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Best sounding,reliable, tube amp below $700 used

Hi, I thought I'd throw out this question to everyone, and see what their opinions are. I'm sure there is a wide range of opinions on it, so the full question is: What is the best tube amp under $700, on the used market, in terms of both sound quality, and reliability?
Thanks
autre

Showing 2 responses by darkmoebius

darkmoebius
900 posts
 
What type of speakers will the amp(s) be driving and what are their specs?

And what some tube amps that you've heard and liked along with others that you didn't?
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
Thanks Autre, that helps a lot.

I have owned both Adcom and Rotel(RC-990/RB-980BX) pre/power combos. As great a value as both are, they can be hard, edgey, and dry as all getout. Moving to tubes will be a revelation. I'd suggest selling your Adcom preamp and use the extra dollars to get a better tube integrated, it will proably degrade overall performance.

The Revels at 87dB would probably benefit from 20-40 wpc of push-pull amplification, depending on your musical tastes and volume levels.

Buy used to maximize your purchasing power and look for Jolida(Jolida JD-302B), Antique Sound Labs (AQ-1003 DT, AQ 1001 DT), and Consonance Opera( M99 Plus, M100 plus) integrated amps.

All three of those manufacturers have a good history and reputation for low-priced tube gear.
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