jaycars new valve amp

[ZACK]

what are your thoughts on the jaycars new
valve amp for $299.

ive picked up one of these and found
thay are tubestate tube input and state output.

has anyone got one?


zack

 

[David L. Jones]

what are your thoughts on the jaycars new
valve amp for $299.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AA0474
A fool and their money are soon parted.

Oh dear:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AR1777

And even worse:
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/aopenax4btube/

Dave.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

what are your thoughts on the jaycars new
valve amp for $299.

ive picked up one of these and found
thay are tubestate tube input and state output.

has anyone got one?

**Not anyone with half a brain. It is ridiculously over-priced, for such a
POS. It delivers a pitiful 18 Watts/channel. It uses a couple of
bog-standard output ICs, some 4558 line stage ICs (these date back to the
1970s) and a couple of valves (which are operating at stupidly high filament
Voltages) for distortion. A complete waste of time. The valves will not last
very long, due to the high filament Voltages). In fact, Jaycar sell a quite
decent integrated amp (P# AA-0470) for $200.00. At 100 Watts/channel, it
offers respectable performance at a reasonable price. No valves though. Just
decent performance at a bargain basement price.

You would have been MUCH better spending your money on a decent, second
hand, Japanese made amp, from Marantz, Yamaha, Rotel, NAD, et al. Those guys
use (in the main) all discrete output stages, modern line stage ICs (at
least 5532 class), are built to last and don't employ silly tricks (like
sticking useless valves inside) to suck in the gullible.

I trust that answers your question.

 

[ZACK]

**Not anyone with half a brain. It is ridiculously over-priced, for such a
POS. It delivers a pitiful 18 Watts/channel. It uses a couple of
bog-standard output ICs, some 4558 line stage ICs (these date back to the
1970s) and a couple of valves (which are operating at stupidly high
filament Voltages) for distortion. A complete waste of time. The valves
will not last very long, due to the high filament Voltages). In fact,
Jaycar sell a quite decent integrated amp (P# AA-0470) for $200.00. At 100
Watts/channel, it offers respectable performance at a reasonable price. No
valves though. Just decent performance at a bargain basement price.

You would have been MUCH better spending your money on a decent, second
hand, Japanese made amp, from Marantz, Yamaha, Rotel, NAD, et al. Those
guys use (in the main) all discrete output stages, modern line stage ICs
(at least 5532 class), are built to last and don't employ silly tricks
(like sticking useless valves inside) to suck in the gullible.

I trust that answers your question.

the amp i most use is a marshall 9200 2/ch 100watts p/ch
8x5881 4x12ax7.

 

[Phil Allison]

"ZACK"

the amp i most use is a marshall 9200 2/ch 100watts p/ch
8x5881 4x12ax7.

** For your home stereo ??

BTW

Know the beast well.


...... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Trevor Wilson"

"ZACK" <

**Not anyone with half a brain. It is ridiculously over-priced, for such a
POS. It delivers a pitiful 18 Watts/channel. It uses a couple of
bog-standard output ICs, some 4558 line stage ICs (these date back to the
1970s) and a couple of valves (which are operating at stupidly high
filament Voltages) for distortion.

** So what is the function of the two Russian 6P15s ??

These are closely equivalent to the EL84 power valve which can do 6 watts
rms single ended and 17 watts rms in P-P AB1 - and up to maybe 30 watts if
you are game to push the anode voltage to 450V and supply the screen from
280V )




...... Phil

 

[MisterE]

And even worse:
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/aopenax4btube/

Its funny how people 'swear by' vaccum tubes. Mordern devices are so
clean that they sound 'worse' to these morons. Just introduce a bit of
noise and things sound better. They even found this was true when they
were asking people to tell them which mp3 bit rate sounded better. If
they added random poeple were more likly to think a low bit rate sounded
better than a cleaner higher bit rate.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

"Trevor Wilson"


** So what is the function of the two Russian 6P15s ??

**No idea. Certainly not for driving speakers. There are no output
transformers. I've not pulled one apart. I've only seen photos.

These are closely equivalent to the EL84 power valve which can do 6 watts
rms single ended and 17 watts rms in P-P AB1 - and up to maybe 30 watts
if you are game to push the anode voltage to 450V and supply the screen
from 280V )

**Indeed. Nonetheless, this thing is a con-job. It uses LM -XXXX output ICs.
AFAIK, the anode Volts on the tubes is far too low to allow them to be able
to do anything meaningful. More seriously, however, is the nonsensically
high filament Volts applied to the valves. I'd be surprised if they last
much more than a few hundred hours.

