View Full Version : FS: Bill Beard BB100 50 Watt Valve Integrated Amplifiier.
Up for grabs is my Britsh Built Audiphile Products Bill Beard BB100. Better looking than most women - face it:)
This amp is a 50 Watt push pull design and to my eyes one of the best looking valve amps I've ever seen. It just looks brilliant - especially at nigh with all 18 valves glowing away.
I've owned it for 20+ years. This one is NOT standard and has had quite a bit of work done on it. Specifically:
1) I replaced the reservoir caps with new BHA ones.
2) 12 220uf Rubycon caps replaced with ELNA cerafine of the same rating. I reckon the sound marginally better than the Rubycons.
3) All Alps volume pots, which had gotten noisy, replaced with brand new ones.
4) Original Russian valves are now JJs with low hours.
5) All preamp section valves are Mullard CV types. These are very nice indeed and the JJ/Mullard combo is the best I have heard this amp sound.
Various other capacitors and resistors replaced - quite a few. 30+ items, probably - maybe more.
It has just been for a service at TubeFix. In other words, it has been checked with proper test kit and it is running ABSOLUTELY as it should do. The work done by TubeFix can be seen in the photo.
If you're worried, talk to Gary at http://www.tubefix.co.uk/, who I highly recommend. He knows the amp now, has a copy of my manual and circuit diagram, and if there is ever a problem, I'm sure he'll put it right.
Here is a Ken Kessler review: http://www.beardaudio.com/bb100-hfn.pdf
I will include a mass of well used Russian EL84s for free, the manual and circuit diagrams (which Gary found essential), the cage for the amp (I haven't taken any photos of it but if anyone is interested I will do). I also have ECC82 and ECC81 valves from Philips and others if you want to buy those too and do some rolling.
Please note that the transformer covers are NOT standard. The amp is such a looker I had a custom motorbike shop chrome them for me at some cost. They look massively better than the original raw metal ones, and really lift the amp aesthetically.
A true beauty, in better condition visually than any other BB100 I have seem. And in top notch working condition too.
Therefore, with all the work done on it, I want more than the £750 these things usually seem to attract. Most aren't in this condition and don't have the cage. Most will probably have issues and won't last without attention. I also have the original box, but it is not in good condition.
Price? Ball rolling at £1100. Pics to follow.
I haven't used this amp much for 10 years. It won't power big planar speakers but it will work well with 4 Ohm ESLs that aren't too inefficient, which the manual specifically states. Quads, for instance. It was very good with ProAc 2.5s and should work very well with dynamic speakers that need 50 Watts or less.
Pic from a few years ago:
http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9151&stc=1&d=1228170511
A mass of pics to follow, taken today. 2 weeks on here and if it hasn't sold it is off to ebay. People on this forum know me personally and I am not going to rip anyone off. Amp is pick up only I am afraid, or I will deliver half way up to 1.5 hours drive if you pay petrol costs.
Flower power pic.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X4CjHzNV174/U4HnydriCgI/AAAAAAAABCI/FVSlbUZBE88/w1061-h597-no/DSC01068
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FUGzgF8EOcg/U4HntjxQaeI/AAAAAAAABBw/jR8GYJElqj4/w1061-h597-no/DSC01065
23 pics here taken today. (https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/110178171641889521518/albums/6017344793038085585) Select slideshow and they'll get bigger.
Own a piece of British audiophile history and feel proud.:)
Tube fix receipt. He actually spent considerably more than 4 hours on it but only charged the original quoted price. I gave him more than the invoice:)
Go to Gary for all your tube woes. Highly recommended.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OQ0CXm--gU8/U4HqiskbndI/AAAAAAAABCc/PHoXe2UfcMM/w1061-h597-no/DSC01074
jandl100
25-05-2014, 14:45
Eeee - more valves than you can shake a stick at. :D
Justin? - yup, good bloke. :thumbsup:
How wonderful to see such a thing of beauty and brilliance with a 2-decade provenance from a devoted owner. A proper connoisseur's find. I'm an SS man myself but the appeal of this is blatant to see. Just amazing.
