Any one heard a WAD Kel84?

I know a few people have had good words to say about the larger WAD's, but has anyone heard (or even built) the baby of the range.
I have this valve itch that flat refuses to go away.


TIA,
Paul.

 

Hi Paul,

The Kel84 is a nice starter kit. Here are some thoughts on it

https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?t=208&highlight=Kel84

Have a look at these.

http://www.edenlake.com/amplifiers.htm

Richard (LordSummit) has one and is more than pleased with it.

SCIDB

 

Hi
I have a Kel84 I built last year as I my first valve amp

It is very easy to assemble and it responds well to upgrading

If it is your first foray into valves it will astound you that such an inexpensive amplifier can deliver a sound like it, it blows away any solid state amp below say 1000 pounds, I was gob-smacked and would never go back to ss.

Although it is only rated at 15w it is quite capable of driving difficult loads,

You know what they say about valve watts being more powerful than ss ones

sorry about so many superlatives,

Vibbles

 

I heard just about every WAD amp. They do get better up the ladder, but it is never a disappointment going back to hear the KEL84. A great little starter amp.

However I personally think a Leak ST20 or pair of Quad II's show it a clean pair of heels. The ST20 can usually be had for about £300-350, whilst the Quad's are more like £400-500. I have seen Icon's (EL34's) for about £450.

 

Many thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. I have been following Richards journey with great interest as we seem to be starting from the same point (I have a 32.5 - 110). My budget is what I can sell the Naims for, and this is set in stone for the forseable future, so we can assume £300-350 tops as the budget. These will have to be sold first.
Edenlakes MC34B at £350 is the fully built option at this moment, and as I visit Nottingham quite regularly I am hoping to have a listen to one some day.
Source will be a Garrard 401 and at the momment I am using a Project PhonoBox but this will make way for a DIY Prefix some day. Will the output from a phono stage be enough to drive this type of amplifier (a power amp with a pot) or does the use of a vinyl front end change matters?

Paul.

 

Sorry but I don't understand how you can say that, the Kel absolutely wipes the floor with both of them. A few choice components and its not even in the same ball park. Modern txs, it has everything the olds ones do plus speed.
Its a great amp. I'd trade leeks or quads for a kel any day, and its cheaper. And the EL34 is a crap valve anyway imo

Phono stage output is line level, its fine.

 

Paul - I've got an Edenlake MC-34B arriving tomorrow. I'll be comparing it to my Nait 2, so I'll let you know it goes.

 

Anex.

Disagree with you chap.

Absolutely nothing wrong with EL34's. They have a warmer presentation IME than the 84's, which sound punchy yet sligthly bright. Horses for courses.

I'd pick a vintage amp like a pair of quads or Leak too. Not least because you can get every penny of your money back should you choose to upgrade in the future.

It's also worth pointing out that as good as the WAD is, at 15W its perfectly possible to buy a second hand amp for similar money with a higher output.

NB Paul - if you do buy something vintage you have to accept that there is a greater possibility of a resistor/capacitor going pop. If this happens the cost of a new cap/resistor will be pence, plus about 20 quid to get a tv repair man to fix it for you.

None of that's ever put me off vintage kit.

I also love the aesthetic and image of vintage gear. You really feel like you have a piece of living history. Instant audio chic!

 

The Edenlake keeps getting better and better. Even Mrs Summit comments as to how real the voices are. Listening to the football yesterday for the first time on it was a real eye-opener as to it's mid range realism, there's much less sibilance than the Naim mangaes, and actually I don't feel to have lost out on any of the 'Naim punch' It's a more realistic sound, without what Tony L so aptly described once as stunt bass. I'm so happy that I can't conceive of getting rid of it. Tweaking the valves in a year or so maybe, but swapping, I couldn't afford anything better. I haven't heard the 34B, but I imagine it will be similair, but perhaps a little fussier over partnering speakers.

Anex if you don't have constructive things to say don't bother. You might not like it, others do. Since when did you become an arbiter of taste. They provide a route into the far superior world of valves. It may not be the best in the world, but I reckon mine is the equal of some very expensive transistor amps that I've heard, so it can't be that bad can it

 

el34 is one of my fave all time valves, nothing wrong with it at all.

I have had 2 kel84's, so I do know where this amp is coming from, I have owned many wad amps.

Great little amp.

