View Full Version : Valve Amps = Liquid Gold ??
Hypnotoad
21-03-2010, 16:49
I just picked up a Jolida 801A 70wpc valve amp for 200 quid, it had been upgraded with new capacitors, resistors etc. It hadn't been used a lot and the owner was moving out all his gear because his wife wanted to redecorate.
I found out how to bias it and with that done I replaced my Yamaha CR-1020 in my bedroom system with it.
I have a Technics SL-7 with Grado Blue cartridge, Cambridge Audio 540P phono preamp and some nice Boston Acoustics A200 speakers. Hardly state of the art I know.
But this amp sounds fantastic, it gives such a rich deep sound, yet detailed and musical as the same time, the sound stage is 3d.
I have never used a valve amp before, it is very basic with only an on/off switch, volume control and an input selector.
Here's some pics:
http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww297/Hypnotoady_photos/BRSystem.jpg
http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww297/Hypnotoady_photos/BRSystem2.jpg
Nice one Philip the Jolida is pretty good amp and upgrading parts can help it further
Nice move Philip. :)
I don't know this particular amp, but I was rarely deceived from Jolida bits.
Now the question is : how are you going to get out of the "Tube" addiction ? ;)
Nice move Philip. :)
I don't know this particular amp, but I was rarely deceived from Jolida bits.
Now the question is : how are you going to get out of the "Tube" addiction ? ;)
You don't get out of the "Tube Addiction" if you have any sense, you step up into the next chapter of your hifi journey ;)
Ali Tait
21-03-2010, 19:00
Indeed!
Lovely, and far better in sound than I'd expect the Yammy to sound after thirty plus years (didn't care for it much first time round...).
What you need now is a WD or Croft phono stage.....:lol:
Vinyl is a gift from God
22-03-2010, 09:11
"How's he managed to get a Jolida for 200 quid?" was my first thought....
Then I noticed the address :rolleyes:
Hope you get a lot of pleasure from it.
jantheman
22-03-2010, 10:01
Bottles of all sorts are welcome at my house...especially those that contain some of the said 'Liquid Gold'...
Hypnotoad
22-03-2010, 16:05
"How's he managed to get a Jolida for 200 quid?" was my first thought....
Then I noticed the address :rolleyes:
Hope you get a lot of pleasure from it.
It was a bargain, I saw it advertised on Craigslist here in Houston, it's online classifieds, they have one in every major city.
It was $300.00 U.S. which is roughly 200 pounds sterling by my reckoning.
It had just come on there so my wife and I jumped in the car and got to the guys house first. He was an older Gent with a very nice house in a nice area. He had it hooked up to a CD player and some Vandersteen speakers, it had been sitting in that spot for a while because of the dust underneath when he moved it. He said he bought it new 9 years ago. He said he didn't use it a lot because it was more convenient to use a Bose all in one system he had as well. He also said that his wife wanted to get a sectional couch and the speakers, amp and CD player had to go. Someone else arrived ten minutes after I paid him and wanted to buy it from me for $500.00. The other guy bought the speakers and CD player from him.
Everything looked legitimate to me.
I was just very lucky, I guess.
...
I was just very lucky, I guess.
sure, Phillip, you definitely were! congrats :)
Can someone explain pounds, pounds sterling and quid to U.S. dollers?
I figure the UK pound is worth close to $1.50U.S. but thats all I know and with the Feds printing money like the Wimar Republic it may well be 1 pound = $10.00 US by now.
And going green means our money will most likely be printed with snail goo on recycled toilet tissue.Given our new green economy,worth about as much.
The next person who tells me why I should do something in a greener way is likely to have one of my big green boogers flicked on there forhead.:lol:
We have so menny enviormental protection laws closeing industrys for no good reason just to move production to China where they can produce half as much twice as dirty and 4 times cheaper.
They are all ready trying to out law high current devises here like big solid state and tube gear,by makeing it illeagle to own an electrical device without the ENERGY STAR rateing awarded to it. This also takes large plasma T.V.'s off the market. So all vacuum cleaners,dishwashers ect... will be cheap junk.
Do you think there won't be a turn in your neighbor program,you can bet there will be.
They have allready outlawed incondecent light bulbs.
