| ash_dac |
Hi,
Some compare gainclones to new equipment but what about to 2nd hand equipment ?
I picked up a 2nd hand Rega Elex amplifier for about £72. There is a £120 DIY gainclone on that auction site but still isn't a 2nd hand amplifier better value ?
This term 'gainclone sound' is confusing! |
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| Nordic |
It all depends what you want, a straightforward plain chipamp, needs very specific speakers to sound their best - not that they ever sound realy bad... believe me I tried. But there are more advanced applications like Mauro Penasa's chipamp, which realy is grownup sounding equipment when paired with a good buffer or preamp. I chose a simple valve buffer stage...
I suppose when all is said and done chipamps are probably not the end of the world, but are an awesome tool to get familiar with electronics for new guys and gals, you get to learn about power supplys, decoupling, filters etc all just building a simple GC and studying what you did...
Then if the bug leaves you, you probably didn't waste too much money, and if it bites you, you got a good foundation.
For me it started with basic inverted GCs, progressed to the Mauro Rev C, then I figured I would need a preamp , and build one, then I figured I needed a phonoamp and built it...wanted a headphone amp for my wife's ipod shuffle, and built it, all using the skills I gained from building the chipamp, and the buffer with a little help from my online friends, although I think I could build it by heart now it was a little hard to figure out right away...
80% of people don't care for that, and just want a finished product... I suggest they give the DIY sites a skip. |
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| x. onasis |
| What specific speakers are you referring to, Nordic? |
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| jacco vermeulen |
| quote: | Originally posted by ash_dac
a 2nd hand Rega Elex amplifier for about £72. |
Smashing value for money.
For the £48 difference you could revamp the Elex to perfection.
Not many secondhands around with lightningspeed semiconductors for so little cash, nice catch.
(should have a high quality H&F transformer) |
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| Nordic |
I would say single full range drivers as oposed to crossovered boxes...
Nothing wrong with picking up a sencond hand amp.. worst case scenario, you got yourself a nice case... |
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| ash_dac |
| quote: | Originally posted by jacco vermeulen
Smashing value for money.
For the £48 difference you could revamp the Elex to perfection.
Not many secondhands around with lightningspeed semiconductors for so little cash, nice catch.
(should have a high quality H&F transformer) |
Not sure what the transformer is inside but i've just noticed that I have some small Holden and Fisher Ltd potted transformers from old Creek cd players. No idea of the windings I will need to check on Monday http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/WebCHeck/fastrack/ to see if they are trading. |
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| jacco vermeulen |
"Should Have" = the ones i have seen on pics and for real had an H&F toroid.
Me suspects that production of the Elex stopped before H&F coughed and rolled over. :clown:
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| v-bro |
Iff still needed another affordable option:http://41hz.com
Not an easy build though.... |
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