Need Amp or next component upgrade advice

My first thought was a used 4B Bryston.

You are welcome.

Thanks @mesch .  

I own the Stella S300. Using it to drive my Magnapan LRS+ speakers in a 12x15' room.  Preamp is an Aric Audio Super 6SN7.  I purchased the S300 off AG used for ~$900. It has 2 pairs of speaker outputs so could drive your sub(s).  It surly has the power to drive your ATCs in your room and would likely mate well with the Freya+ recommended by ditusa. As an alternative you might try a passive preamp to run between your tube DAC and amp while you have your tube integrated checked out.  

Best of luck in your quest.

Curious, Anyone have any experience with the PS Audio Stellar S300?

Maybe a Wired 4 Sound mINT integrated here

Agree that the ATC needs more power than the typical tube amp can provide. So if want tube amplification, should change to a more efficient speakers

Maybe a Wired 4 Sound mINT integrated here

@bogbeat Wrote:

Regarding a pre-amp, I can’t afford one at the same time, unless I can get both for that $2000 max.

Look into Schiit Audio, maybe a Freya+ preamp $1049 and a Vidar amp $799.

Mike

Well, first you must decide if you want to build around the ATCs. 

If so I agree with @soix that they may respond better to SS amplification. 

Thanks a lot everyone. I appreciate you all helping me think through this.

@russ69, yes the shop is Black Ice HQ in Maryland. I live about 30 minutes from them. I would just drive it up there and hand it to Jerred. I have always had very positive experiences with them, and Jerred has always been very cool to talk with. My guess is that they have gotten more popular now, and I can understand how the backlog would grow. I do know that they are a very small outfit.

As for the check up, I just want him to look it over, fix a buzz in the headphone jack, and give it a clean bill of health should I want to sell it (I purchased it used)... He told me to bring it to him a couple of years ago, but like I said, I just haven’t made that happen. So the amp works, and I am happy with it. But I do wonder about non-tube or hybrid options... (-: and if they are backlogged, then I either don’t take to him or purchase another amp/integrated to keep the music going in the meantime or make it my new primary. I was running KT150s and now I am running KT170s for power to max it out for the ATCs, and to provide heat for my little office in the winter. A good segue to soix’s point about the ATCs...

@soix, I agree, they need more power. One "motivation" to look at options. Or like you said, replace them, which is definitely an option in my mind as well. I am really torn on this.. Keep them and get a higher powered amp to set them free, or replace them. I guess it is a "good" dilemma. I can only make one $$ move for at least the next year... So, I want to make the investment count!

@mazian, Re the Fosi, as I mentioned, a few folks on Audiogon have been talking about them, especially the new monoblocks. Tricking them out with Sparko. So I thought, ok, I can have a cheaper option to "dabble" in amp alternatives. But once I factor in dual power supplies, add the Sparko upgrades, I am in the $700+ range. Well on my $$ way to other options. But, like you said, returns are easy...

One of the things I am very "nervous" about with non-tube is fatigue and shrill higher-end potential. My ears rebel very quickly. When working from home, I am listening for 12-14 per day.

@czarivey et al, I will look into your equipment recommendations.

Have a great rest of your respective evenings.

Look into used Brystons. they built to work forever

I bought a Fosi V3 ( not the monos ) out of curiosity. I don't know whether it was working properly or not but it would not drive my Sonus Faber Sonetto V speakers. However the return was easy so it would cost you nothing to try it. 

I wouldn’t run your speakers with a tube amp — ATCs need some power to fully do what they can do even at low volumes.  I’d either switch speakers or sell your amp and get a hybrid integrated (like a Unison Unico) or a solid state amp and tube preamp.  Just my $0.02 FWIW.

A lot of things come to mind. One, if the Black Ice repair is the guys in Maryland (the old Jolida importer), I had bad luck with them. Long lead time, said no time to look at it. Then said they didn’t touch it. I got it back to look at and it was just a bad tube. It was an amp I bought for my Dad, had to ship it across the country so I could look at it.

Second, I’m not sure what the Black Ice sounds like but on your budget I would stick with it and maybe try some Gold Lyon EL-34s.

I think your best system upgrade would be a loudspeaker upgrade. Might want to start a new thread.

BTW, why does this amp need a check up?

Looking forward to your response.

Edit: I like the Triangle bookshelves. They have a good product in all price ranges. And they play well at low volumes.