Should I get a new amp?

Assuming you want an SS amp I'd say look at Belles and Odyssey. both are very well reviewed. I own an Odyssey Stratos SE I bought new recently within your budgetary constraints. the Belles will run more, but if used, should be in your range too.

I've used my Odyssey S SE in 2ch and in my HT setup. I'm pleased with both configurations.

I'll second the 100 wpc notion for tube amps... or in that area.

Watts is watts BUT power supplies aren't all made equally.

That's where many transformer based tube amps differ. Manley, Dodd, McIntosh, Cary, VTL, Prima Luna, Quicksilver, CJ, etc... all use 'em. Spend a little or spend a lot. your pick. Older models weill be more traditional sounding... bigger, fatter, wetter ... rich and warm.

The flavor of the tube amp will ususally folow the tube types being employed. Changing either the splitter/driver tubes and/or the output tubes will 'alter' the sound.

I can run a pair of 3way towers, 87db, 4ohm, speakers which drop to 2ohms at times with my 120 wpc Dodd mono blocks... easily. Without cranking up the volume. In a 14x21x8 room... in a smaller room of 10x12x8 I don't even think of a sub. in the larger room one could come in handy.

your room and preffs will determine if you need well more than 100wpc.

Find a good tube vendor too. That'll help immensely. Possibly not too much with price, but with quality of the tubes you may wish to try.

tube pre?
Like with anything in audio... you can spend as much as you wish there, just like with the amp (s). Some well reviewed pres run right at a grand or so preowned.

When I got back into this deal I found the sound I liked the best was in fact provided by tubes... so far anyhow. All tubes power train... digital front ends. but there sure is some thing to say for a tube preamp and a nice SS amp... which would be my suggestion to begin with given your speakers. As I feel that energetic top end could well be eased up with simply that... a decent tube preamp and a nice SS amp. VTL makes a 2 point something or other that's pretty nice pre. Later on if you don't want it or wish to move on up, selling it shouldn't be too difficult.

there's tons out there, and only yourself can ultimately be the judge. Maybe stick with something wherein the company is still in business first though.

repairs & upkeep?
biasing. If a bias model is the choice. Self biased? Well, then just turning it on and off. tubes last a good long time if new or New old stock... NOS. A good lloonnggg time... years in fact.

Havve fun.

Fatgh0s

Do you use a sub? If so your choices IMO expand looking at tube amps, or tube ints, which are a real good suggestion... eg., Prima Luna, Antique Sound Labs, Cary, VTL, etc. Even some under 100 wpc.

your desires for bass output will matter too. though I feel with tubes and your 1027s, the 'slam' aspect SS provides therre will be lessened some... although again, that's a taste thing as well.

True enough, an ALL tubes power train reveals a different sound than SS + HS (hollow state), and some find it pleasing enough... I did and still do depending on the mood and genre of music. The better the tube preamp in that case, the better however.

The issue I had in going tubes was the same as yours and many others.... finding the right power match, AND the right sonic result. I beleive my true aim is for SET, (single ended triodes) which are quite low in power output comparitively speaking. Under 20 wpc, usually. that path entails a much keener match of amps and speakers. Much.

So I compromised. Some. Given your budgetary constraints I would think some compromises are in order for an all tube int in the $1500 range. Flexibility with rolling of tubes is another great idea. The PL int affords you that too. the one I'm thinking of can run in ultralinear at 100 wpc, and 50 in SET and can use various tube compliments so you can get a shot at finding 'your' sound better.

I ran a 60wpc tube amp in a larger room than yours on lesser eff speakers with as difficult to drive loads and got decent sound levels, none of those pairs of speakers went lower in bass than do your 1027b's. Consequently, I added a sub and was very good with the outcome.

later on I went up to mono block tube amps, and changed speakers.

so my single caveat for you to consider is this, Things change. As much as we would all like to have our next move in audio be our last, it seldom ever is our last. seldom too is our next move the perfect one.

so if you are thinking to 'try' tubes, then just do that... try. you won't go too far wrong, IF AT ALL... if bought right, very likely none at all as you can sell it later.

Fatgh0st

My room is just under 14w x just over 20L with 8 ceilings. Until recently it had two openings, one to either side. One midway back on the left, and another all the way back on the right side. Near field listening was the only place to gain good balance, left to right. Great Bass was really difficult to acquire too.

The comments I made thus far were all applicable to the room in that config. I've since closed off the room by adding doors there just a couple months back.

That room doubles for me as well, as an HT and 2 ch listening room. Give or take a bit here or there, you have your room just like mine.

In fact your musical tastes, save for the rock, are mine as well.... and I do play rock as well, just not a lot. Def Lep, ZZ, Whitesnake, Lynyrd, Styx, Ozzie, Matchbox, etc.

As far as integrating a sub for 2 ch it shouldn't be too hard. Surely not expensive either. Especially if the "???" int has a set of preamp outs. Most do. Run the sub off them with a pair of RCA cables you can get at Radio Shack cheap... I do/did. they work fine. $20-40. If the sub has phase contrOls you might not even have to move it much if at all.

...AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN WANT TOO INCORPORATE THE SUB... BUT it's there if you have to.

Tube rolling = exchanging tubes in a piece of tube gear. I guess the term came from a while back 'cause once you take 'em out and lay 'em down while putting in other ones, they could roll if not on a level surface. ??

The Flavor of the tube piece is dependant upon the tubes being used within it. Differenet tube brands? Different sound.

that is to say, if it has JJ Tesla's 6922's, and you replace those with say, Amperex 6922's, the sound will differ. in fact the whole shooting match can change. Sound stage, bass, impact, openess, liquidity, etc.

Tjhis goes for all the tubes. inputs or drivers, and output tubes too. Even the same tube, yet a different vintage, can and do sound differently. for some this is a true joy, having such flexibility. For me it was a consternation.

But even a blind squirrel can find an acorn now and then. I did find the compliment of tubes that suits me without too much trouble.

you should be fine. Especially given your mention of gaining more from the mid bass on up is more important to you. you'll still get that which your speakers can put out in the bass region.... it'll just be different... but the musical info will still be there.

one other thing... you said the back end of the room was open. If you only ran some heavy curtains across that area behind the couches, which you could open and close at will, you'd be far better off too. Even better, accordion doors.

Hope that was helpful.

If that unit has preamp outputs you are ahead of the game still as you can add a tube amp (s) later on perhaps.

Google for Joe's tube lore. That article will shed some light onto what tubes do what, soundwise, and give ya some ideas.