@millercarbonI don't know why you believe someone needs to spend $20,000 on a pair of monoblocks to get good sound?
I run a pair of Soundcraftsmen PM860 monoblocks that I paid less than $500 for. Yes, they're 40 years old. But they put out 900 W at 4Ω (which my Martin Logan Spires love). I drive them them with a 6SN7 tube preamp (Don Sachs Custom Linestage).
I also have a pair of rebuilt Golden Tube Audio SE-40 monoblocks (75 W). While they do not match the 'slam' of the PM860's, they are very musical. The cost was $400 for the amps, $1,500 in upgraded parts (caps, resistors and tubes) and my time spent soldering, for a total under $2,000.
Yes, you *can* spend $20K on a pair of amps but you don't *have* to.
I run a pair of Soundcraftsmen PM860 monoblocks that I paid less than $500 for. Yes, they're 40 years old. But they put out 900 W at 4Ω (which my Martin Logan Spires love). I drive them them with a 6SN7 tube preamp (Don Sachs Custom Linestage).
I also have a pair of rebuilt Golden Tube Audio SE-40 monoblocks (75 W). While they do not match the 'slam' of the PM860's, they are very musical. The cost was $400 for the amps, $1,500 in upgraded parts (caps, resistors and tubes) and my time spent soldering, for a total under $2,000.
Yes, you *can* spend $20K on a pair of amps but you don't *have* to.