This seems to be a nice system. What price range are you looking at? Of course Audio Note amplifiers will work well with their speakers. I personally like the various iterations of the Soro and Oto.
I have have heard both AN-E and AN-K with amps from Synthesis Audio (Italian) and the combination sounds great. Synthesis amps work well with a wide variety of speakers so I am not implying a special synergy here; they make great sounding amplifiers.
The Roma 96 is a 25 watt EL 34 amp with a built in DAC that is no slouch. It offers remote control of volume. The A40 model (40 watt per channel KT-66 in pushpull) is further up their line and it is, to me, one of the great bargains in amplifiers; it delivers a big, authoritative sound that can compete with almost anything else out there. The big brother A100 (also with KT-66, but more tubes to get to its 100 watt per channel rating) is very good too and will drive almost anything. Both the A40 and A100 have terrific built in DACs and remote control of volume. I own two flea-powered amps (about 5 watts per channel each) that have retail prices of about $50k and $100k, which I like a lot, but if I had to get rid of them, I could live with an A40 and not be missing out on that much.
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Check out Decware. They have a line of integrated amps from 2 watts up to 60 watt. American made, well built, sound wonderful :)
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The Decware offerings are great, but if buying new, there's about a 4-year waitlist. Also, they don't have remotes.
Cary Audio has 2 offerings that will fit the budget, but one is a 300B based amp and only makes 15wpc. That might be fine if you don't listen to loud volumes beyond about 80-85ish dB.
Their SLI100 will have more than enough power, sub outputs, a remote, etc. Plus, with the number and types of tubes it runs, tube rolling is a nice option in the future.
Integrated Amplifiers | CaryDirect
There's also Raven Audio (Nighthawk) and Rogue Audio (Cronus Magnum), Rogers Audio and Quicksilver Audio. All are US made offerings with good customer support.
The Quicksilver is really nice looking with 20wpc, but no remote or dedicated RCA's for the sub out. You would have to run the sub from the speaker terminals.
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Thanks for the recommendations so far.
I have been looking at both Audio Note and Icon tube integrateds, but don't see any with pre-outs to drive a sub. Anyone verify they can be connected speaker level to both speakers and a sub?
I ask because at one point I was looking at the Luxman SQ-N150 tube integrated. It doesn't have preouts, but then I also read Luxman does NOT recommend using speaker level connections for a subwoofer.
TIA
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I definitely recommend looking at an Audio Research I-50. It is simply stunning in its musical presentation and easily within your budget used or as a well worth stretch for a new one. It is built as an audiophile piece of equipment by a well respected company that has helped define what the high end is over the last fifty years. I am impressed once again each time I hear one. It is really a fantastic deal.
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What specific sound characteristics are you looking for?
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DON'T do it!!
IMO the cost of having to retube every few thousand hours these days is FAR outweighed by ANY sonic gains from a tube Amplifer when a Class A Solid State amplifier from Luxman,Sugden or Pass Labs does EVERYTHING a tube amp does!!!
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@erikt ask music direct if the rec outs on the icon will work for you. they'll get back to you in a day.
@freediver and that's why i went in a different direction. replacing 8 tubes can get costly.
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Soix
What specific sound characteristics are you looking for?
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I'd describe my current sound as very relaxed & open, balanced with vg blacks so there is wonderful tonal texture - smooth.
I guess I'm tube curious, esp with posts floating about on how wondrous tube midrange warmth/glow can be. If that isn't the case, then I'll say thanks to all and stick with what I have.
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Tube amps have a huge variation in presentation. I would recommend listening to as many as you can before jump into it. I've listened to several types and it's more than just Class A , Push Pull, SET and how much power they provide. Each tube has its own sonic qualities.
The only recommendation I could make is to try to listen to a 845 tube based amplifier prior to purchasing. It might cause you to reevaluate your budget as it did me but then again you might prefer a completely sound pallet than mine.
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@erikt
I was curious about tubes as well, so I have a second system with a 100db speaker to try out flea watt SET amps (300b, 45, 2a3) known for their midrange tube magic.
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As long as the sub has a high level input, almost all amps will drive them from the speaker outputs. The sub HL inputs have very high impedence and do not load the amp.
Anyone verify they can be connected speaker level to both speakers and a sub?
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My amps of choice. ![heart heart](https://d2whmegz38cf3z.cloudfront.net/ckeditor4-releases/plugins/smiley/images/heart.png)
https://www.octave.de/
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All I can go by is what I’ve owned. My favorite in the under $5000 used is the one I still have and have no reason to move on which is the Audio Hungary A50i class A.
You can pick up a used one around little over $3000. Never seems to stumble no matter how complex the music is. Has big tight bass but I do use 2 rel subs due to using book shelf speakers. I listen to mostly jazz.
I replaced a CJ cav45 s2 with the AH. The CJ was a very nice amp for jazz but the AH just grabs you with that fast solid bass and very realistic class A sound. I run kt120’s and 150’s with vintage preamp tubes and am very satisfied with the results with AH. No desire to move on so far.
