List Of Small Company Tube Amps


I just love tube amps and I’m always wondering what small guy out there is making stellar amps under the radar.  I’m only talking somewhat affordable gear, definitely under 10k new. More like 2-5k is what I’m thinking. I’ll start the list but I’m sure there are a ton that I’ll miss.  Obviously feel free to express your preferences. Some of these might have international distribution but I feel they have a small enough presence in the US that they kind of count. 

Decware, may not count any longer but one of the originals

Aric Audio

La Dolce Audio

Tomcat Audio

Lab 12

Octave 

Audio Hungary 

Space-tech Labs 

Musical Paradise 

Triode Labs

Fezz

Synthesis

Analog Ethos

Brunoco Audio

Audio Mirror, getting pricey though. 
 

 

 

 

 

brylandgoodman

Gary Huang makes great-sounding, bulletproof gear that you can actually afford.

https://www.musicalparadise.ca/store/

I LOVE my MK301 MK3! (And have owned McIntosh, Dyna and Sophia, plus sever other ss amps).

Cary Audio in my home state, near Raleigh, NC. Their SLI-80HS is well regarded. 

Rogers High Fidelity.  Hand made in MA, point to point wired w/very high quality components, wiring & chassis backed by a Lifetime Warranty! And they sound really good too! Not the cheapest of the other nice ones mentioned but some reasonably priced used ones might be available. 

Why wouldn't DecWare count anymore?

It surely counts but a friend of mine in Denver was on a two year wait list for his, so it's not exactly the way to go if you want to listen to music in the near future.

Why wouldn't DecWare count anymore?

Among headphone tube amps, a few excellent ones are made by:

Eddie Current

DNA (Donald North Audio)

Most of the tube electronics companies are small and only few large, but, indeed it all depends on how much large and how much small. To me Cary or Manley are still small companies. AudioResearch probably large.

Erhard Audio...https://www.erhard-audio.com/index.html

Holger Schaarsmidt is the new (not so new) US distributor for Lundahl transformers since the retirement of Kevin Carter a couple years ago. He also builds amps and preamps with audio grade parts including the Lundahl's.

 

And from personal experience, Gordan Rankin, from Wavelength Audio designs and builds excellent tube gear including his notorious, asynchronous usb dacs.

It is not just Companies making very attractive Audio Devices with Tubes used as the design for a Circuit. There are to be found EE adept individuals, who's knowledge is inspirational and who really know how to create a Audio Device that is superb in performance, as well as more than reasonably priced for a design built into a basic looking chassis.

If a small turnover Brand is wanted, I have added to the list Mr Nixie:

Allen Wright

Ampsandsound

Granite Audio

James Burgess

KR Audio

Leben

Mr Nixie  

Oliver Sayes

Radu Tarta

Shindo

Sun Audio

Von Gaylord

Wavelength

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wavac

Will Vincent

Canary

Yamamoto

Zesto

Triode Lab

Member autospec (Will Vincent) in Idaho makes excellent Dynaco ST70 -based tube amps for around $1500. I bought one of his SET amps.

Post removed 

Leben

Shindo

Wavelength

Oliver Sayes

Radu Tarta

James Burgess

Sun Audio

Von Gaylord

Granite Audio

KR Audio

Ampsandsound

Allen Wright

Wavac

Will Vincent

Canary

Yamamoto

Zesto

Triode Lab

To name a few. ;)

 

Quicksilver.

Search on this site for them.

People love them, very well made and loved.