My advice is, skip the tube amps and go for a Pass Labs class "A" amp!
My pre-amp is an ARC LS 28. I have had the ARC Ref 75SE and VT 80 in my system, and they were pretty good. However, I noticed that they (the amps) were a little on the bright side. So I decided to try something else. I got out of the tube power amp business and got a pair of Pass XA 60.8's. All I can say is, "Wow!" The tube pre-amp in combination with the class "A" solid state is absolutely fantastic! I play all types of music, from Beastie Boys to Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin. My speakers are Harbeth Monitors 40.2. Everything sounds completely natural and real, almost like being in the studio with some vinyl recordings.
Don't be fooled by the low power ratings on the Pass Labs gear. Most of us don't push more than 10-15 watts during our regular listening anyway. Besides, the power ratings on the Pass gear are fairly underrated; they are much more powerful that the rated specs suggest.
I purchased my Pass amps from Reno HiFi (renohifi.com). They do in-home demo's for all their Pass gear. I recommend contacting them if you're interested. They are really great folks, and they have some incredible deals on demo and used components.
Good luck, and happy listening!
My pre-amp is an ARC LS 28. I have had the ARC Ref 75SE and VT 80 in my system, and they were pretty good. However, I noticed that they (the amps) were a little on the bright side. So I decided to try something else. I got out of the tube power amp business and got a pair of Pass XA 60.8's. All I can say is, "Wow!" The tube pre-amp in combination with the class "A" solid state is absolutely fantastic! I play all types of music, from Beastie Boys to Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin. My speakers are Harbeth Monitors 40.2. Everything sounds completely natural and real, almost like being in the studio with some vinyl recordings.
Don't be fooled by the low power ratings on the Pass Labs gear. Most of us don't push more than 10-15 watts during our regular listening anyway. Besides, the power ratings on the Pass gear are fairly underrated; they are much more powerful that the rated specs suggest.
I purchased my Pass amps from Reno HiFi (renohifi.com). They do in-home demo's for all their Pass gear. I recommend contacting them if you're interested. They are really great folks, and they have some incredible deals on demo and used components.
Good luck, and happy listening!