What's the best EL84 amp?


My speakers have loved the two I’ve tried, both vintage. I would love to spend some money and get a great EL84 amp. Any suggestions? Not interested in an integrated. 

dhcod

Showing 3 responses by larryi

I like the EL84 tube and once owned a custom-made amp using that tube.  Of commercial amps of current manufacture, I like the Audio Note OTO, which is a somewhat pricey integrated amp. 

For vintage amps, I think that the Eico HF81 amps were quite good. 

dhcod,

I like your description of a good EL84 amp--the sound is lively and "fun" and they can be a bit "rough around the edges."  Have you heard a good 6L6 or KT66 amp?  These tube types have a slightly richer sound and are often a bit less rough sounding than the EL84 tube.  

The 6L6 amps I liked were old, vintage, RCA and Northern Electric amp, and the crazy expensive Western Electric 124 amps (they run 6L6 or the 350B tube).I have heard a number of custom built amps that use this tube.  The similar sounding KT66 is used in amps made by Synthesis Audio, an Italian company.  I really like their A40 integrated amp (2 output tubes per channel, 40 wpc) and their 100 watter the A100 (4 tubes per channel).