pure sound 2a3

[lewis]

I'm thinking about purchasing the Pure Sound 2a3 amp, and would just like to know if anyone here has heard or is using one. There does not seem to be too much info about the amp anywhere, although the amp had a very good review in Hi Fi News. The 2a3 will be driving my Kef Reference two ~ two's, which have a 90db sensitivity, and a minimum 3.2 ohms impedance.

[Rowlf]

Likewise , I am quite interested to hear what people think. I saw it at April's hi fi show but it wasn't used at that time.

[worthingpagan]

I'm thinking about purchasing the Pure Sound 2a3 amp, and would just like to know if anyone here has heard or is using one. There does not seem to be too much info about the amp anywhere, although the amp had a very good review in Hi Fi News. The 2a3 will be driving my Kef Reference two ~ two's, which have a 90db sensitivity, and a minimum 3.2 ohms impedance.


List of dealers:


pure sound products are available from the following UK retailers.


Deco Audio - Aylesbury 01296 422224
Definitive Audio - Nottingham 01159 733222 Sevenoaks S&V - Warrington 01925 632179
Sevenoaks S&V - Basingstoke 01256 324311
Sevenoaks S&V - Manchester 0161 839 8869
Audio Acoustics - West London 01753 842173
Coherent Systems - Bucks 0845 5191833
Kevin Galloway Audio - Kilmarnock 01563 574185

HiFi Sound - Stockton on Tees 0845 6019390
Progressive Audio - Rainham 01634 389004
Audio Destination - Tiverton 01884 243584
Breckland Audio - Thetford 01842 755170
Walrus Systems - London 0207 7247224
Emporium HiFi - Kent 01304 239419
V'Audio - Bristol 0117 9686005
Loud & Clear - Edinburgh 0131 555 3963
Radlett Audio - Saffron Walden 01799 599080
Audio Affair - Birmingham 0800 520 0710
Big Ears Audio - Penzance 01736 740421
Kronos AV - N Ireland 028 877 53606
Sound Hifi - Dartmouth 01803 833366
Sound Practice - St Albans 01727 893928

[chelsea]

Heard it with hecos about 3 years ago.
Sounded very good.
Back up from puresound is excellent to.

[DSJR]

Guy's a good guy I understand :) Buy with confidence :)

[lewis]

Thanks for the replies guys. So, nobody on here actually got one then? It's on offer at the mo, on the bay for £1695 new, with free delivery from Hi fi heroes, which is Audio Affair's ebay name, who are based in Birmingham. I'm also curious as to whether i could buy better for similar kind of money, any suggestions?:)

[Ali Tait]

Yes. For that kind of money, Nick (Lurcher) could build you something rather special if you ask him nicely.

[Effem]

Thanks for the replies guys. So, nobody on here actually got one then? It's on offer at the mo, on the bay for £1695 new, with free delivery from Hi fi heroes, which is Audio Affair's ebay name, who are based in Birmingham. I'm also curious as to whether i could buy better for similar kind of money, any suggestions?:)

I would steer well clear of the "bargain" valve amps which may not be all that reliable - especially the far east sourced ones with a 220v mains transformer.

I have the Pure Sound A30 at home here on long term reliability trials. It has not missed a beat and it sounds sublime. I can vouch for the back up that Pure Sound provide, whereas others may not be quite as responsive or helpful.

[chris@panteg]

Thanks for the replies guys. So, nobody on here actually got one then? It's on offer at the mo, on the bay for £1695 new, with free delivery from Hi fi heroes, which is Audio Affair's ebay name, who are based in Birmingham. I'm also curious as to whether i could buy better for similar kind of money, any suggestions?:)

I doubt you could buy a better 2A3 amp for the money IMHO of course and i have heard it myself at the London show last year ! Very nice amp indeed and if i had the dosh i would buy one in the morning :) Seriously .

If its Audio Affair they do a 30 day option which should give you enough time to decide if you like it or not , i say give it a try :) The 2A3 is one of my favorite valves ( i used to have 2nd audio's) hopefully it should work just fine with your speakers , it has a healthy 18 watts output and if you do go for it , i would love to know how you get on :) I have a great respect for Guy and his designs , his support is as good as any ! Buy with confidence .

BTW Audio Affair are good to deal with also.

[lewis]

I doubt you could buy a better 2A3 amp for the money IMHO of course and i have heard it myself at the London show last year ! Very nice amp indeed and if i had the dosh i would buy one in the morning :) Seriously .

