chinese amps galore

[Bradrock]

I just returned from the book store where I was looking at some audio magazines. I have been away from tube audio for many years( My 1st stereo was a tube Bigg of California in 1963) and I was shocked at what I saw in the mags! S24,000 for a tube amp! $4000 for a turntable! Obviously there are alot of people out there with more money than common sense! I don't know if the Chinese amps are any good but you can bet the domestic amp builders are probably having fits because of the prices.
I'll bet that if you hooked up a kit built K-12 amp to a good set of speakers that most of those audio elitists could not tell the difference between the K-12 and a $24000 amp in a blind audio test. And I know for sure that a Dynaco ST-70 could run circles around most of the "high end" tube stuff selling for thousands today!
Anyway, I'm new to the forum and hope to learn much here. My mom still has the Bigg of California amp and tuner stored at her house(not working anymore) and I plan on restoring it soon. Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_17

I just stepped into the 21st century, when headphone shopping!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Grado-Headphones-PS ... dZViewItem

[EWBrown]

The Triode Dyna-clone trannies are at least as good, and usually better, than the original Dynaco 50's - 60's vintage iron. The Chinese-built transformers can vary from abysmal to beyond excellent, so they would merit some "research" before taking the plunge...

The overseas shipping costs for airmail or "fast" surface delivery can be daunting, when it comes to crossing the Pacific (or Atlantic) oceans...

"Slow boat" tramp freighter delivery is less expensive, but one has to be v-e-r-y patient, as these can take a very l-o-n-g time to arrive, as the shipping routes are often not at all direct, the less costly (and much slower) carriers may be taking the "global tour" route between Shanghai or Hongkong and Long Beach, CA...

/ed B in NH