Valvet Soulshine - lovely tube amp handmade in the north of Germany

VALVET soulshine - The Sum of Experience and Emotion  
The soulshine is VALVET's mid-line product, sound more like a top-of-the-line product. Also in this case, tubes weren't invented, but were used especially cleverly. Two coupled step circuits in one intelligent circuit - more isn't needed to convey great feeling.

Pure Music, Pure Goose Bumps
The soulshine provides connections for 5 line inputs. These can be selected by mechanical ELMA dial near the sockets. All signal connections inside the housing are isolated with pure silver PTFE.  The signal runs through two double triodes (ECC802S + ECC99 resp. four 6SN7 for the soulshine8) only one high-quality MUNDORF (silver/gold/oil) foil condenser per channel. The volume setting can be means of a state-of-the-art 48-step resistor-ladder switch with remote controlThere is a choice of two outputs plus recording output or three outputs.

The external power supply uses a powerful torodial core transformer and, for the first time, a solid-state rectifier, since this design has proven to be advantageous for the sound of the soulshine. No component-overkill, but perfect working conditions for the soulshine. All housing components are made of aluminum, between 2 und 12mm thick. Pre-amp and power supply rest on turned hardwood cones.

The soulshine shows exceptional detail, plasticity and sound stage. Everything is played on a black/still background. The listener hears no tube noise, but many tube virtues. Voices really have body, strings have the right fluidity, and an electric guitar sounds just like it should. Especially the harmony between silence and dynamics captivates the listener right away.
As a business we have to collect 8% TAX from buyers in California.

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Specifications:
inputs: 5 high level inputs, input impedance 100 KOhm, 1x XLR
amplification: 8x, 18dB
output: max. 50 Volts, output impedance 400 Ohm, 3 output 2x RCA / 1x XLR
power supply: external solid state power supply, 100VA
dimensions: 444 x 50 x 306 mm (17.5 x 2 x 12 inches) WxHxD - Pre-amp
                    170 x 50 x 306 mm (6.7 x 2 x 12 inches) WxHxD - power supply
volume control: 48-step resistor-ladder switch with remote control (state of the art)
case: Aluminum, black anodized and powder coated
front: silver anodized or black anodized
sound: The soulshine shows exceptional detail, plasticity and sound stage. Everything is played on a black/still backgound. The listener hears no tube noise, but many tube virtues. Voices really have body, strings have the right fluidity, and an electric guitar sounds just like it should. Especially the harmony between silence and dynamics captivates the listener right away
optional: WBT NexGen $75.00/pair, Chrome front $350.00 

Reviews for the original soulshine:

Key Kim reviewed the A3.5 and soulshine for TheStereoTimes Dec. 2009
"...the new Valvet Block A3.5s are incredible sounding amps. It was hard to believe these were only 50 watts per channel. They drove my reference Conspiracy loudspeakers with great authority and power. The Valvets possess purity and remarkable transparency that allows them to provide an amazing musical experience. At $5.590.00, it’s a bargain! ...this preamp (soulshine) had a natural purity and open airy sound which brought me closer to music. Stay tuned for a full review" 

A3.5/soulshine in the German magazine "Image HiFi" 02/10 by Roland Kraft:
"...once they’ve warmed up to operating temperature, these seemingly insignificant audiophile amps fascinate the listener with stupendous transparence. In addition, a spacious sound stage with an impressive breadth immediately captivates the listener... the Valvet amps are agile, never strained, and always light-footed. They constantly create a fresh, clear - but never cold - breath of air, and at the same time easily concentrates on the essence that can hardly be described. The tubes and transistors complement each other perfectly, making an lasting impression that can hardly be equaled in this price class..."
 - read the entire  review (in German)

A3.5/soulshine on "Positive Feedback Online" Issue 48 03/10 by Robert Learner:
"...smooth, dynamic, lively, and organic. Tonal purity suggests straight-wire gain with a dash of inner glow. Soundstaging is precise in localization... Transients have snap and life, and decays are full-blooded, something I've come to associate with Class A electronics versus some other designs. There is none of the sterility I've heard with some other solid-state amps... haven't heard better for the money and certainly worse for more. These components have some magic, something past competence or even excellence and into the illusion of 'real'. You can find components that do this or that better in the price range, but none I've spent time with are as addictive. They get the essence of the music... The sound quality is not only that good, it's that true—park them on your rack for the next ten years and find other things to worry about."
 - read the entire  review

The review "Giant Killers" for A3.5/soulshine on "The StereoTimes" 06/10 by Key Kim:
"...from the very first notes on the very first album, it was obvious that the Valvet combo was something special. In our age of hyper-priced imported components, it’s not just good sounding (even at just over $11k) The Valvet components are the real deal regardless of price.... They are giant-killers in that they provide the ultimate musical bliss without breaking one’s bank account. If you're looking for that really great sounding system that isn't stratospherically priced, then look no further than Valvet..."
 - read the entire  review