Rogers Cadet III Advice & Opinions Needed

[Thomo]

I am a complete noob to tubes. After listening to a friends valve amp I am looking to buy/build one for myself.

I have been offered a Rogers Cadet III, it seems to be a one-box integrated version? The chap is asking £165 including all the valves, this isn't working, he says it powers up but just hums through the speakers. I suspect this could be bad caps, but I know of a guy who could fix it cheaply.

The other amp is a fully working pre-power version for £230.

I would really appreciate some advice here. Are they worth these prices? Could I build something better for not much more?

Please help!

Lee.

[316a]

Originally posted by Thomo
I am a complete noob to tubes. After listening to a friends valve amp I am looking to buy/build one for myself.

I have been offered a Rogers Cadet III, it seems to be a one-box integrated version? The chap is asking £165 including all the valves, this isn't working, he says it powers up but just hums through the speakers. I suspect this could be bad caps, but I know of a guy who could fix it cheaply.

The other amp is a fully working pre-power version for £230.

I would really appreciate some advice here. Are they worth these prices? Could I build something better for not much more?

Please help!

Lee.

The power amps seem to be very overpriced , these typically go for £60-100 . The Cadet 3 is not a particularly inspiring power amp , the output transformers are rather small . The pre-amps use the unobtainium ECC807 (£45 each new) and are not really of much use apart from the phono stage . I bought my Cadet 3 pre and power for £30 , it took a complete rebuild as all the caps were shot and most of the resistors had drifted . The pre-amp went on Ebay . The ECL86 tested all over the place , two of the originals were retained and another two were matched up from stock . Mullards are becoming more hard to find these days . A good entry to DIY if the price is right . Don't expect miracles , this is a 'budget' amp

cheers

316a

[poynton]

Originally posted by Thomo
I am a complete noob to tubes. After listening to a friends valve amp I am looking to buy/build one for myself.

I have been offered a Rogers Cadet III, it seems to be a one-box integrated version? The chap is asking £165 including all the valves, this isn't working, he says it powers up but just hums through the speakers. I suspect this could be bad caps, but I know of a guy who could fix it cheaply.

The other amp is a fully working pre-power version for £230.

I would really appreciate some advice here. Are they worth these prices? Could I build something better for not much more?

Please help!

Lee.

Lee,

I have had a couple of the integrated versions. In my opinion, they are an excellent first tube amp. I was driving Spendor SA1s (inefficient) and it was a little underpowered to go really loud but nice at normal levels.

However, at that price, I would say too much especially as it is not working. He is probably looking at the price of the ecc807's on Ebay and going from there.

The preamp section is not much cop. There have been a couple of threads where these have been rebuilt into 'baby hueys'.

Look on Ebay. They come up fairly frequently or haggle hard.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/rogers-cadet-3...QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-Roger...QQcmdZViewItem


Andy

[EC8010]

£165 is a lot for a non-working Cadet III. Five years ago, I paid £80 for an alleged working integrated Cadet III. Every single electrolytic needed to be replaced. That said, the Cadet II is quite a nice little first valve amplifier. As has been previously said, the output transformers are rather small.

[Thomo]

Thanks for your opinions guys. That link for the non-working one on ebay has no valves with it. I guess buying replacement valves would be expensive.

I think I'll hang on and find a better value alternative.

My speakers are Tannoy dual concentric, >100db sensitivity so power is not top of the list. I am just after an amp that would better suit these. Do you get much detail out these rogers amps? I am currently running a modified/rebuilt Quad405.

Cheers,

Lee.