Tír Na HiFi

I've been keeping an eye on various sites for a valve amp, as budget is limited given were renovating our house, I've been prowling the depths, the entry level as it were for valves

Ariand F34, Puresound a30 etc etc, I was hoping for remote....

Now "Modest's" old copland csa-14 has popped up on adverts....

I am looking particularly for all the lushness that valves can possibly bring, if it were straight up valves I'd have his arm off.... I love my Primare, Coplands like their more expensive cousin, who went to private school....

Hybrid? does it make sense when I'm looking for lush valves?

On the other hand it has a phono stage, so that's one less box!

Any thoughts?

I had one of those with a Copland Hybrid power amp. Lovely sound but not 100% tube by any means. Best of both worlds really, the precision of SS with a little warmth. Hybrid does = compromise to a certain extent.

did you use the phono stage?

was it worthwhile or just tacked on?

is it getting a bit aged now? I know valve amps haven't changed much, but ss has come on a lot no?

jaybee wrote:did you use the phono stage?

was it worthwhile or just tacked on?

I did and it was very very good. I went pure valve from that so I don't know if SS improved or not.

I have a feeling that used to belong to me.
I bought it new around '95.
At times I am sorry that I let it go.
I went all valve after and now I use ss pre with valves power.
Total reverse of Copland.
I would recommend a listen to the CSA14. Sweet and powerful as I recall it.
Natural sounding rather than some valve comfy stuff.
I used it with Monitor Audio GR20's and there was heaps of headroom on tap.

Well well well... a valve convert!! You're on the slippery slope there Jaybee!!!!

A Jadis Orchestra S/H can be got for around the 1100 mark or so... if my memory is correct.

From a personal perspective... I would start at the bottom... and slowly upgrade over the next decade.

There are heaps of different valve amps out there, some with huge price tags, others without. However beauty is in the ear of the beholder... so what I would recommend (if I may so) is that you pay a visit to other forum members for a listen etc.

Its great to listen to different set ups, music, speakers, sources etc... very interesting to listen to other members reasons / logic in choosing their equipment, and why they particularly chose a certain set up / combination etc, and of course the eternal discussion, of what they would like to upgrade to next!!!

Yes you right Gerry it was your amp. I was the second and i sold to some Polish lad from Navan .
I'm sorry to let it go as well(at that time i had big plans that never happen to me ) it's a killer amp for it's price .Would love to go back to Copland sound big time. Sitting now with full valve amp but most times missing that Copland juice , accuracy and precision on my type of music .
Ivor had wild amp set if memory serves me right, Copland CTA 301 MKII / CSA 515 power ,preamp have one of the best MM phono's on valves in it's range and well above. It's nearly impossible to find this combo on the market now.
Echhhh nice to remember

It's like a tirnahifi hand-me-down..!!!

I'd hope that it would be a stepping stone to an all valve future, but as a stepping stone it would appear to be a good compromise...

I love my Primare; but... I want valves...!!!

All the reports would seem to indicate it occupies a middle ground, and while some of the Chinese made amps could be good value, I'd hate to get burned, and not figuratively...!!!

Modest wrote: Ivor had wild amp set if memory serves me right, Copland CTA 301 MKII / CSA 515 power ,preamp have one of the best MM phono's on valves in it's range and well above. It's nearly impossible to find this combo on the market now.
Echhhh nice to remember

And well remembered! It was all with a Copland CD player too. Too powerful for the quad speakers I'd fallen in love with so a mate got a bargain by buying the 3 units.

I got a second hand Prima luna Prologue from the uk recently. If you want to try it out let me know. It is a kt88 but can also run el34's,kt90's and 6550's. You can get them for under a €1k (700 upwards). Oh it is 40w and 35 using el34's.