Tube Amp for Devore O/96

Thank you all so much for the thorough and thoughtful responses. I really appreciate it and am excited to explore the various amps you all recommended. I'm especially excited about the NAF 2A3 and Jadis. I can't to experience the O96s with one of these.

@tom23

Something to consider is that John DeVore personally uses an Icon Audio amp in his setup. If the designer of the speakers uses them probably worth considering -

Could you please share your source for the above statement? I’ve seen mention of John using Komura, Air Tight, Pass, Parasound, Shindo and the occasional Leben. Is it possible that you may have seen Icon use Devore speakers, however, I’ve seen no mention of Devore using Icon. I’m sure they are fine amps, just never seen them mentioned with Devore.

@ghasley - I went looking for the source and only found these videos

https://youtu.be/P_gJS_u6gWc

https://youtu.be/BDVfzCvqH8E

Maybe  over time my memory confused the icon amp with the emt amp? I had it in my head he used an icon amp. I even had a memory of the interviewer mentioning it and him saying something about it so I don't know, maybe it's in another location and I can't find the video, I might have to email them and ask.

here is the Denis Had amp that looked nice on Steve Huffs channel that uses 300b tubes https://youtu.be/l-lRvZVyZ0o

I have some research to do I suppose as I don’t know Class A from Class AB or what a pentode is.

Triodes get their name from having three elements- cathode, grid and plate. Pentodes have two more grids as a method of increasing efficiency, but they trade off the additional power they make for linearity. Triodes are about as linear as any amplifying device can get. That is why they can be used to make an amplifier with no feedback.

Class A is where the tube or transistor is conducting throughout the entire waveform. This is usually the most linear portion of the device’s operating curve. AB trades off greater efficiency for linearity. You will see this tradeoff a lot in audio. In class AB the device does not conduct thru the entire waveform; at some power level only one of the two devices (AB is not used in single-ended amplifiers) stops conducting and so the circuit draws less power. Usually class AB amplifiers will need some feedback to make up for the reduced linearity.

I really recommend that if you have a larger room to go with some kind of push pull amplifier. You’ll need the extra power! Its hard to make power and bandwidth at the same time- meaning that with single-ended amplifiers typically 7 Watts is the most power the amp can make and still have hifi frequency response. With push pull you can get amps that make 100 Watts before you start to run into this problem, which in both cases is caused by the output transformer.

There are class A triode amps that are push-pull and there are class AB pentode amps that are push-pull. So there can be a bit of variance in the sound as a result. Usually the pentode amps will have feedback while the triode amps often run none. Feedback can be really tricky because it can add distortion of its own while otherwise suppressing the innate distortion of the amp- leading to a harsher and brighter sound. Those that prefer the zero feedback amps usually do so on this basis- and often with the claim that zero feedback amps are more ’involving’. There is some scientific basis for such a claim, having to do with how the brain processes music. Its normally done in the limbic centers; otherwise transferred to the cerebral cortex if the brain detects an issue with the sound; if that happens the music can lose its emotional context.

@charles1dad 

I haven't yet figured out how to quote a post so forgive me for not including your message in my response. 

I'm hoping to remain under $12k for my amplifier but would be willing to extend my budget for an especially good amplifier if it's not that much more. I'm getting the impression, however, that you might think the Jadis gives me the most bang for my buck?