valve bod.

As to the second part, there is this headphone amp design I am rather pleased with, fond of that would be do able in your suggested budget.

http://www.hificollective.co.uk/pdf/otl_head.pdf

In theory you can have a listen to the prototype, but you will need to extract it from Marco first. Its pig ugly, being nothing but a prototype, but it will fit in a nicer small case with a little effort.

[Ali Tait]

Ali Tait, marketing manager to "lurched audio" hehe, I'm joshin!

Aye, Nick says the same thing from time to time!

Just so everyone knows, I have nothing to gain from recommending Nick's work, I don't get a finders fee!

It's just I believe that having Nick build you something will give you maximum SPPV, certainly far more than you would get from anything commercial at the same price.

Also, I am putting my money where my mouth is, he's building some amps for me.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I'd be supprised if anyone thought you did Ali... I certainly didn't!
If I could have convinced Hannah that another pair of floor standers (and keeping the valves in the living room) was a good idea I'd have a pair of Colins speakers off a very similar recommendation from you ...
Unfortunately I got faf blocked when she saw the Adams ... Not that I wast pretty much 99% convinced when I'd heard them ... But there is still a bit of me that would like to know what I'm missing ...
Same goes for one of nicks bits of kit ...
There are certain bits of info I get from this forum that seem to stick ... The main one being diy stuff is very good value in many respects ...

I forgot my phono pre ... That's a diy job off Paul (primalsea) ... That really is some bit of kit ... And for the £0 he sold it me it offers quite superb sppv ;)

[Ali Tait]

Aye Hamish, just wanted it clear for those that may not have known.

BTW, Nick's brand (if he can be said to have one) is Long Dog Audio.

[Yoga]

Well, first point, its a good one. Anyone who I build stuff for is more than welcome to ask for the docs that go with a design. Though there is nothing I build that cant be serviced by any competent valve bod.

As to the second part, there is this headphone amp design I am rather pleased with, fond of that would be do able in your suggested budget.

http://www.hificollective.co.uk/pdf/otl_head.pdf

In theory you can have a listen to the prototype, but you will need to extract it from Marco first. Its pig ugly, being nothing but a prototype, but it will fit in a nicer small case with a little effort.

Long shot here, can you make a 3-in-1, like the Burson 160D? DAC, preamp and headphone amp? Very tempted by your builds, still waiting on the info regarding the DAC we spoke of before :¬)

[Werner Berghofer]

in the £500 range

It’s not an UK product, and I don’t know the tax situation in the UK, but including express shipment from California and Austrian sales tax the price for my Schiit Valhalla (http://schiit.com/products/valhalla/) was £ 300.–

http://www.berghofer.com/photos/gear/library2.jpg

Highly recommended, very good sounding, built like a tank and drives my AKG K701 and Beyerdynamic DT990 headphones with joy and delight.

In June Schiit Audio will announce a line of DACs. Shipment of the first DACs is expected to start mid August.

[Yoga]

Nice amp. I had my eye on the Schiit Lyr, but it will cost at least £500 to get here, while it's value is $450 (£275). No chance :¬)

[Werner Berghofer]

Ross,


I had my eye on the Schiit Lyr

holy cow! Are you sure you need a power station like the Lyr?

[Yoga]

Exactly!

Going to be driving Dynaudio MC-15 studio monitors and some Audeze LCD-2's, so more oomph will come in handy.

[lurcher]

Long shot here, can you make a 3-in-1, like the Burson 160D? DAC, preamp and headphone amp? Very tempted by your builds, still waiting on the info regarding the DAC we spoke of before :¬)

Yes, thats entirly doable. Still messing with the DAC board at the moment.

[Yoga]

Yes, thats entirly doable. Still messing with the DAC board at the moment.

Fantastic! Look forward to hearing more info :¬)