Zu Soul Superfly

>>If you check with 213Cobra he will agree with the musicality of an EL-34 amp.<<

Yup. No doubt. Takes me back. I ran a pair of Dyna Stereo 70s strapped as ~70w monoblocks 35 years ago, when you could still buy Stereo 70 kits new and real West German Telefunkens and Siemens EL34s were plentiful. I built many for friends. Today, there are inexpensive upgrades, in parts or even replacement of the input circuit. But even stock, a well-maintained Stereo 70 will be euphonic in beautiful ways, and have a lot less push-pull grunge than most modern push-pull tube amps. As I just wrote in another post, almost any EL34 tube amp is a safe bet for good sound, and Zu's efficiency means a single stereo amp pushing out 30 - 35w/ch goes far. Most days on Audiogon there are a couple of rehabbed, modded or hot-rodded Stereo 70s. Other great, but more expensive, vintage iron: McIntosh MC2225, MC240, MC30 & 60 monoblocks. No cheap Marantz 8Bs left, but that would sound gorgeous. Lots of Chinese El34 and EL84 amp options.

In vintage solid state, you'd get music from Quad 405, 405-II and even a 303, which are around for mad money these days. Sweet into 16 ohms.

Phil

Zanon, if you can't tell the different between a Tripath and an ICE amp, you probably can't tell the difference between an EL34 and KT88 or a 2A3 and 300B either.

Just thought I'd chime in with some additional amp options in the $500-800 range that over the years I've had some experience with. Conrad-johnson MV 50 or 52(the 52 has polypropylene caps in the power supply) which is EL34 based would be excellent(45 watts/ch)as would an Audio Research classic 30(30 watts/ch). As both are older amps they likely have 16 ohm output taps which would be ideal with the 16 ohm impedance of the Zu soul.

Paulfolbrecht:

It is entirely possible I will not be able to tell the difference between those amps I mention. After I hear them, I will say one way or the other.

I can hear strain with low power t-amp (below ~50 WPC) which I do not hear with 100 WPC Rotel ICE implementation, but what can I say. Class-d sounds like class-d.

I mean, we have people who say Zu's work with 3W flea amps, and people who say 3-6db difference between left and right channel make no difference, and toe-in (for massively directional HF speakers) makes no difference. So you can add to that list a guy who says class-d sounds like class-d no matter how much you pay for its.

>>...and people who say 3-6db difference between left and right channel make no difference, and toe-in (for massively directional HF speakers) makes no difference.<<

Now, Zanon. I don't think we had anyone in this thread say any of those things. But some people do like their 3 watts and are willing to live within their limits.

Phil