Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and considerate recommendations. I will make efforts to audition all of the above. Some of these integrateds are just beautiful.
Best Sounding Tube Integrated Amp
I'm looking for a sweet, colorful, liquid like quality that I have heard in tube equipment of the past. The Dynavector 3000 pre-amp, if anyone remembers hearing this, is a good example. Almost as if there is a slight harmonic shift making strings stringier and bells more shimmery. Recently, tube gear has been characterized as warm or smooth and I think manufacturers are targeting a neutral sound. This misses the boat for me. I'd like something with clean tight bass even if slightly attenuated and an extended high end. Even a tube amp if I could find a tube output CD player with a high quality volume attenuator. Any advice? I'd prefer not to spend more that 3-4k.
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I second the Unison Research S4 or 6, beautiful looking and sounding amps. The Unico hybrid is great amp also. Some of the Chinese amp manufacturers are making great sounding tube gear at very low prices, Consonance for example. We really do seem to be being spoilt for choice with tube integrated amps, long may it last. |
The Pathos Classic One hybrid integrated amp will give you very close to all-tube amp sound, but with clean tight bass. Even brand new I think it's only $2300, but several used ones are now listed here under $2K. As long as your speakers are not extremely difficult to drive (this Pathos is only 70W/ch). You could even pick up two used ones and run them in bridged mono mode. |
You need not spend $3-4K. For $1345, you can pick up a Prima Luna Prologue Two. Upscale Audio was in on the design of the Prima Lunas and is the primary dealer for these units. The bass should be pleasing to you, though my first inclination is that the bass that you feel and hear is pretty much speaker dependent. I have used my Prologue Two with Acoustic Research 302 speakers (3 way, acoustic suspension, go down to 35hz) and Omega Super 3 speakers (single driver, high efficiency) and the sound is very musical and 3D like. Regards, Rich |