So long class A amps for sure.
Can someone explain pounds, pounds sterling and quid to U.S. dollers?
I figure the UK pound is worth close to $1.50U.S. but thats all I know and with the Feds printing money like the Wimar Republic it may well be 1 pound = $10.00 US by now.
And going green means our money will most likely be printed with snail goo on recycled toilet tissue.Given our new green economy,worth about as much.
Today, the exchange rate was £1 = $1.49, or $1 = £0.67.
A pound is the same as a pound stirling (so as not to confuse it with Egyptian pounds or Maltese pounds). The pound is also known by the colloquialism: "quid".
Generally however when US equipment is imported into the UK, the UK sale price is the same as the figure in dollars. The mark up allows for import duty, sales tax and importer's profit.
Regards
Stratmangler
25-03-2010, 23:39
Do you think there won't be a turn in your neighbor program,you can bet there will be.
I raised the same point on another thread earlier http://theartofsound.net/forum/showpost.php?p=111799&postcount=103
Oh, before anyone asks, yes Kalifornski is one of the areas that was mentioned in the conversation.
If it don't have SMPS then it don't ship - end of story !
Thank you,I thought it was all differant.
That makes U.S. hifi a good deal.
British made anything is very hard to get here.
I spent over $500.00 on Phillips Avent babey bottles,sippy cups,sterilizer,teething rings,extra nipples and pacifires.
all made in the U.K.
Nothing but the best for my little Poophead.
I raised the same point on another thread earlier http://theartofsound.net/forum/showpost.php?p=111799&postcount=103
Oh, before anyone asks, yes Kalifornski is one of the areas that was mentioned in the conversation.
If it don't have SMPS then it don't ship - end of story !
Sad the issues are happening to you guys too,I think all this crap is going to create one hell of a black market.
Will all the new prisons be made from green bamboo to hold all of us dinosurs who know better.
Stratmangler
26-03-2010, 00:01
Sad the issues are happening to you guys too,I think all this crap is going to create one hell of a black market.
Will all the new prisons be made from green bamboo to hold all of us dinosurs who know better.
You're right about the black market - I know one or two people who have a stockpile of leaded solder.
Currently there's no law prohibiting the sale of linear PSU's, but I think it's only time......
You're right about the black market - I know one or two people who have a stockpile of leaded solder.
Currently there's no law prohibiting the sale of linear PSU's, but I think it's only time......
Yes, I'm another one!
Regards
I understand the lead solder thing,When they banned everything but but water base bore cleaner turning the ol'Hopes no.9 into chicken broth.
I stock piled alot of the olive green steel cans of real WWII bore cleaner.
The good stuff that says. (POISON) DO NOT USE AS A FOOD CONTAINER.
And that famouse smell,just opening a can in a painted room will strip all paint from the walls and and remove any furniture wax build up from 50 feet away!
But you can clean the bore with one patch after a 50 round match and never use a bore brush!
It must be good because it's banned from production,it is also known to cause cancer if your stupid enough not to ware chem gloves.
Steve Toy
26-03-2010, 02:25
Sorry to sound naive but if the glorious socialist republic of Californski doesn't allow the sale of linear PSUs can't you ship them to Arizona or Oregon and bring them into Californski by road? There are no border patrols interstate. Or are there?
Sorry to sound naive but if the glorious socialist republic of Californski doesn't allow the sale of linear PSUs can't you ship them to Arizona or Oregon and bring them into Californski by road? There are no border patrols interstate. Or are there?
Problem is it's the whole U.S.A. not just one state.:doh:
anthonyTD
26-03-2010, 09:57
aparently leaded solder is still used in millitary and hospital aparatus because its more reliable!
but then we knew that didnt we!
A...
My view on this kind of thing is if you want something badly enough, you'll find it available somewhere by whatever method...! :eyebrows:
Laws and/or bans have never stopped me using/buying something I really want - and the lead solder (even if I used it) or linear power supplies 'ban' won't be any bloody different either!!
F*ck 'em, I say! ;)
Marco.
jantheman
26-03-2010, 10:55
Today, the exchange rate was £1 = $1.49, or $1 = £0.67.
A pound is the same as a pound stirling (so as not to confuse it with Egyptian pounds or Maltese pounds). The pound is also known by the colloquialism: "quid".
