Tube Amp for Devore O/96

I own a pair of the 0/96s and have tried a number of tube amps with them. My favorite pairing is a custom built pair of 300b mono amps, outputting 8wpc, and built by Bottlehead tech/designer. It uses Magnaquest nickel transformers and some hefty and expensive Mundorf silver gold foil oil caps. It edged out my Leben CS600x (which also sounds wonderful), and also a Shindo amp and a Woo WA5 300b integrated. Tried 5 other amps ranging from 2A3, 811, 845, and other higher power 300b variants, but these custom amps were the best (and happily like 1/2 the cost). I partnered with a 300b preamp that also uses nice transformers and vcaps. My room is 19’x18’ with 8ft ceiling.

I personally think 300bs are the best pairing for this speaker. I don’t want for more power, bass is wonderful and controlled and defined, and everything else sounds better than push pull amps I tried.

The EL34 amps add a tad more dynamics and the height of the listening window seems taller. But the 300bs add so much texture, detail, tone, and palpability. Honestly it’s super fun to switch around so I kept the Leben as a second unit, and pair it with Chartwell LS3/5a speakers.

I’ve owned Airtight amps, but not the 300b which I did listen to and quite loved - I had the ATM3 mono amps using EL34 tubes. Of all the amps mentioned, I would start with the ATM300. Airtight is a bit picky about preamps, and I never quite loved their own offerings. I would highly recommend looking into the custom builds like I commissioned, with the only caveat that the resale will be harder. That said, the cost savings over the more of name brands let me invest in some expensive cables and upgrade my digital, plus they sound better IMHO.

@atmasphere

Classy as usual……..👍

@davehg 

You've had first hands experience with quite a number of good amplifiers driving the Orangutan 96 speakers. I lean more toward SET amplifiers generally if applicable by circumstances. In this scenario given the OP's large and open listening space I can appreciate the recommendation for a push -pull amplifier with typically additional power.​​​​

In addition with push- pull  you will usually have a lower output impedance and increased damping factor. Depending on the speaker's bass characteristics this may/may not be desirable.

Charles

I deleted my post. Ralph means well and I am just mean. 

I will restate though that the Devore O' series play well with a broad range of tube amps. The O/96's can easily overpower a room with excess bass. They are propulsive and lively, but can sound a bit loosey-goosey, the opposite of the buttoned-down analytic sound I attribute to the likes of Magico's and the top TAD standmounts. For that reason for some listeners and rooms a push-pull tube amp with nfb can ameliorate some of that tendency. 

I tried my O/93's with a very good SET no feedback amp, an Ampsandsound Nautilus with 8 watts and the sound is sweet but the firmness of the low end and the extension of the treble disappeared. 

As Charles1dad said, and it's a cliche' but a true cliche', there are always trade-offs. Your choice of loudspeaker cable will also make a huge difference with the O's. I really like what the Auditorium 23 do with the O's but after a while I think I prefer Cardas Clear Beyond. 

The O/96 is magical. It has something about it that the O/93 lacks despite the similar drivers.