Sounds like a Yorkshire version of WWF or some oop north Marvel Comic story...anyway...
Been giving my old A21 some use this past week or so and been loving the thing. Rare to find an amp which sounds so good (and musical with it) at low volume - and driving either the Quads or the AX2's it delivers very well. Hell, it even has a very respectable phonostage. Shame I have to use a 2RCA/DIN adapter- it'd be even better with a DIN plug fitted to the arm leads. Still in fact need a DIN/DIN lead for the CDI.
It's got me thinking, as these things do, that I should have a much closer look at Sugden's more modern offerings, either a new A21 Series 2 or perhaps a used A21SE.
I've done some valve-dabbling, notably Icon MC34A and a short spell with a loaned A30, but it really hasn't floated my boat. The Sugden (and we're talking my old steam-powered 12w one here)seems to offer a lot of the valve amps' realism yet it has much more convincing grip and rhythmic prowess.
Getting to the point, has anyone done a comparison between the new 'breed' of affordable valve integrateds ie Prima Luna/Puresound/Icon etc etc and the new A21? From the experience with my old version I'm reckoning the new one must be quite a dark horse.
Edit: If this works out the Exposures will be up for sale in the relatively near future.
Been giving my old A21 some use this past week or so and been loving the thing. Rare to find an amp which sounds so good (and musical with it) at low volume - and driving either the Quads or the AX2's it delivers very well. Hell, it even has a very respectable phonostage. Shame I have to use a 2RCA/DIN adapter- it'd be even better with a DIN plug fitted to the arm leads. Still in fact need a DIN/DIN lead for the CDI.
It's got me thinking, as these things do, that I should have a much closer look at Sugden's more modern offerings, either a new A21 Series 2 or perhaps a used A21SE.
I've done some valve-dabbling, notably Icon MC34A and a short spell with a loaned A30, but it really hasn't floated my boat. The Sugden (and we're talking my old steam-powered 12w one here)seems to offer a lot of the valve amps' realism yet it has much more convincing grip and rhythmic prowess.
Getting to the point, has anyone done a comparison between the new 'breed' of affordable valve integrateds ie Prima Luna/Puresound/Icon etc etc and the new A21? From the experience with my old version I'm reckoning the new one must be quite a dark horse.
Edit: If this works out the Exposures will be up for sale in the relatively near future.