Japanese tube amps. Wavac, Air Tight, Audio Tekne, Komuro etc.

Air Tight is very highly regarded, but probably gets more discussion on sites other than Audiogon, just as do other highly regarded tube amplifier brands, thinking Jadis, VAC, NAT, Nagra, Margules. Air Tight enjoys a reputation in tube amplification similar to what Accuphase enjoys in solid state.

Yes, many high end brands are not discussed here or discussed very little. I don't know why. I can understand that not many have one of those Japanese amps or Nagra but still. Even VAC and Lamm are rarely talked about. Accuphase, Gryphon, Soulution etc, - sometimes but again not much. They are all expensive and very expensive equipment, of course, but I don't think that's the main reason.

Add Aesthetix to the seldom mentioned list. Top quality stuff.

I owned an Air Tight ATM-2, which was used to drive Harbeth SHL5+ speakers. It was the best tube amp I've ever owned; the sound and build quality are exceptional. 

I'd love to pick another ATM-2 up someday, but you rarely see good quality units on the used market. 

I liked the lower powered offerings of the likes of Shindo, Kondo, and Yamamoto.  Some of the older Kondo gear, like their M10 preamp, are stunningly good sounding.  I sort of found that out the hard way.  Many years ago, I was in the market for Stax Omega II headphones.  I heard them at a dealership and bought a pair with the Stax tube amplifier.  When I listened to them at home, they sounded good, but not as good as they sounded at the store.  When I asked the store owner about this, he explained that when I auditioned the headphones, they were hooked up to a Kondo M10 and I don't have anything nearly as good in my system.  

larryi, that's definitely hard way, a bit sad.

Yes, I just forgot to mention the brands that you did.

Japanese tube amplification deserves most serious attention.

I remember, there used to be a dealer in Virginia called Hi-Fi Farm who had many exotic and rare brands, including some Japanese.

jayossi13, Air Tight and Harbeth is an unexpected match, I haven't heard of anyone with this set up.

@inna 

I found four systems, including my own, that have Air Tight paired with Harbeth. It's everything you'd expect from a good tube setup. 

Here's my system: https://www.audiogon.com/systems/6378

I asked audio store owner , I ask Him what tube amp He will buy for Himself. He said Airtight , He then commented they just know what they are doing.Maybe Japanese tube stuff are pricey why they don’t discuss it here. 

Probably few Audiogon members have it, so not much discussion.

I am totally in love with my Trio W-41, An EL84 push pull integrated,made in Japan in 1963, it needed a complete overhaul and a full compliment of vintage Matsushita 12AX7 and EL84 before it really sounded amazing. A labour of love that has really paid off.

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tpt, what speakers do you use with it ? How much power does the amp have ?

inna, It’s 20 watts per channel with 8 and 16ohm taps off some top class and quite substantial output transformers. I have built my own speakers: A pair of 15ohm LS3/5As from Falcon Acoustic kits, and to run in parallel with them, I converted a pair of RAM DS60 monitors to subs using DIY AB1 x-overs modded with with L-pad attenuation to balance the room. the 3/5As sit on sorbothane pads on top of the subs, which sit on short Attacama stands... it’s a fantastic combo. I also have a pair of early Rogers 15 ohm 3/5As, and a pair of AB1 subs, but currently I like the home built ones more, as I can adjust the HF response by design of the x-overs and the RAMs are sealed so have more control and respond to the push-pull with more accuracy. I hope that paints the picture.

tpt, you have an interesting and unusual set up.

Yes I do! Born out of a desire to experiment and restore on a budget...

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11941