Best 70+ Watt Tube amp

thanks for the suggestions and the input, it gave me a starting point which in my confusion at times is often valuable

Amps and speakers should always be considered as synergistic pairs, in my experience. It is entirely the luck of the draw if you don't make one contingent on the other. So, if you're going to start by just buying what you think will be a great amp, be sure you consider which speakers it will match best with and be sure those speakers would fall within your universe of great speakers to own.

I much prefer to start at the other end of this equation and select my speaker, and then search for the amp that will be the great match to will bring out the best capabilities of that speaker.
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2nd to vintage MC275s.
However, there are something more affordable but not as beautiful.

EAR 890? I found this interesting in light of what this amp is driving. The writer picks this amp as his product of the year. Unfortunately a limited dealer network makes auditioning difficult. http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue9/ear890.htm

mac mc275......a good match(for tubes) with the b&w

Bruce Moore Dual 70. I have owned the ARC VT 100Mk 2 and the Bruce Moore is alot better sounding. I do have it listed for sale right now because I just bought a pair of Innersound ELS that require at least 200 or more watts.

definitely worth considering if you are on a budget

If you own the Thor Phono and love it ,why not consider the Thor TPA 60 watt monos ? Plenty of power there and you know by now how great the sound..

The 804s are good speakers but i agree with the above in that I would probably not use a tube amp with them. You might try the Kef Referance 205 or the 207. I have a pair of 205s that I run off a McIntosh 2102 amp. Sounds great.

Try to get yourself a listen to the 2102 amp. Match it with Kef or Tannoy.

Hi,

You have nice gear. I suggest you upgrade your speakers first that will be compatible with 70 tube watts that you have now and invest in ASC tube traps if you have not already done so.

Good Luck!

If you're thinking of driving your 804s (or 803s or 802s, etc.) full-range, you'll want LOTS of power.
1. Consider the ASL Hurricanes, highly affordable 200WP-chassis monoamps*. There are at least a couple pairs for sale here. I'd look for the version with triode switch. They are easily upgradable too. This gets you 4-1/2 dB more power...OR...
2. Buy another Premier Eleven and vertically biamp them (my preference) or use them in mono. Or buy a pair of Premier Twelves; they're already 140 Watts per mono chassis. Any of these 3 alternatives gets you 3dB more power.

3. If you'd consider passive-biamping them, look for a solidstate amp of at least 100WPC and with a gain (volume) control for bass use, with your Premier Eleven on the middle/top. If you still don't have enough power, see alternatives 1 and 2.
4. If money is not a major concern, buy a Premier 140. It's the newest-generation of c-j's fabulous poweramps.

I THINK SETs aren't for you. If 70 tubed Watts into an 804 isn't enough, there isn't a SET I know of that will have enough power. I'm driving rather insensitive (86dB) Quad 989s with 50-Watt ASL 805DTs into a fairly large (c. 3200c.f.) room, but I have a hunch you listen at higher levels than I--the Premier Eleven I had was plenty powerful enough.

* A rant--who the hell ever came up with 'monoblock' to describe single-channel amps? YUK!!!!
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