Inexpensive Tube Amps

Will afterthoughts to my post. Check places like , The Tube Store Parts Express , Madison Sound too. The DIY stuff is cool and at least gives you a better understanding of circuits. I was lucky to be in high school in the early seventies . I took three years of Electronics and played with basic circuits and tube related radios and stereos . I think one of the Chinese amps you listed will be great . Then when your budget allows play with inexpensive full range driver speakers and DIY enclosures . Paper cones , no caps , no crossover, Belden bulk wire . This will sound great , be affordable and be perfect in a smaller room . I have $8k in a SEP, full range system . And it sounds better in a medium room and you must sit in “ The Sweet Spot “. My point is , with careful planning and some home building you can enter into the secret world of Single Ended ( like ) , Full Range tone and clarity for pennies . What you will find with your little amp and the paper cone speakers , is a headphone like Nirvana that people with a Mac 275 don’t comprehend. Will you’re the “ Soul Surfer “ in a world of Ocean Liners . Welcome to the “ Locals Only Break “! Check other chat sites that specialize in DIY single driver and you’ll meet the 60-70 year old geeks that love this stuff and don’t spend tons of money . Also if you come across a pair of ASL Wave 8’s , get them and restore them . I’ll close with this . About a year ago I was talking to Dennis Had , founder of Cary Audio . He was having a blast with some cheap paper cone drivers that he bought used for $20 , and he can have anything . Happy Listening , Mike B. 

Ming Da  afforable tube amps

will62 I think the Eastern Electric Minimax Integrated may be exactly what your looking for. High build quality, excellent sound from a well respected manufacturer reasonably priced at $550.00 from Bill at Morningstar audio. Good luck.

Hi Will,

My friend ordered one of these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Handmade-gall-rectified-EL34-tube-amp-amplifier-hifi-5Z3P-6N9P-EL34B...

He used it to drive my old speakers which were not particularly efficient.

I was AMAZED at how good it sounded with the stock tubes - and it was plenty loud. It was not far off my Cary...

Point to point wired, and, from the looks of it internally, well done.

As I took the stereo, I am planning on getting one of these for my Ex.

I am also going to do some DIY full range speakers to go with it.

Only drawback I could find with it is its single input.

Good luck!

P

PS - Same amp on Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/GemTune-BL-02-Integrated-amplifier-EL34-BX2/dp/B00DRUDO7G/ref=pd_sbs_23_7?_en...

In that price range, I would look for a lghtly used Sophia Electric Baby push-pull integrated, rated at 10wpc and runs in class A. Sounds glorious driving my back-horn loaded single driver speakers.