Newbie Can't Decide Which Tube Amp

jbhiller

thanks for your thoughts

will keep the carver on the 'to try' list, pick one up at some point

i hear you on the backbreaking weight of typical tube amps.... love my linear tube audio for that reason, among others... it is very light, so easy to handle - sounds like the carver is similar (although i am under the impression does run standard metal transformers...)

If you have a line OP on a Carver Crimson 275 for ~$2K, you should give it a go. I have heard it and have it. I’m running it in comparison to two other awesome amps, an Elekit 300B and a Primaluna Dialogue HP Integrated. The Carver Crimson 275 is a special amp and at that price it’s worth a test drive. Shoot, if you don’t like it, I’ll buy it off you for that!

@jbhiller

inquiring minds want to know - how does the carver compare to the primaluna you mention?

pls disclose tubes used in both, and what speakers driven ... thanks

op

i have been curious about the carver unit as well -- carver is definitely a mad genius always thinks creatively -- but between my linear tube audio and arc units, i just don’t see the need for trying another tube amp

that being said, for ~4 grand, primaluna is an obvious choice, a lot of value for the $ -- or an older arc like a vt100 series or ref110 - these make zero apologies to current day tube amps much more than what they cost used today

a steal at the asking price .... https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649698504-audio-research-vt-100-mk-iii/ ... if your space constraints allow

with sonus fabers, i think you want more high end sparkle in the feed to the speakers, i would go with an arc unit over primaluna