audio-talk

I was just surfing the web to try and get a feel for amp and parts values, and it's like a desert.

Many new valve amps for sale brand new at prices less than the seeming value of the parts...is this the end?

I have a couple of pairs of james transformers to go on ebay and a 2A3 with James outputs and I can't find anybody selling new at all...are James still in existence?

It's very difficult to value stuff for sale if there aren't any yardsticks left. If you can't find a realistic starting price for stuff on ebay it's possible you could end up giving it away...oh waily waily

Ed, what do you feel is a fair price for a used pair of James output transformers ?

The ones I used were 6123HS ? Can't remember what I paid for them but £130 - £150 seems familiar.

EDIT.

In Oct 2013 Steve C was offering a pair for £75

http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=5202

I'd be interested in some James transformers Ed.
Drop me a PM.

Yes, a lot of stuff has gone, I was asked to make a 2a3 amp last year and found the James were no longer out there.

James still seem to be in business... http://www.jyaudio.cn/james_new.htm

jack wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:13 am James still seem to be in business... http://www.jyaudio.cn/james_new.htm

So does this page http://www.meta-gizmo.org/ But he died 17 years ago.

When I tried to find a actual pair of transformers it seemed that at least for them all the usual sources had dried up.

The page you found looks to be on a Chinese site, but James were/are from Taiwan, I think its just their catalogue.

I got my James transformers from this Ebay seller,

sandy85272002

But he seems not to be selling anything at the moment.

Yes, I thought they'd packed up a couple of years ago. Probably says a lot about the realities of the valve hobbyist supply industry.

simon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:21 pm Yes, I thought they'd packed up a couple of years ago. Probably says a lot about the realities of the valve hobbyist supply industry.

That's a bit of a bummer. They're way prettier than Sowter or Lindhal et al. (visual appeal being the overriding factor )

I've been looking and looking
and the equivs have gone as well. i.e

Hashimoto H20-3.5u
Tango XE20-S
James 6123HS

not sure about the Tamuras

this maybe apochryphal but I recall a chap on diya saying(IIRC) that he had the tour of the james factory and witnessed the transformers coming off the line and having a number of different badges fitted after they were potted.

that may or may not be the case for all but for them all to disappear at the sameish time does look a bit suspicious. There was large agreement at the time this was an issue.

I have only compared the James to Hammonds but I know for sure which I preferred...

there are used Tango and Hashimoto transformers on ebay and other places for mortgage money.....made from unobtanium??

we're doomed I tell you, doomed! oh waily waily

Plitron, who made toroidal output transformers still have them mentioned on the home & product pages, but all the actual transformer data has all been removed, so I guess they are gone too...

Tango were properly named ISO-Tango - they went bust in 2013 and were reborn in 2015 as ISO Transformers

AE and Sowter are still winding to order, but there is a price difference to James.

Not sure about Electroprint, they still seem to be going, but never tried them,

I have a pair of AE 2a3 transformers that are on my todo list.

Get Dave Slagle to wind some but buy some covers !
It is a shame the range is reducing very suddenly though. I think Bud Purvine has stopped now. Pieter T has for sure.

jack wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:46 pm
Tango were properly named ISO-Tango - they went bust in 2013 and were reborn in 2015 as ISO Transformers

well spotted...

the FC20S which is the equiv of the XE20-S is £176 each...but you've got to pay vat and carriage and import charge on top of that...doesn't compare too well with the original(IIRC) of about £175 for a pair. I'll risk a bet that it's the same transformer as the original James and Tango.

I'd read of that too ed, but I don't know if it's apocrophal. Tango packing up was a bit of a surprise but was apparently more to do with the guys that wound the transformers getting old.

Not much value about anymore it seems. China for cheap, then Hammond, Lundahl, Electroprint, AE (were they/weren't they made in India?), Sowter, Dave Slagle, Monolith. And a few others.