Oh my!
Rare and stunning. I wish I could justify having it, and I might. :D
I've not seen many about - 2 or 3 over the years.
It's looking at me at the moment as if to say "are you stark raving mad?":doh:
I could probably put the manual online if anyone is interested and wants a read.
When it gets nice and warm, the mid-band starts to sort of "float" and it sounds utterly gorgeous. Really smooth. Bass is warm and full.
Audio Al
26-05-2014, 11:33
Better looking than most women - face it:eek:
Brave man posting that :D
Is it higher maintenance than a woman :lol:
I've not seen many about - 2 or 3 over the years.
It's looking at me at the moment as if to say "are you stark raving mad?":doh:
I could probably put the manual online if anyone is interested and wants a read.
When it gets nice and warm, the mid-band starts to sort of "float" and it sounds utterly gorgeous. Really smooth. Bass is warm and full.
It's looking at me in a similar way. I'm wondering if I can live without this in my life, but then I look at my kit list, which is a long way off complete, and remember I have just the one listening room.
I've had a P35, which must share some similarities with this, and also a P50 and P100. I much prefer the el84 based designs for musicality.
:eek:
Brave man posting that :D
Is it higher maintenance than a woman :lol:
True though ;)
Hm not too many women hanging around on this forum thank god:lol:
High maintenance? I think she's (he? - it is a Beard after all) in tip top condition now and should be for a good while longer.
The P35 is good and must be similar to this as you say, but without swapping them in and out in the same system, it is hard to know just how similar. Heard one (P35) at Scalford a few years back driving some Triangles I think. The Earl's if that means anything to you.
I'm really tempted to hook it up to some speakers it really isn't suitable for (Mark & Daniel Sapphires) just to see what happens and justify keeping it. But those little boxes really do need more than 50 Watts. So I won't:)
Floyddroid
26-05-2014, 21:40
Great amp. I loved mine though i have to say, you are expecting a bonny penny for this. I sold mine for £400 a few years back and it was it excellent fettle.
Being a newbie on here I should probably stay quiet but I wouldn't have thought that value-judgements by third parties are helpful to anyone on a For Sale thread, however politely put. It can put people off buying for no better reason than someone else has an opinion (or, in some cases, an agenda), and also does nothing to honour the investment the seller has put into his bit of bit - what it means to them. I sold my last amp for half its market value - it has no bearing on what I could get today. And Ditton 66s were £100 a few years ago - now they can be over 10 times that. If Beards have historically been undervalued, they damn well shouldn't be now. Also, one day, when we've all clued-up a bit, service and ownership history will have a major bearing on re-sale values.
Funny earlier I was looking on ebay. See what you can get for £1100 and compare it to this.
Nuff said, IMHO.
Queue the "well, I rather have a..." comments.:) It is what it is. The price is what I want for it. Find a better BB100 for less and buy that. I bet you can't.
Think about what this would cost new these days. They really haven't got much better TBH.
Funny earlier I was looking on ebay. See what you can get for £1100 and compare it to this.
Nuff said, IMHO.
Queue the "well, I rather have a..." comments.:) It is what it is. The price is what I want for it. Find a better BB100 for less and buy that. I bet you can't.
Think about what this would cost new these days. They really haven't got much better TBH.
Indeed.
Keep in mind that the price of everything has just about doubled over the last few years, then add to that the fact that this was made in England, by a renowned engineer, I don't think the price is that high at all.
I paid circa 250 for my p35 some years back. Try getting a fettled one for less than a grand now.
Looks like the Earl's P35 went for £895 in 2012. This has a preamp section and 15 Watts/channel more. Gotta be worth £200 more:) Especially with custom chromed tranny tops, 6 CV series Mullards and loadsa new bits. Might even be underpriced. Time will tell that, of course.
The JJs have low hours BTW, less than the Mullards. The Mullards probably only in the 2-300 hundreds.
I d pay the asking if I had it.
I d pay the asking if I had it.
Me too Grant, beautiful looking amp.
