Member's recommendations for tube amplification


Your thoughts on options to consider:

- I'd prefer SET (open to DHT but not a requirement).

- I'm not looking for overtly warm, romantic or lush options.

- Minimum power in the teens to twenties, 10W being the floor.

- Open to higher power push-pull amps, but let's limit ceiling to around 60W.

- Single ended is fine though having XLR inputs would be nice (doesn't have to be true balanced)

- I'm cool with single chassis or monos.

- I have preferences for tube types, but leaving it open ended to get broad recommendations.

- I'm currently running an all solid state system, though have had tube based systems built around ARC, BAT, Ayon, Melody, Pathos, etc.

- Preamp will be a Pass XP-20 or the Metrum Adagio DAC direct to the amp.

- I'd like to stay around 3K used but can push the budget to 6K new/used.

- Speaker sensitivity is 94dB and higher.

THANKS!
david_ten

Showing 2 responses by swampwalker

david_ten-
Despite all the buzz, I have not heard the Tektons, so no idea how these amps might interact w your speakers, but I cannot say enough about the Atma and VAC Ren amps.  IME, 300b SET amps could not drive 94-95 dB speakers in my moderate sized room (18' x 14' x 8.5') w/o clipping with pretty un-demanding material (americana/singer songwriter/acoustic blues), even when the mid-low bass was handled by a separate 250 wpc ss amp.  If you listen to wide dynamic range stuff like full orchestra, you are going to run out of gas on crescendos pretty quickly.  Other advantages of those amps are variable feedback (VAC Ren) and unparalleled support from both VAC and Atma.