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There is NO DOUBT about the magic,natural warmth,wonderous sound staging & imaging of a good tube amp BUT you can get the exact same thing from Class A Solid State..
Also the average price of a Matched & Balanced quad(4 tubes) of current production EL-34 tubes is around $200.00-$250.00,a Matched & Balanced Quad of KT88 around $300.00-$350.00 & that is buying from Ebay!Buying from a reputable dealer who stands behind their product will add even more $ to that price..Vintage NOS tubes all these repliers talking about?MULTIPLE HUNDREDS of $$$ TO MULTIPLE THOUSANDS of $$$!!!Figure on retubing power tubes EVERY 3000 hours!Oh sure,they will last longer BUT around 3000 hours they WILL start degrading & changing the tone & DON"T believe ANYONE’s BS about that not being true!
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If you are handy you can try a kit build. I reviwed two here
http://www.stereotimes.com/post/building-the-audio-note-kit-el-34-and-elekit-8900-integrated-amplifiers-by-john-hoffman/
jh
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If you really want experience the magic you have read about,I suggest the Musical Fidelity A1 reissue integrated amplifier..Available well under $2k new,about $1250.00 gently used & will get you about 90% of what a $3500.00+ Class A will...Oh it will will THRIVE on your speakers!
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Cary Direct sends me periodic emails and in the one I just got today I see the SLI 100 is marked down from $6495 to $3897. I believe at that price point they offer free shipping, and I also believe they have an audition period (I think either 30 or 60 days) if you do not order any modifications with a unit. I have no affiliation with Cary Audio other than owning a few of their pieces.
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Take your pick but can't go wrong with Rogue Cronus Magnum.
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Rogue in that price range. You’ll never tire of the sound.
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I’ve tried my AN-E’s with many different tube and SS amps, but they sound their best, IMHO, with AN amps. In my case, the Oto.
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+1 on Rogue Cronus
Recently found a great deal on a Rogue Cronus Magnum II. It is currently driving some Maggie’s to amazing effect. It has a wonderful soundstage, and solidity to the sound, and a very capable phono stage( like it better than my separate phono stage) I imagine the upgrade in the III would enhance all. Finally, it’s a tube amp for a fair price which puts out 90 watts. Muscle and tube goodness.
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Another vote for Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum
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The Auris Fortessimo Integrated Stereo Tube Amplifier is very nice.
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For the money new or used (more powerful one) of the PrimaLuna's.
This will knock your soxs off
Pathos Classic One MKIII Hybrid Integrated Amplifier is too cool for school
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Well if you want to spend less, I suggest an Opera Consonance. This is far better than the Prima Luna and other amplifiers around its price range.
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erikt, unless 60s gear is off the list, have a look at the best eico, the fisher & h h scott integrateds. the dynaco st-35 is especially appreciated by folks offering similar descriptions and musical preferences.
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I’ve owned 3 tube amps paired with bookshelf speakers and by far the sweetest sounding was a Raven Audio Osprey. $5K
I could not find your speakers specs (their website is unusable on my phone) so I can only assume 35wpc is enough - it was for my Harbeth 30.2XDs
It does have sub outs with a crossover filter that can be bypassed, has a remote, and has a 45 day in home trial policy.
$5K is a bit over budget but they sell direct so no dealer margins to account for, so more bang for the buck. James Connell is great to work with.
Ive since moved on to solid state and I sold it quickly and the new owner also loved it.
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@erikt
You haven’t mentioned your cables, please share your interconnect and speaker cable lineup.
I owned the AN-K/SPx several years ago or as the Audio Note camp calls them, the Super K’s. A terrific speaker and very easy to drive. What is it truly that you are trying to accomplish tonally? Are you looking for more transparency? Decay like when a guitar string is plucked? What size is your room? How do you have the Super K’s placed in the room? Are you bi-wiring or using jumpers and if so, what kind of jumpers? What volume levels and what kind of music do you prefer?
There are many amps that will mate well but some of the suggestions above may not be optimal. There is also an incredible amount of performance potential from that speaker you have yet to hear. While the Luxman is a fine amp, it would not be an ideal match in my opinion.
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If you can audition any AN products I'm sure you can find one to suit your tastes. the Otto has has been high on my list. If 300b is enough juice for you than maybe the AN Kit 1. Less expensive 300b option I can recommend would be Elekit 8600 with premium tubes. Its 9 watts work for me with 92db 8ohm speakers.
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I second @larryi and would recommend the Synthesis A40. I have Audio Note ANE SP HE speakers and the synergy is amazing. Feel free to message me if you want additional insight.
John
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Black Ice (formerly Jolida) makes GREAT amps...I used one for years. One of the best tube amp deals out there.
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Wow - had errands to run yesterday afternoon and came back to all these replies!
Thanks for all the great suggestions - I'll be parsing thru these.
I get/understand that subs are a high level impedance load to an amp and 'should' not be an issue, but I specifically asked about that because of a comment I read about the Luxman SQ-N150 saying do NOT use speaker level runs.
