I recently moved into a larger storage unit and ended up uncovering a mountain of analog amp parts—probably eight large boxes in total. I’ve been exclusively using Hypex modules for the past five years, but before that, I spent a lot of time building Class A amps from the PASS forums, and later on, experimenting with various VFET designs. I brought a few of those heavy builds home to give them another listen. Maybe I’m just used to the sound now, but to my ears, the Hypex stuff clearly sounds better.
So now I’m wondering if it’s finally time to part ways with all those analog parts. I'm not looking to start a Class A vs. Class D debate—this is more about what people do when they go through a major shift in thinking. Like when people transitioned from vinyl to CDs, or moved from solid-state to tubes. With commercial gear, it’s easy enough to sell it off. But leftover parts and DIY projects are another story. They’re a pain to sell, and it feels wrong to just throw them out. Things like large heat sinks, caps, and transformers take up a lot of space, they’re heavy, and they’re not exactly easy to move.
It’s mostly me thinking out loud here, but I’d be interested to hear how others have handled this. Did you hold onto things in case you changed your mind? Or was it better to just let go?
So now I’m wondering if it’s finally time to part ways with all those analog parts. I'm not looking to start a Class A vs. Class D debate—this is more about what people do when they go through a major shift in thinking. Like when people transitioned from vinyl to CDs, or moved from solid-state to tubes. With commercial gear, it’s easy enough to sell it off. But leftover parts and DIY projects are another story. They’re a pain to sell, and it feels wrong to just throw them out. Things like large heat sinks, caps, and transformers take up a lot of space, they’re heavy, and they’re not exactly easy to move.
It’s mostly me thinking out loud here, but I’d be interested to hear how others have handled this. Did you hold onto things in case you changed your mind? Or was it better to just let go?
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I have come to the realization that I have a limited number of years left on this planet and enough unfinished projects left to use them all several times over. My daughter doesn't know an ohm from a Jiggowatt (movie spelling), so it would all just wind up in the trash if I left this world tomorrow. I have slowly been reducing the "stuff" by trying to find people that would actually use it. Hamfests seem to bring plenty of people with somewhat overlapping interests, So I sell or give away the stuff I'm not going to use there. I gave away several hundred pounds of electronics, science, and woodworking books at the recent Dayton Hamfest. I sold several of my own amps there in previous years.
I'm sure you could find takers for some of your excess stuff here, but shipping gets expensive.
I'm sure you could find takers for some of your excess stuff here, but shipping gets expensive.
I'm in a similar boat as Tubelab, though I probably have a lot less stuff. Last year, I sold some parts and PCBs, some stuffed and some bare, on the forums here. Some things were sold for a large loss compared to what I paid and others took a long time to move, but I'm slowly cutting down on stuff I won't use. Still have quite a bit left, though. It is a time commitment to try to sell it, which is mainly what has me dragging my feet.
I held onto things for decades because I thought I might need it, but it has turned out that I never used it. Letting things go has helped ease my mind a bit because there is less clutter to see and handle.
I held onto things for decades because I thought I might need it, but it has turned out that I never used it. Letting things go has helped ease my mind a bit because there is less clutter to see and handle.