If its Audio Affair they do a 30 day option which should give you enough time to decide if you like it or not , i say give it a try :) The 2A3 is one of my favorite valves ( i used to have 2nd audio's) hopefully it should work just fine with your speakers , it has a healthy 18 watts output and if you do go for it , i would love to know how you get on :) I have a great respect for Guy and his designs , his support is as good as any ! Buy with confidence .

BTW Audio Affair are good to deal with also.


Once again, thanks for the helpful replies. I do like my vocals, especially the female variety, and i like what i've read regarding the 2a3 valve, which supposedly has most of the warmth of the 3oob, combined with the lower octave authority of the el34. I think i've more or less made my mind up in favour of the 2a3, so i will keep you updated when i get it.:eyebrows:

[Rowlf]

Thanks guys. Even if I am not the op. This information has been very useful to me.

I prefer 2A3 over EL34 too.

[Mr. C]

The price that Audio affair is quoting is incorrect, they have been listing 2009 prices instead of the current ones.

[DSJR]

Since I will never be able to afford the likes of this again :( I'd be looking at Glenn's integrated for a grand with phono and £750? without...

[lewis]

The price that Audio affair is quoting is incorrect, they have been listing 2009 prices instead of the current ones.



I spoke to a salesperson at Audio affair last friday, who confirmed the Pure Sound 2a3 price was £1695.

[lewis]

Well that's it then, i've finally gone and purchased a Pure Sound 2a3, but, being the tight git that i am, i found a used one for sale from Heatherdale audio, only 1yr old, boxed, and in pristine condition. I got it for £1400, so i'm quite pleased with that, and i should have my grubby little hands on it by thursday. I will let you know what i think.:eyebrows:

[trane]

IF it's not too late AND you know/heard of/trust the ol' Audio Innovations line, Heatherdale also lists the same 2A3 valve-based 2nd Audio amps that retailed at 3000 GBP a pair in the '80s, now at 1495, the same price as the Pure Sound affair, though I am confident, with a more serious and a true high-end sound than the PS, and the pair have just been serviced at Audio Note... I definitely would much rather go for these - hm? also, if you have line level sources only a passive control box w/ a pot and input switch would do from a laugh and then you'd have one of the best-sounding kint recently avaliable - I believe the sonics of the 2nd Audio is in the present-day league of valve amps of 5K (new retail price)

[chris@panteg]

IF it's not too late AND you know/heard of/trust the ol' Audio Innovations line, Heatherdale also lists the same 2A3 valve-based 2nd Audio amps that retailed at 3000 GBP a pair in the '80s, now at 1495, the same price as the Pure Sound affair, though I am confident, with a more serious and a true high-end sound than the PS, and the pair have just been serviced at Audio Note... I definitely would much rather go for these - hm? also, if you have line level sources only a passive control box w/ a pot and input switch would do from a laugh and then you'd have one of the best-sounding kint recently avaliable - I believe the sonics of the 2nd Audio is in the present-day league of valve amps of 5K (new retail price)

I used to have 2nd audio's , great amps :) but as standard the bass is all over the place , very poor solid state rectifiers .

Different ball game with a pair of Border Patrol psu's but hideously expensive , David Wright has some affordable alternatives i understand.

[Ali Tait]

Nick could build supplies far better than the border patrols for a lot less cash.

[trane]

I used to have 2nd audio's , great amps :) but as standard the bass is all over the place , very poor solid state rectifiers ...

dunno Lewis' speakers but i have heard the 2nd Audios with AN-E/Ds and J/Ls, plus with ProAc Response 2.5s, none of which showed this cited 'trait' of it. also, a friend of mine, actually one of the cellists in the Hungarian Festival Orchestra, has been using the 2nd A's with AN E/Ds for many years w/o ever complaining of this 'problem'... however, i can imagine this happen w/ some speaker/amp combination

[chris@panteg]

dunno Lewis' speakers but i have heard the 2nd Audios with AN-E/Ds and J/Ls, plus with ProAc Response 2.5s, none of which showed this cited 'trait' of it. also, a friend of mine, actually one of the cellists in the Hungarian Festival Orchestra, has been using the 2nd A's with AN E/Ds for many years w/o ever complaining of this 'problem'... however, i can imagine this happen w/ some speaker/amp combination

I used them with Snell type J's and my M8 John still has his 2nd's with type E's until he had them fitted with the BP's the bass was flabby with no control .

