First Tube amp suggestions


I am thinking of buying my first tube amplifier and really have no idea where to start.  Years ago I listened to a Sophia Electric  el34 amp (SET) driving a pair of Joseph Audio rm7si bookshelf speakers in a very well set up room and could not believe how sweet they sounded together for the price. (It really felt like James Taylor was in the room).  I regret that I never pulled the trigger on that system and do not know what a good entry level system would be nowadays.  I listen  mainly to male and female folk rock and an occasional classical or jazz album (Cd's and streaming from Tidal)  My current speakers are Triangle Borea BR03's  -90 db but am open to swapping them out. and the listening room is 14' x 20'.  There is a lot of internet chatter about low cost tube amps like the Reisong A12 and the mid priced Williston R8.  Are these amps worth buying or where should I start?  Thanks in advance!

tritube

Showing 1 response by lous

Don Sachs' amp, he's no longer making them, would cost at least $10K if not more. You can find them used for about $2500 I think, and it will smoke most amps under 20K. I use SS, with his DS2 preamp, but were I going to run tubes, it would be his KT88 amp. I believe it runs 55 or 65 watts, less in SE of course it is much lower. This man tricked out Citation and Macintosh gear for years before he began building his own. The transformers are a large part of the magic, no one I know of uses anything as neutral. You would do well to look into them before jumping on anything.