Generally however when US equipment is imported into the UK, the UK sale price is the same as the figure in dollars. The mark up allows for import duty, sales tax and importer's profit.
Regards
Not really relevant to much but the Maltese are now using Euros and have been for a couple of years....
Dear Mr Bond,
I happen to come across the post of SPECTRE #2 (also known as Dr Marco) who is elaborating a brand new plan of world domination. This plan will need the import of some illicit substances (code name SL-xxxx), of course, but he seems to have found a way to avoid the laws and regulations.
Yours sincerely,
An anonymous patriot
My view on this kind of thing is if you want something badly enough, you'll find it available somewhere by whatever method...! :eyebrows:
Laws and/or bans have never stopped me using/buying something I really want - and the lead solder (even if I used it) or linear power supplies 'ban' won't be any bloody different either!!
F*ck 'em, I say! ;)
Marco.
Yeah Maroc, but i want to use dark creosote, old fashioned Jeyes fluid, and have coal tar in my shampoo. Just like it was before the EUSSR ban. It won't make my music sound any better - unless I wash out my ears with a potent mix- but it woud put in a better mood and I'd stop playing all that sad stuff.
Just to add to the lead solder debate for all you diy plumbers, you are not allowed to use leaded solder on drinking water pipes, only can only use leaded solder on central heating systems, you can be fined an amount per joint if you use ( and are caught) leaded solder on drinking water supplies, the solder from memory has a green drum for leaded and blue for unleaded.
Its the same for my day job of kids play equipment instalation that you are not allowed to use paint that contains lead on any equipment and has been for quite a few years
Just to add to the lead solder debate for all you diy plumbers, you are not allowed to use leaded solder on drinking water pipes, only can only use leaded solder on central heating systems, you can be fined an amount per joint if you use ( and are caught) leaded solder on drinking water supplies, the solder from memory has a green drum for leaded and blue for unleaded.
Its the same for my day job of kids play equipment instalation that you are not allowed to use paint that contains lead on any equipment and has been for quite a few years
were talking about lead solder for audio not plumbing.:lolsign:
were talking about lead solder for audio not plumbing.:lolsign:
I was trying to be helpful in a roundabout rambling f**ked up way :ner:
So that's what happened on our US honeymoon - the lead in me pencil was removed in the Customs check :eyebrows:
Hasn't recovered since.....
the lead in me pencil was removed check :eyebrows:
Hasn't recovered since.....
Mine was removed after a slighly painfull operation, mine hasn't forgot but recovered since :stalks:
just call me Jaffa
Sorry to say on so menny levels,we are being opressed by self rightouss do gooders in the name of earth worship.
I'm going to use poison bore cleanner to clean lead from my gun,drive a big smog monster Buick Roadmaster and use lead soilder when ever I want and claim progressive libralizum is a religon and I want freedom from it.In the words of Eric Idle from Montey Python in the sene where he plays a man claiming his right to be a women and wishes to be called Laretta. ("Don't you oppress me").
You don't get out of the "Tube Addiction" if you have any sense, you step up into the next chapter of your hifi journey ;)
Sense has nothing to do with it. Sometimes you go through valves in your journey onwards and upwards... :)
I know one or two people who have a stockpile of leaded solder.
Indeed, because unleaded solder is crap and difficult to use well. I have a nice large reel of leaded solder that I'm going to hoard for the rest of my days :)
Sense has nothing to do with it. Sometimes you go through valves in your journey onwards and upwards... :)
It would take something very special to tempt me away from valves though, i aint heard it yet
I was tempted away some time ago. However, I still have a great liking for valves. As I was recently reminded in my own system, courtesy of some nice valves from Marco, good valves and good trannies don't sound as different as you might expect anyway.
I was tempted away some time ago. However, I still have a great liking for valves. As I was recently reminded in my own system, courtesy of some nice valves from Marco, good valves and good trannies don't sound as different as you might expect anyway.
To be fair i did listen to a solid state system that i could of lived with but it was made by MBL and Cost a 140 grand :eek: so that blew any thoughts of ever owning one unless my 6 numbers come up, back to reality and no pot to piss in, happy times :)
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