2. amps-preamps
  3. 185935-166559

I'm going to buy my first tube amp. I need honest blunt opinions

 

 

Recommendations please. I am thinking of dipping my toes in the tube amp water.  For the longest time I have been tempted to buy a modest tube amp to run my Monitor Gold 300’s at 90db.

I’ve been toying around, researching the different characteristics of SET, class A, class AB, B Ultralinear tube amps for months. It’s a bit much. As far as the reviewers go, they are too vague. They are afraid to be upfront honest.

Sources are a Parasound JC 3+, a Innous ZENith Mk3, and a Oppo going to a Benchmark DAC, then all go to a Benchmark LA 4 preamp that will feed the new amp.

My room is 16 x16. The speakers have a 12-foot spread. I sit 14 feet back, so it’s not that big of a room.

I have narrowed it down to four candidates.

A used Canary Audio M90 300B Tube Amp at 24RMS,300B push-pull stereo triode Class A $4,000

A used Jadis Orchestra Black, 40 RMS, Class B $4,000

A 16-year-old, Used Cary Audio Six Pac Monoblock’s, 50 triode watts A/AB $2,000

A new Dynaco by WILL VINCENT 35RMS Ultralinear $2,300

 

marshinski15

Showing 3 responses by ghdprentice

ghdprentice
6,445 posts
 

I think the Jadis and Cary would likely be good choices. I agree, that with Benchmark stuff a really warm amp will probably greatly enhance the sound.

 

But a question on your setup. That is a huge triangle you have for listening. Do you get solid center image and homogeneous sound stage between the speakers? Have you tried an 8’ to 9’ triangle? 

ghdprentice
6,445 posts
 

I have to agree woth some of the folks that recommend swapping the Benchmark preamp for a good quality tube preamp… I would say first. Then later upgrade to a tubed amp, in both cases I would consider Audio Research, CJ, and VAC for both. You will add synergy between the amp and preamp as well that way.

ghdprentice
6,445 posts
 

My blunt response is: I have owned cutting edge high level Pass amps for nearly 40 years… switch to tubes… I am an Audio research fan… used works.

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