Digging for records in Kolkata
A city that kept its records: where to look, what to expect, and how to bargain politely.
Valve or solid state: choosing an amplifier
What each kind does well, what it costs to run, and how to decide by listening rather than reading.
The question we are asked most in the listening room is whether to buy a valve amplifier or a solid-state one. Both can sound excellent. The difference is in how they behave, and what suits your speakers and room.
Valve amplifiers produce less power, often 8 to 30 watts, but they sound full and relaxed at moderate volumes, and voices in particular come forward. They need efficient speakers that do not demand much power. Valves wear slowly and need replacing every few years; a set of four EL34s for our amplifier costs about ₹9,000. They also run warm, which matters in a Kolkata summer without air-conditioning.
Solid-state amplifiers give more power for less money, run cool and need almost no maintenance. They drive difficult, inefficient speakers with ease. A well-made one from the 1980s, serviced, can be a very good amplifier at ₹25,000 to ₹35,000.
Our advice is to choose your speakers first, then the amplifier that drives them well. Then come and listen. Bring three records you know well, ideally one with a voice, one with piano and one with a lot happening at once. Switch between the two amplifiers on the same speakers. Most people know within twenty minutes.
