Charles,
Last night, I was thinking that I should just get myself a Dynamo and be done with it and have a bunch of money left over for re-tubing. However, since the consensus here seems to be that the 300 B is something really special and that I should try to move in that direction to "get it right the first time" if possible, then it looks like I am looking at either the Audio Note Kit 1 or that Audio Nirvana piece from David.
The appealing thing about the Audio Note proposition is that I would know exactly what's in it, I would have the fun project of building it, and it is clearly heavily upgradable. Brian was nice enough to make me an offer with the better capacitors at dealer cost ($160) and the shipping fee waived. I also get three inputs and, I would imagine, better resale value, if needed, than pretty much any other kit because of the Audio Note reputation. Anyway, this would bring me in just a hair under my maximum budget. The only thing that gives me pause about this option is something I read in the assembly manual, which is online. It says something like, "The stock tubes are fine for testing and burning in, but a few months down the road you may want to get yourself some better tubes." The idea that I am going to have to sink more money into the amp so soon for it to show what it can really do is a little disconcerting! Thoughts?
As for the Audio Nirvana amp, it is very tempting because of the price and the possibility of discovering "The Greatest Bargain in SET Amps These Days." :-)
My hesitation would come from the untested nature of the beast, and from the fact that David seems to be, as far as I can tell, running this operation out of his home. (His wife picked up the phone the first time I called and I heard, "honey, you have a customer!") Of course, this is not unheard of in the Wacky World of Audio Manufacturing and distribution, but it does make you think. Of course, on the other hand, it's probably exactly is kind of small-scale operation that makes his pricing structure possible. He or, in this case, his engineer friend, design the products, have them manufactured in China, and then sell them here at a very low profit margin.
When I spoke with him yesterday, I asked him about the warranty situation. He said, in effect, that he hadn't had to think about it all that much because he had never had any returns on his first tube amp, which is a 6V6, Push-pull affair. I told him that I have a great, local repair shop here and I'm pretty sure he said that if it needed repairs, he would pay for them to be done locally.
I do have a certain hesitation around buying gear made in China. I really, really don't want this wonderful thread to be diverted into the topic of eastern versus western made audio gear. There are plenty of other rancorous threads for that purpose! I am not concerned about quality, because I know that there is some superb stuff coming out of China these days. I am more concerned about the ethics of relatively well off people in "first world" countries buying their luxury goods on the backs of workers in lower wage countries. But again, I'm not judging any of you who don't feel the same way or have the same qualms about this. But I'll call David today and ask about parts quality.
Last night, I was thinking that I should just get myself a Dynamo and be done with it and have a bunch of money left over for re-tubing. However, since the consensus here seems to be that the 300 B is something really special and that I should try to move in that direction to "get it right the first time" if possible, then it looks like I am looking at either the Audio Note Kit 1 or that Audio Nirvana piece from David.
The appealing thing about the Audio Note proposition is that I would know exactly what's in it, I would have the fun project of building it, and it is clearly heavily upgradable. Brian was nice enough to make me an offer with the better capacitors at dealer cost ($160) and the shipping fee waived. I also get three inputs and, I would imagine, better resale value, if needed, than pretty much any other kit because of the Audio Note reputation. Anyway, this would bring me in just a hair under my maximum budget. The only thing that gives me pause about this option is something I read in the assembly manual, which is online. It says something like, "The stock tubes are fine for testing and burning in, but a few months down the road you may want to get yourself some better tubes." The idea that I am going to have to sink more money into the amp so soon for it to show what it can really do is a little disconcerting! Thoughts?
As for the Audio Nirvana amp, it is very tempting because of the price and the possibility of discovering "The Greatest Bargain in SET Amps These Days." :-)
My hesitation would come from the untested nature of the beast, and from the fact that David seems to be, as far as I can tell, running this operation out of his home. (His wife picked up the phone the first time I called and I heard, "honey, you have a customer!") Of course, this is not unheard of in the Wacky World of Audio Manufacturing and distribution, but it does make you think. Of course, on the other hand, it's probably exactly is kind of small-scale operation that makes his pricing structure possible. He or, in this case, his engineer friend, design the products, have them manufactured in China, and then sell them here at a very low profit margin.
When I spoke with him yesterday, I asked him about the warranty situation. He said, in effect, that he hadn't had to think about it all that much because he had never had any returns on his first tube amp, which is a 6V6, Push-pull affair. I told him that I have a great, local repair shop here and I'm pretty sure he said that if it needed repairs, he would pay for them to be done locally.
I do have a certain hesitation around buying gear made in China. I really, really don't want this wonderful thread to be diverted into the topic of eastern versus western made audio gear. There are plenty of other rancorous threads for that purpose! I am not concerned about quality, because I know that there is some superb stuff coming out of China these days. I am more concerned about the ethics of relatively well off people in "first world" countries buying their luxury goods on the backs of workers in lower wage countries. But again, I'm not judging any of you who don't feel the same way or have the same qualms about this. But I'll call David today and ask about parts quality.