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Watford Valves or Hotrox?

Si74

pfm Member
Need new valves for my amps. Have had two sets from Hotrox in the past with no problems.
Looking at Watford's site, they 'appear' to do rigorous burn in/testing and have a better range of signal valves.
I'm tempted to try Watford but need a quad of KT88s and the only ones in my price range are JJs.
Had a quad of these before and had no complaint for a few years but when they go, they tend to do it in a bit too spectacular a fashion for my liking!
Loved the last quad of Sovteks, cheap as chips from Hotrox, sounded great and dead reliable. Unfortunately they are no longer in production.
These and the Electro Harmonix seem able to just fade away without taking the amps with them.
As said no experience of Watford and wondering their testing is more likely to weed out any duds?
 
I’ve used both and had no problems at all, though I’ve since moved further into the world of vintage NOS from eBay etc.
 
Like Tony, I’ve used both with no hassle.
I would use either depending on who had the valves I wanted.
 
I've used both- usually going with the best price. I bought an octet of EL34s and one of them had persistent flash over. Hotrox said they tested them all and it might be the amp but the same valve misbehaved in any location and they sent a replacement without quibble.
Another supplier shifting stock on eBay sold me a stack of PL519s listed as "matched". When they arrived there were absolutely no test markings on any of them! When I questioned 'how could they be matched?' I just got an err umm, you can get a refund if that's how you feel.
 
I’ve used both and had no problems at all, though I’ve since moved further into the world of vintage NOS from eBay etc.
Been there and really don't want to go there again, supposedly nos GEC KT 88S, glorious for a wee while, Audiogon, only time I've ever been ripped off in hundreds of deals was all these amazing valves from some island in the Indian Ocean, shame they never materialised. Had hundreds of 'nos' 6sn7s and finally sold them for a fraction of what they cost after spending good money on a valve tester which didn't tell me if they were noisy. No doubt some can sound sublime but at ludicrously inflated prices. Last quad of KT 88S were Sovteks at 23 quid a pop, beat everything else I've tried including a quad of EAT's at a price that's beggars belief and were utter..add your own expletive:)
15/16 years down the line and 32 valves in the system, next time one 'pops' may just go back to my Meridian M2s which have served me well for near 35 years. Music without the paranoia,lol
 


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