GLWTS
Montesquieu or Tom - read your PM box.
Tom your PM box is full.
Still for sale chaps unless Tom grabs it. It won't get cheaper when it goes on ebay cos of those darn fees. It will go up to cover them.
Still available and sounded bloody great to me with Tannoy HPDs. I was aware Tom wasn't in a position to buy it before I took it round, I just wanted to hear the results, really, and it was a convenient stop off for other purposes.
Great amp and a great price. By comparison, I sold a rare Lumley PP40/ST40 pre-power a few years ago for more than Justin is asking for the Beard. Considering its condition, new JJ valves (count them) and the work and attention that's gone into this, it's a steal at the price. Have a bump on me Justin.
If anyone wants a demo with the Beard and Rhapsodys or Fidelios it could be arranged I am sure.
Might make a very nice basis for a very nice system.
On ebay now where you can make an offer. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bill-Beard-BB100-50-Watt-Valve-Integrated-Amplifier-/231255344917?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item35d7e48715)
Belated bump!
I had an ebay offer of £1000 but after the fees etc I decided it wasn't worth parting for.
However, £1000 at my doorstep and it is yours:) It IS worth it. It IS worth more IMHO. It is a great amp.
Winter is coming and YOU need to stay warm:) If you have some vintage Tannoys chances are this is a great match. Brilliant with HPDs in my opinion.
Winter is coming and YOU need to stay warm:) If you have some vintage Tannoys chances are this is a great match. Brilliant with HPDs in my opinion.
I can't believe this has not been snapped up!
If I had the spare cash Justin and wasn't wedded to my Albarrys, I'd buy it off you.
Please someone break Justin's arm for this (well....don't actually break his arm as he just might take offence).
Great amp suitable for a really wide range of systems.
I can't believe this has not been snapped up!
If I had the spare cash Justin and wasn't wedded to my Albarrys, I'd buy it off you.
Please someone break Justin's arm for this (well....don't actually break his arm as he just might take offence).
Great amp suitable for a really wide range of systems.
My head says "Oooh yes please", but my kit list says "Oh please make it go away". Seriously lovely thing that I'd love to use, but I just cant. No, really, I just cant.
montesquieu
13-09-2014, 17:22
I can't believe this has not been snapped up!
If I had the spare cash Justin and wasn't wedded to my Albarrys, I'd buy it off you.
Please someone break Justin's arm for this (well....don't actually break his arm as he just might take offence).
Great amp suitable for a really wide range of systems.
I have to agree I was utterly impressed with this amp with the Canterburys, it's an absolute cracker. Really looks the business as well.
That does look like a lovely amp, but I'll have to get tired of my P35 before I aspire to such splendidness.
Xmas bump. Nice little winter warmer this amp.
Got some time off soon so I'll put it back on the bay - dive in quick now if you're interested.
Back on the 'bay.
I have a French chap who is interested but I have decided I'd much rather NOT ship it to France. Bit of a shame as I think it would be ace with his Quad 9212s.
Sold on its way to France.
Nearly 4,000 hits and no UK buyers. Madness. This was and is a cracking amplifier. Really.
To the "oh - it's not worth it posts" all I can say is bullshit.
Good to hear Justin. I wish I could have afforded it.:)
Thanks Grant. I guess it wasn't cheap. Sad to part with it really it has been with me for a long time.
I like the idea of what it will be driving though. The recent big Quads aren't too bad:)
montesquieu
21-01-2015, 23:36
Agree this was an absolute cracker of an amp, sounded wonderful on the end of my Tannoys. Buyer should be a happy chappie. Or whatever the French equivalent is - 'happy' not really being their thing so much.
jandl100
22-01-2015, 07:22
That must have been a right bugger to pack for international courier!
Congrats on finally moving the lovely beast. :)
Funny actually Jerry I got the original box out of the garage thinking it was knackered as it had visible watermarks on it only to find it had the original inserts in it and was still very strong.
TBH the fact I wouldn't ship it is the reason it didn't sell on eBay. I did have a cash offer while on there of £1000 but I rejected it.
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