Audio Innovations First (Triode) power amp

[wojtek]

House renovations have unfortunately resulted in my losing my listening room, and some big bills.

This is an interesting power amp by Audio Innovations before Audio Note was set up.

It is I’m told an octal-base 2A3 triode power amp outputting 7.5 very big watts. It is a heavy beast. It is missing the acrylic top plate. It retailed at £1300 in the early 1990s - there is a write up about them online.

It has a high gain - I had to purchase some attenuators for my passive preamp out.

It has a big muscular sound - comparing with my Tim de paravicini power amp (an older design called a tva10) it was a lot faster and more vivid whilst the latter was a bit warmer and laid back. I presume this is what the 2a3 and good transformer combination is about.

I had it serviced a few years ago for £450 at my local hifi shop (audiophilia) - they replaced a lot of components to bring it in to spec. I’m afraid I don’t know much about it but the yellow Jensen capacitors I can see through the base look clean and new. I haven’t really used it since, i preferred the synergy of my Leben preamp and tva10.

I do not have a box, it is missing the decorative acrylic top plate so I think £600 would be reasonable. Ideally if you are near to Edinburgh pop over to hear it - I can briefly set up speakers in the living room and a vinyl or digital source.

I hope that’s clear and apologies if I have muddled anything. Photos attached - do contact me if they are not to spec for forum rules.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230830/3fbb4844136e8e71f8c9d70f8dcc0eba.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230830/cd09f05bf34c2607860dbe9cd9974659.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230830/5548b1795229b9e7c40f7fc8223f1ac8.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230830/a10971beaf1c94230de626b9594c5285.jpg

[wojtek]

This is now sold to Bob, who has been a pleasure to deal with. Looking forward to meeting soon.

Many thanks also for other messages and helpful advice.

[wojtek]

Ps please advise me on the form for marking this as sold or moving it to a sold thread?

[struth]

just post sold. thats it... it will quckly sink down listings

[bumpy]

I lived in Brighton, the heartland of AI and owned 2nd Audio monoblocks.
These initially had 6B4G triodes but as world supplies dried up they converted to 2A3 triodes.
Lovely, lovely amps

[philv]

I lived in Brighton, the heartland of AI and owned 2nd Audio monoblocks.
These initially had 6B4G triodes but as world supplies dried up they converted to 2A3 triodes.

Lovely, lovely amps

What does the conversion involve?
Expensivr?

[bumpy]

What does the conversion involve?
Expensivr?

I never got mine done and am not very technical but was led to believe it was just a rewiring of the valve bases to accomodate a different pin wiring configuration.

[wojtek]

There is a write up online, basically outlining three versions of this amp as the original pre-war valves dried up. The gentleman I’ve sold it to was aware of who in the UK is familiar with these and does conversions - eg for my (or rather his!) one it should be pretty straightforward as it’s the pin configuration only not a different voltage/type of valve. Having said that I am not expert! Have yet to learn how to wield a soldering iron.