Modern version of a Leak Stereo 20

Anyone with any experience of the Leak Stereo 20 out there? If so you will realise the superb magical sound it produces - it might not be truthful - but hell it can play music. It has a crystaline sweet treble without sounding soft, and a extraordinary room filling captivating mid-range.

So, here's the question - is there any modern equivalent that sounds exactly the same in all areas? I just want the sound of this Leak without the looks.

 

IMHO the nearest one is the World Designs Kel84, although a kit it is available built up
http://www.world-designs.co.uk/acatalog/AmpKits.html

 

Yes thats the closest I've seen too. Not convinced it looks a huge amount better than the leak tho

 

I've been tempted by that one myself recently, I often wonder whether it would be any better than my EL34 valve amp.
It's given me pause to ponder a few times recently....

 

IMO valves themselves have a sonic signature. The EL84 sounds very different to the EL34.

LS I would say you are more likely to have more power, more smoothness. An EL84 is a punchy little fella.

All obviously depends on implementation etc tralala

 

It's got fewer watts, but that doesn't necessarily mean less oomph does it.
Hmm interesting.....

 

why not build a leak copy yourself ?
and design the case so it suits your style?

or get some mullard 5-10 based monoblocks and hide them behind the speakers?


I think the stereo 20 could be improved with a coat of mat black, although I quite like it standard.

I would go with the monoblocks as I think one mains transformer per channel is a major bonus.

I think the wad is a great amp but I wouldn't get one because of the ss rectification and the transformer situation.

here are my mullard based amps I rebuilt I quite like the look of chassis mount transformers and exposed valves.




sorry about the bad pictures *taken on my phone* and the stack of whiskey on the floor

*off subject* they did look like this

what a mess.

 

I know of a *new* EL84 based amp coming out.

Should be good.

 

is that Uncle Nick at it again?

 

but the Leaks look luvverly

 

might be

I think it's the instruction packs and all the work thats taking the time.

Apparently there will be an EL84 amp sometime in 06.. (with a tail wind!)

 

should be a very nice amp,

 

Thanks for all your suggestions, but my issue is size and space more than anything - the Leak does not look that bad. I can't easily fit the Leak on the bottom shelf of my Hi-Fi rack, and I have little angels running around the lounge now and then so I have to be careful.

I suppose what I am after is something not so tall, maybe more conventionally rectangular in shape - perhaps with valves inside - or there may even be a transistor amp that does the job (but I doubt it somehow). At the end of the day though, it must have the characteristic sound of the Leak (and I hope all who have replied have experienced the Leak so they know through experience).

I sense this is gonna be a tall order.

 

Just thought I would add that the only thing the Leak does struggle with is female vocals when they are going some at a good volume - with this I can hear obvious distortion

 

Indeed they do!

 

its not just the top.

The workings underneath, the sheer logic of the layout of the circuit board.... genius!

 

Can't you just get a Leak or a WAD and cage them? I know when WAD was WAD they had valve cages, I'm sure someone must do them for Leak.

 

Hi fi answers made a kit available in early 70,s
Called Edison 12 or something like that.
It was in a conventional case.
They sold a passive pre to go with it.
So it is possible
Maybe find one and get it rebuilt.
12w

 

The reason Leak and most other valve amplifiers are so tall, is that for heat dissipation, the valves should be vertical, and with plenty of air round them. Putting them in a box will cause heat problems, and anyway, many people buy valve amplifiers as much for the looks as the sound, so having a box that looks like any other SS amp defeats that part of the object.

Any of the Mullard 5-10 based amplifiers (EL84, PP and PPUL) will have very similar performance and all are of a similar form factor. As has been suggested above, you can get cages for these amplifiers to keep small fingers away, or you can do as I did when I had a much larger 100W stereo valve amp, I put it in a cabinet, behind a door, but with an open back for ventilation. You don't get the visual that way unless it's a glass door, but at least it's safe.

S.

 

I have used a stereo 20 for any years.
The sensitivity is 125 mv.
This rules out many active preamps.
I use a 10k passive.
Anyone buying one should consider this.
They can be modified to reduce this .
A modern EL84 would be OK in this respect.