NOSValves

Funny thing is NO TEST EXIST that the answer comes back to confirm NOS or a truly measured and accurate life test. A tube tests the same for 90% of its life and than drops like falling off a cliff.

Buy those vintage 7189A tubes if you can confirm they are truly NOS the N stands for New. I say this because the definition of NOS has been abused to include used tubes for years. Yeah the 299B is a 7189 amp it can use the 7189A just fine.

Eric.....No amount of thinking or design are going to make $300 in materials worth $3700....not in my opinion. I do believe I have a right to my opinion.....

The work looks to be nicely done. The brown faced LK72 with a nice face plate fetch pretty good money so I say even $950 isn't a bad deal if you can audition to confirm proper operation.

Nope the LK72 is indeed the kit version of the 299C the LK72B is the kit version of the 299D

I've got a rather large Doors collection I'd be willing to sell you!

If the listing is honest that was a great price. A lack of a wood case or a SUT is no reason not to grab is at that price. I just hope the listing is legit for whomever did buy it. Tom is still available to build a cabinet and the same SUT as I installed inside the preamp can be ordered for external use from K & K Audio.

Not sure why one would own Bells if my room and placement is best served "in the corner toed 45 degrees" might just as well have Khorns. The main reason to own Bells or Lascalas is to get away from that limited placement at the price of lower frequency response. In the corners yes if possible.... 45 degrees not so much. I'd suggest toeing them so they merge anywhere from just in front to just behind your head.

My gosh old buddy where you been? I thought you fell off the face of the earth! Good to see you posting.

My system can no longer handle hot sources....😉

whatever wild scheme you guys come up with as long as a 1 year or more delivery with a crazy high price is included I'm in!

why cause I'm making your gear worth more

Total of 21 built counting 2 prototypes. 19 of the final production version were built of those 2 were line stage only. Not sure how many of the phono stage versions had LOMC maybe 6 or so. Gary Powers has Prototype #2 and I have Prototype #1. I have one unbuilt chassis still on hand and that baby is mine! No one has made a high enough offer to pry that one away from me yet LOL!!! I seriously doubt I'll ever order another batch of Preamp or amplifier chassis...... I just don't want to work as hard is it takes to keep up with both the vintage and new production side of this business anymore. I have enough metal to build a couple pairs of VRD monoblocks and maybe 5 stereo versions when those are gone I'm done with that too!

Grab them you won't regret it! Dave is a top notch stand up person to deal with.

too much pay for about $300 in raw materials.

sometimes the best reply is no reply at all...

I'd forget all the switching complications, buy a quality 50 to 75 WPC tube amp and forget about it... but that's just my 2 cents

I think the guy is hilarious... he obvious does not have any love for Single ended amps.....

Yea well I wonder what real tube lurks under the dark glass.. My bet is pretty darn similar to above.

Valve Art is the same tube out of the Shuguang factory as the Ruby

Looks an awful lot like a Ruby KT88-STR or Valve Art KT88 to me

Are the psvanes clear glass?

that is probably the overall gain of the amp..

Not KT88's though right? I have lots of Chinese made KT88's to compare. None of the other types....

I've been using the shuguang made KT88SC formerly from Penta labs and now from Ruby tubes KT88V-STR for years. I've never tried the new "branded" Mullard but to date sonically I've never met a Russian made KT88 I liked. Although many of them are more reliable than the Chinese made KT88's. I wish all the high end jobs coming out of China didn't have the smoked glass I'd love to see the business end of these tube to see if they truly are any different...