This amp is for the seriously deluded only. It'll probably be a massive
success.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

the amp i most use is a marshall 9200 2/ch 100watts p/ch
8x5881 4x12ax7.

**So? What's your point? Are you trying to relate a well built, properly
designed professional amp to a POS sold by Jaycar to deluded people?

 

[Bob Parker]

More seriously, however, is the nonsensically
high filament Volts applied to the valves. I'd be surprised if they last
much more than a few hundred hours.

Just out of curiosity, what voltage is it hitting the heaters with?

Bob

 

[David L. Jones]

Its funny how people 'swear by' vaccum tubes. Mordern devices are so
clean that they sound 'worse' to these morons. Just introduce a bit of
noise and things sound better. They even found this was true when they
were asking people to tell them which mp3 bit rate sounded better. If
they added random poeple were more likly to think a low bit rate sounded
better than a cleaner higher bit rate.

No different to anything that is subjective I guess.
Like swearing a crapped out 40 year old VW beatle is a better drive
than a brand new Statesman or whatever.
There is a market for every taste.

Nothing wrong with saying "it's got heaps of distortion, but I like it
that way". But some people do get a tad delusional with the likes of
valve amps, like when they start wanting a valve amp with minimal
distortion and insist it sounds better than a solid state amp with the
same specs.

Dave.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Bob Parker"

Just out of curiosity, what voltage is it hitting the heaters with?

** Yeah, I got my doubts on TW's claim.

Valve heaters are made from tungsten wire, just like light bulbs, but do not
rum near as hot,.

The problem if you run them above nominal voltage is the cathode coating (
wot doles out all the darn electrons) gets worn out rather quickly.

Hardly maters in valves that barely do a jot of work.



...... Phil

 

[Trevor Wilson]

Just out of curiosity, what voltage is it hitting the heaters with?

**The measurements I saw were not taken with an RMS Voltmeter, but the
brightness of the filaments, compared with the same filaments operating at
the correct Voltage was clear and obvious. I'd reckon a 20-25% overload
would be in the ballpark.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

"Bob Parker"


** Yeah, I got my doubts on TW's claim.

**Pop down to your local Jaycar and ask them to plug one in. You'll note
that the filaments are running MUCH hotter than normal. Just ask ZACK.

Well ZACK, tell us how bright the filaments are, compared to the filaments
in your Marshall.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

"Trevor Wilson"


** So what is the function of the two Russian 6P15s ??

These are closely equivalent to the EL84 power valve which can do 6 watts
rms single ended and 17 watts rms in P-P AB1 - and up to maybe 30 watts
if you are game to push the anode voltage to 450V and supply the screen
from 280V )

**This should put it all into perspective:

http://www.geocities.com/cablehack/jaycar/jaycar.html

If I just purchased this POS, I'd take it back. It really is disgusting.

There's one born every minute. Jaycar actually sell a reasonable amp, for a
reasonable price (Part # AA-0470). There is no need for people to buy junk
like this.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

Just why would you run with a high filament voltage, other than to
increase burnout rate so people have to spend more on replacement?

**Have you forgotten? This is Jaycar. Gary probably needs to buy another new
Ferrari. If he cons enough idiots to shell out 300 Bucks for this POS, he'll
be able to buy one in no time at all.

 

[ZACK]

**The measurements I saw were not taken with an RMS Voltmeter, but the
brightness of the filaments, compared with the same filaments operating at
the correct Voltage was clear and obvious. I'd reckon a 20-25% overload
would be in the ballpark.

dont blame me i only found out after i got it.
you have not told us the voltage thats going
into them, or do i have to find out myself.
i know its a peace of crap.

as guitar player i wont go past a marshall.

 

[ZACK]

**This should put it all into perspective:

http://www.geocities.com/cablehack/jaycar/jaycar.html

If I just purchased this POS, I'd take it back. It really is disgusting.

There's one born every minute. Jaycar actually sell a reasonable amp, for
a reasonable price (Part # AA-0470). There is no need for people to buy
junk like this.

tell me, how do know obout this junk.
did you get one and found out or
were did yoy get the info from.

 

[ZACK]

**This should put it all into perspective:

http://www.geocities.com/cablehack/jaycar/jaycar.html

If I just purchased this POS, I'd take it back. It really is disgusting.

There's one born every minute. Jaycar actually sell a reasonable amp, for
a reasonable price (Part # AA-0470). There is no need for people to buy
junk like this.

tell me, how do you know obout this junk.
did you get one and found out or
were did you get the info from

 

[Jasen Betts]

Just why would you run with a high filament voltage, other than to increase
burnout rate so people have to spend more on replacement?

to make them light up brighter?