K-502 or Yamaha RX-V361 for Klipsch F-1?

[Brit01]

I need help.
I have a pair of Kilicsch F-1 and was planning on buying a Yamaha RX-V361 amp but I seem strangely drawn to the new world of Tube amps. Spent days surfing looking at the range and beauty of these valves glowing. Can picture these nicely on my rack in my living.

Problem: Cash

Would it be advisable to buy a kit like the K-502 to run my Klipsch speakers and ditch the idea of a cheap Yamaha?

Look forward to your responses.

[Ty_Bower]

Considering the members of this forum, the answers you receive are likely to be a little bit biased, wouldn't you think?

The Yamaha is going to have stuff like a volume knob and input selector switches. The K-502 won't. Is this important to you?

The Yamaha will come out of a box, plug in, and work. The K-502 will need to be assembled, and might not work the first time. How are your soldering and troubleshooting skills?

The K-502 won't have a whole ton of output watts, but Klipsch in general tend to be efficient. Do you need it to be loud?

The Yamaha will be mediocre, but more or less just plain work. You'll live with it forever, or until it breaks, or until you decide to upgrade it to something better. The K-502 will be an endless source of fiddling and modifying and upgrading. The Yamaha is a destination. The tubes are a journey.

All that said, I'd go with the tubes myself. I used to have solid state receivers, but I've all but given up on them. I enjoy the tubes much more.

[Brit01]

Thks for your input.

I'm looking for the journey.
I love assembling things and playing round modifying things. I want something different that will require looking after and get something back that is satisfying.

Loudness is not important to me. I want to get involved with the music.

I listen to a huge variety of music form Pink Floyd to Sinead O Connor to Metallica.

My electrical skills are ok, used a soldering ok before but still need something basic.

Bare in mind I live in Uruguay where supplies are extremely limited. Probably have to have most things shipped.

Cheers

[Brit01]

There's an old pioneer SX-800 for sale (radio doesn't work but I don't use this anyway) on ebay here at the moment but not really what I'm looking for. Could this be desmantled and rebuilt on a new chassis to display the tubes? Bit too ambitious for a newcomer I suppose. Apart form this there is nothing else on the market here. Shipping a K-502 could be an option.