Looking for high power warming sounding tube amps


Right now running bottlehead moreplay into pass x350.8. Speakers are ns5000. The sound is great but my buddy let me borrow cj lp140ms and the mid range magic these amps brought was amazing. The pass had better bass and maybe detail. 

I wanted to see if I could get tube amps that had pass bass with romance of cj. I tried prima luna evo 300 but it was a step down from cj in terms soundstage and tone. 

 

I'm guessing I need more power.. maybe at least 100 wpc. Any recommendations looking to spend less than $7k.

smodtactical

Showing 3 responses by fleschler

I just read the Audioshark forum.  No difference in power per KT tube, interchangeable as well.  Preference apparently for the stock KT88 over other types and most NOS tubes except for V1 6SN7s

@orthomead  I didn't know that one could just drop in a KT150 quartet in at all or with modification.  The amp is rated 100 watts per side with a quartet of KT88s (which VAC claims they achieve tapping 3 tube elements instead of just the plate and filaments)

KT150 should provide at least 100 watts per side and probably much more with VACs 3 sided tube power.  

Do VAC amps tubes burn up quicker using getting max power out of them?

@orthomead Thanks for the tube life at 6 years.  I listen a minimum of 2 hours nightly, more than 800 hours annually. 

I have 2 EAR 890 amps but they sound great with classical chamber/orchestral, vocal/opera/pop, jazz (traditional to post bop) and 50's to Led Zep rock-so every type.  They run rather warm (2=4 degrees room temp rise after an hour).  A pair of VAC 200IQ have more power.  I have not  compared the two sonically and have not read of a direct comparison either.