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Buying a Tube Amplifier

I have alot of audio equipment, my favorite set up is Simaudio moon W5.3 and P5.3 amp and preamp with B&W or Axiom speakers. I am listening to alot of electric guitar right now and can not imagine it sounding any better.

I have always wanted to try out tubes and I am going to. I want the first step to be something under 1K ish. I have been considering Antique sound Labs AV 25 monos.

Does anyone use or know these and can anyone give me some ideas of something that has really impressed them and what you are comparing them with?

Any help is appreciated
128x128sauniq

Showing 2 responses by daveyf

daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,971 posts
 
You may want to seek out an ARC D70, either a Mk1 or maybe better still, a Mk2.
These can be had today for a song and are IMO, still ultra competitive with almost any other tube amp out there! Only thing to be concerned with is the very poor ability to bias this amp, which is best left to a tech. However, with that said and the price that these are seemingly going for today, I cannot think of a better tube amp in the price range.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,971 posts
 
Saunig, you might check under the 'Reviews's section, I posted a review there a few months ago. Other areas to research are the Audio Asylum forum on the web.
BTW, Freediver, as a guitar teacher, i don't quite agree with your post about why guitar players favor tube amps. IMO, we favor tube amps for their superior sustain ability and warmth that they give to the pups. Distortion is also more controlled and useable. In our home gear, we are looking for less distortion and more truth to the source, not less. Tubes in home gear are able to give us a 'warmer' sound and IMHO a more spacious sound....not quite the same as what we need in the guitar world, just IMHO.
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