Tis actually a bit speaker sensitive and under powered, so you do need an easish load or sensitive, I would say 88 db or more. smaller rooms, too.

Its an astounding bargain, I really love the amps, I think the icon is perhaps a bit better as of being more powerful, but IMO, apart from the el34 type amps, which I think is the best all round valve of all time due to ease, cost and availability, along with great sound, I think the kel84 is probably the best way into diy valve amps, as its dead easy to build, and on a pcb which makes life easy.

Designed by the Audionote designer, Andy Grove, highly recommended, and you can tweak quite considerably...change valves, feedback, triode or pure pentode connection. great starter amp.

One of the best amps I heard was a leak, so lee may be right, but bear in mind these older ones can require maintenance, and the quad, despite having its die hards is reputed not to sound as good as leak, its very much a personal thing tho', I know lee swears by quads and ls3/5s ( personally I have a sneaking suspicion older stuff is better sounding to do with the materials, none of this modern plastics, older seems better to me)
kel84 is modern stuff, so is more 'easy' to live with, no leaking caps and burning resistors. It will without doubt outdo 95% of transistor amps. guaranteed. I actually think kel84 is wads best amp sound per poundwise

 

i've just bought a kit6550 from WAD and i am in the process of bolting it all together. took the plunge after hearing only 2 valve amps, the synthesis nimis and the WAD itself. the synthesis was a 12w deal and £800 the WAD 40w and £600. the WAD was better. can't really add much more to this debate than that

just thought i'd blow my own trumpet

p.s. there are lots of wires, and i'm scared

 

I didn't have the bottle to build a kit. I think if I had have dared I would have bought the WAD, I've heard nothing but good about it.

 

put it this way, i took my better half with me because she had the day off.
it is the first time she has ever expressed an opinion on anything hifi related (other than it costs too much).

she fully understood and noticed the lack of sibilance and the smoothness of the complete recording and commented that it was not at the detriment to any of the other sounds. in all fairness she had to be told what sibilance was, but she was happy that the tssssh noise was gone from voices (fair enough). she also felt that the 6550 had lesser sibilance removing properties than the fitted 88's. so thumbs up to the kit and hence the purchase.

then she got a migraine and mark gave us a lift back to the station - thankyou mark wad - great bloke

 

Thats why it says in my opinion. Lots of 34 users I know of replace the 34s with 6550s etc. which are better tubes. Theres nothing wrong with the amps but I don't like the tube. Which is what I said in the first place.

 

No you said they're crap, not that there are better options. IMO lots of things are crap, but it isn't appropriate to say it. Perhaps you should weigh your words before giving us the benefit of your wisdom, plenty of 34 users I know like them. There may be better options. If I could afford it I'd have the gorgeous single ended triode Audio Notes I've heard, but I can't so I have what I have.
Saying something is crap, is not the same as saying you think something else is preferable. If you think that what you said is constructive, you'll never help anyone. ZG is a friendly helpful place, your comment was out of place and unhelpful.....imo of course

 

Eh? how the hell do you come to that conclusion?

 

Ive just realised, my next purchase will sound crap coz it uses EL34's:

http://www.metropolis-music.co.uk/products/hovland/hovland_sapphire.htm

At least Ive saved 7k

 

Who cares what it sounds like, it looks gorgeous. IMO

On a more serious note, I second LS's comments and do wish people wouldn't use terms like crap to describe any piece of kit. It may not be their cup of tea but that doesn't mean noone else will like it either. It can often start pointless arguments. If it's not to your liking just say that rather than it's crap. Putting IMO at the end isn't enough.

 

Everything's obviously "IMO" unless someone is quoting something objective. I think what people object to is the overstatement or exaggeration, if they examine their own reaction carefully, and the possibility that such an overstatement might offend owners of the device. Somehow, a forum doesn't have the same social constraints that prevent me telling my neighbour that I think, for example, his car is crap. We have to constantly work at building these social constraints on a forum.

 

I wouldn't tell my neighbour his car was crap either but if he asked me if I thought he should spend £400 odd on an el34 amp or buy the kel84 before he'd parted with any money I would tell him the 84 as I do not like the 34. Or more likely, I would say I think the 34 is a crap tube or something to that effect. If he'd already spent the money I wouldn't say it, I'd congratulate him on having valves in his system. Sorry for any offence caused, it is my opinion on what was said.