I also miss my Cayin TA-30 and wonder just how much better it would sound had I kept it and rolled some nice NOS tubes in it. I barely scratched the surface trying other tubes while trying not to spend too much and that was the mistake I wished I could rectify.
Right after I sold it I thought that comparatively, to solid state, it was too flabby in the bass and a bit too rich in the mids and rolled off in the highs and that I made the right choice. Wrong.
It was and is a darn good integrated and all it needed were better tubes. Having said that, if you want to go the tube route and keep in your budget, maybe a Jolida with EL-84s? I've been told that it's simply sublime by others here.
All the best,
Nonoise
Right after I sold it I thought that comparatively, to solid state, it was too flabby in the bass and a bit too rich in the mids and rolled off in the highs and that I made the right choice. Wrong.
It was and is a darn good integrated and all it needed were better tubes. Having said that, if you want to go the tube route and keep in your budget, maybe a Jolida with EL-84s? I've been told that it's simply sublime by others here.
All the best,
Nonoise