Best Tube Amp for B&W Bookshelf


I own a pair of CDM1’s. A few years ago I heard a tube amp at a trade show. I think it was a Manley Stingray. It sounded amazing. Would this be a good choice for my B&W’s?

Or or does anyone have a better choice? My budget is about $3500.

I listen to mostly female vocal singer-songwriter folk/pop, jazz and classical. Clean warm vocals and sweet acoustic guitars that sparkle are what I liked about the tubes I heard at the trade show.

The souce was SACD. I think it was Alison Krauss Patricia Barber or Holy Cole. On another SACD I think I also heard an acoustic finger plucked piece by Lindsay Buckingham/Fleetwood Mac ’ Never Going Back Again".

Both cuts were truly memorable and made an impression as to the beauty of tubes. I have Crown Reference II solid state amps currently in my system.

This will be my first tube amp. My head end is Emm Labs -- DAC, transport, and pre. Please can you give me advice for integratedes and/or mono blocks in the $3500 range? I realize this is not much of a budget for quality tube amps ... I just need some pointing in the right direction based on experience and with possibly the same musical tastes. Thank you.
rocketroom

Showing 1 response by mrisney

Cary SLI-80, integrated, and I used it to  power my B&W 805S
Then I got cats and we have a new baby, so without a cage, the Cary is tempting for a cat to jump on it, or small fingers curiously reach around the tubes.  Back to Solid State I am

They come up for sale quite a bit, solid, you can get your money back for whatever you end up paying for it. 

This is fantastic integrated tube amp