Amp Kit Update
Well, I just placed an order with Bob Latino (Tubes4HiFi) for one of his Dynaco ST-70 Tube Amplifier clone kits. It is 35WPC.
Here is a quick rundown of my kit searching process.
I tried to contact ampslab.com twice because I really like what I see on the website. I made my questions very straight foward and asked if they were still in business, but I never received a reply at all. It's a shame because any positive feedback from them and I would have bought a kit immediately even though they are SS amps and I was more interested in tubes for this build.
I contacted Bottlehead about a tube amp and got a pretty quick reply. The price to performance just didn't do it for me though. Also, on my Quickie build, one of the RCA jacks was missing a grounding lug. Not a huge deal, but I emailed them and asked them to send me the missing piece and never got a reply. When I asked a question as an interested customer, I got a quick reply. When I asked as a customer that was missing a minor part, no reply, so I think I'm done with Bottlehead.
I then contacted Oddwatt to ask about their Poddwatt integrated amp. I really liked the fit and finish of this gear. Also, it has a subwoofer output (actually a full-range pre-out) that is a really nice feature and rare in a tube amp. I also liked the price, and was ready to pull the trigger. They replied very quickly, but unfortunately the Poddwatt is currently unavailable. The good news is that they have an updated version in the works planned for a January 2013 release. The bad news is it will be about $150 more than the current model, and I don't want to wait til January.
Then, I contacted Bob. He replied back within a couple of hours (so far living up to his online reputation). I emailed back and forth a few times and got some more info. He was very responsive and I really liked that he never tried to up-sale me on anything. I asked about the St-120 and various upgrades, and I never once felt that he was trying to pad his wallet from my questions. He retired in (I think) 2003, and has been making a little money from his hobby, so that is cool.
All things considered, I spent a little more $ than I intended for this build, but I don't think I will be disappointed or have buyer's remorse. I also didn't go over-the-top and there would still be some options to upgrade in the future if I get the itch.
After this, I don't really plan to do any more tube builds. All solid state after this one. I've also been considering something a little different....maybe a Theremin, Tesla Coil, or a drum machine would be fun.