As for my interconnects and speaker cables, I've run thru the gamut of MIT, AQ, Kimber, Analysis, etc. And I currently settled on good synergy with AQ Jaguars for interconnects and Kimber 8VS bi-wire for speaker runs.
The K's are set up in a medium sized family room off the walls by 6ft and 3ft from side walls and they throw a vg soundstage. Paired with the Luxman, they are SO relaxed and open sounding with amazing clarity.
So what am I looking for? I really can't complain at all - just curious about 'different' and put my toe in the tube tub. If it ain't my thing - no biggy - I'll just flip it back to the pool for someone else. Maybe it'll be magic - won't know until I give it a whirl.
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I believe a leben CS300X is right up your alley and man does it sound great.
I can also heartfully recommend an air tight ATM1 used. Both the amps can be had in your budget and sound glorious. The only downside is that they don't have preout for subs. But I have tried the speakers level connection to my Zu Subs and it worked great
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I highly recommend @aricaudio https://aricaudio.com/tube-gear/
Aric worked with me via phone calls and 50 plus emails to help me select some tube amps.
i now switch between his 300b PSET and a Luxman M10X using his Motherload XL tube preamp.
‘I have 92.5 db sensitive speakers at the moment.
At the very least give him a call because he will give you some professional advice.
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If you are looking for a 300b based amp, check out Feliks Audio. Brilliant for the price....have enjoyed it greatly with Devore 0/96's. Full disclosure.....I have one for sale on Agon. Good luck.
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One approach would be to keep your Luxman as the power amp and add a tube pre-amp, like the PrimaLuna EVO 400.
This way you don’t have to worry about driving your speakers yet you have the “tube sound,” which can vary widely but you can have a lot of fun with tube rolling to get the sound you like.
You also don’t have to worry about replacing power tubes nor doing periodic biasing of those tubes.
Finally, if it turns out the tube sound is not what you hope it would be, you can easily revert back to using your Luxman as an integrated amp again.
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I have two suggestions, and they are on both ends of the spectrum.
Before my thoughts, I second Cary Audio. I live about 90 miles from Cary, and I've always been impressed with their gear. On that note, my first suggestion is to contact Dennis Had, the former Cary guru. Had makes low numbers of boutique amps and preamps as a hobby now. I have his LP3.1 Preamp and Inspire 45 Amp pushing a pair of Klipsch Forte II's and it's magical. You can find used Had gear occasionally. He recently made a splash with his 300B Amp.
My other suggestion follows what I did when I wanted another well built tube amp, but wanted an Integrated instead of separates. I didn't want to drop a lot of cash, because it was for a third listening room. I bought a Reisong A-10 (6 wpc) after seeing multiple reviews, and I was astounded at what I got for $350. Built like a tank, point to point wiring, tube cage, sounds incredible, etc. I replaced the cheaper tubes with higher quality tubes from Brent Jessee (so another $500, I got extras) -- so for under $1,000 I have a very affordable giant killer. Works great with efficient speakers, but I currently have it hooked up to my original Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers (rated at 89 or 90 dB I believe) and I don't ever go past 11 o'clock on the volume knob. The Reisong is butter pushing my Klipsch KG 4's, KG 1.5's, and Heresy's.
Reisong makes several other Integrated Amps you should look at. I honestly call them "Giant Killers" because they go toe-to-toe with amps that are thousands of dollars more. They are a great amp to "test the waters". Find out you love tubes and upgrade? The Reisong is a perfect 2nd system starting place.
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I'll second the suggestion of Black Ice Audio. They're a venerable company (used to be Jolida), they're based in the US and they have very good support. Their integrated amps have subwoofer outputs. I haven't heard their Fusion line but a friend has the CD/DAC/Streamer and loves it, and he's a very picky tube guy.
But it's also true that most well-made tube amps will not have an issue with running subs off the speakers taps.
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I've thought about the tube preamplifier route, but have read about SET magic on the power side - so I'm going 'whole hog'. ![smiley smiley](https://d2whmegz38cf3z.cloudfront.net/ckeditor4-releases/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.png)
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+1 for Decware.
website has a classified section if you don’t want to wait
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Lost me at the subwoofer output.
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Enthusiastic vote for Cary. I currently have an SLI80HS powering a pair of Volti Razz and feel the pairing is heavenly IMO. Has pre outs for a sub. (Sometimes I swap in my little SVS micro3000)
Back when, I worked in the only real HIFI store in town, (The Speaker Shop) and we sold Cary. Always a super well built product that simply sounded amazing.
i listened to a couple of the Black Ice integrateds at the FLA show and really enjoyed them. Also the Margules i240 was pretty awesome too.
hard to beat Cary direct when they have a sale!
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+1 on Decware. Steve Deckert, the owner/designer makes himself available to customers on the phone - live - on M/W/Fri. I have been buying their amps and pre-amps for about 20 years. Great stuff and great support.
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