These speakers are as good a match as any , Valve rectified choke input filter is the cure , though its not an easy or cheap solution .

I think the BP's are a bit too much now as only the MB version's are available at a grand each and you need 2 .

[chris@panteg]

Nick could build supplies far better than the border patrols for a lot less cash.

I don't doubt that at all :) would they be choke input filter like the BP's or does Nick have other ideas .

[Ali Tait]

Probably choke input but you'd have to ask him. If he did use something else it would only be because it sounded better.

[lurcher]

Well, yep, choke input is just a case of the right transformer, the right rectifier and the right choke. Its possible to do what BP do for a bit less cash, but the iron doesn't come cheap, and buying them in one off's pushes the price up. I am getting the chokes in the MCRU power supply is boxes of 10 at a time, but that doesn't work for one off's.

As, Ali knows I am also a fan of the effect of regulated supples for this sort of amp. Preferably with a choke input supply before them. An 6080 + ECC83 makes a good regulator for a 300b or pair of 2a3's.

As it happens I am just in the process of testing a choke input valve regulated supply for a phono stage I am building. It will use choke input for both the B+ and heater supply and is using a B+ regulator built around a 6EM7.

[Ali Tait]

As, Ali knows I am also a fan of the effect of regulated supples for this sort of amp. Preferably with a choke input supply before them. An 6080 + ECC83 makes a good regulator for a 300b or pair of 2a3's.

Yes indeed, I have heard what a difference regulated supplies make and the difference is not subtle!

I was lucky enough to hear the regulated 300b amp Nick built when it was singing, and it was a totally amazing amp, haven't really heard anything to touch it until he built the prototype direct coupled static amp for me, not that it was better, rather equally as good but different sound.

[lewis]

IF it's not too late AND you know/heard of/trust the ol' Audio Innovations line, Heatherdale also lists the same 2A3 valve-based 2nd Audio amps that retailed at 3000 GBP a pair in the '80s, now at 1495, the same price as the Pure Sound affair, though I am confident, with a more serious and a true high-end sound than the PS, and the pair have just been serviced at Audio Note... I definitely would much rather go for these - hm? also, if you have line level sources only a passive control box w/ a pot and input switch would do from a laugh and then you'd have one of the best-sounding kint recently avaliable - I believe the sonics of the 2nd Audio is in the present-day league of valve amps of 5K (new retail price)



Thanks for pointing that out, but i'm pushed for space, so i can only squeeze in an integrated.

[chris@panteg]

Thanks for pointing that out, but i'm pushed for space, so i can only squeeze in an integrated.

I'm sure you will love it , and for me 1 box instead of the 4 i used to run is a hell of a lot more practical :)

[Giant Haystacks]

Hi i heard an amplifier called Consonance which used 2a3 which seemed to put in a nice enough performance, they are nicely styled and also have a 300b version
The speaker manafacturer Paul Klipsch -his amplification of choice was a Brook 2a3 which would probably be similar to the Pure Sound being discussed

[chris@panteg]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread rather than start a new one.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a lovely condition Puresound 2a3 amplifier from Rob of this parish.

I've been keen to get one of these amps for probably eight years or so now but for many reasons just wasn't possible.

Three years ago I managed to buy a pair of living voice avatars with the intention of partnering with this amplifier and here it is.

The set up is probably not ideal as I'm having to use the Marantz pearl lite as a pre amp, it seems to work quite well, though gain is perhaps a bit high? especially with vinyl playback, with cd there seems to be a bit more drive than going direct into the 2a3 which I think has a passive volume control.

The amp sounds wonderfully open with great depth and a natural tone to instruments and vocals, it also has plenty of grunt with superb bass control, obviously the choice of speakers must be done with care.

It sounds so good at moderate listening levels too which I expected as I previously owned audio innovations 2nd audio monos.

Solidly built at 28 kilos and superb packaging to boot, highly recommended, I love it.

[walpurgis]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread rather than start a new one.

Resurrect? You've dragged it from the tomb. It died near seven years ago :lol:

Anyway. Glad you like the amp.

[chris@panteg]

Resurrect? You've dragged it from the tomb. It died near seven years ago :lol:

Anyway. Glad you like the amp.

Yes I realised almost straight away I might have made a grave error, but what the heck :D
Thanks, yes I love it, tubes are back and it's getting hotter!