Tube CD player?

You may have to stretch a little bit on your budget to really get what you want, or give up the tube output criteria. But if you cannot move away from either, maybe the AMC 6 is a good CD player for you?

If you can move a little in price, the Granite 657 CD player is an excellent choice. Variable 6922 tube output, fixed solid state output, excellent build quality and reliability, fantastic sound. I've had mine for about 3 years now, and have never been less than enthralled with the sound. Negatives are they are quite rare on the used market, and you must be patient, as well as the remote being slightly disappointing though only in comparison to the player itself. On top of it all, Don Hoglund is the type of manufacturer we would all do well to support as best as we can - top level customer support and a wonderful person.

If you are OK with a solid state player, the Electrocompaniet units are also terrific machines.

Disclaimer: I am the North American importer of Opera Audio/Consonance products, including the CD players

My very close friend, The Doctor (Mechans) and I were able to A/B my Granite 657 and his Audio Aero Prima in his system. We were able to run both players into his monoblock power amplifiers, though the solid state output of the 657 (same as the Granite 650) necessitated we use my Endler Attenuators to control the volume

The solid state output of the Granite has always sounded along the lines as what Albert has described. It's interesting to note how different we both heard the player overall, but that's often the nature of this hobby. I feel this sound is quite good - weighty, rich, full bodied. One of the better performing players out there in terms of the low frequencies, though bass is one area I feel SACD and vinyl trump CD hands down.

The AA Prima was definitively a step above this in sound; more clear, detailed, airy, open and spacious sounding. The bass took a step back. But, surely a lovely player, indeed.

We next tried the Granite 657's tube output. Again, the low frequencies were less full bodied than the solid state output. Overall, the sound was incredibly close to the AA Prima; we both felt the Granite beat the AA by a slim, though discernible margin.

I recommend both players emphatically, and a tremendous fan of both. I will say The Doctor's AA Prima transport gave up the ghost, and he bought a Granite 650 to hold him over until he finds a good deal on a used 657 or upgrades this unit to becoming a 657.