Compact ~20WPC Tube Amp

compact ________?

We really know what we own or have known,

My Cayin AT88 is not compact, a ’regular’ sized tube amp, 45 wpc. It had to sound as good as my Fisher 80az mono blocks made in 1958, it does, and gave me remote volume, which allowed me to use a vintage tube preamp with no remote anything.

If interested, get a later model with external bias, I needed 16 ohm taps, only m1 has those. later have 4ohm and 8 ohm taps

https://www.google.com/search?q=cayin+at88&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS949US949&oq=cayin+at88&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l2.14365j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

6 moons review convinced me to try it, glad I did

https://6moons.com/audioreviews/cayin/a88t.html

Regarding 'compact', the Cayin CS 55A has inbuilt phono and USB inputs, half size width and puts out 22 Watts in Triode (40 Watts in ultra linear). So lower your box count and get great amp for less than $3000. 

I will have to throw a few votes in there for the "talk to Aric" comment.

Ive spent the last hour after getting home from work. Listening to a nice mix of mellow male and female vocal/jazz. Playing my Innuos Zen thru a Pontus II To a Aric Audio 6sn7 preamp (currently running Linlai tubes) and Aric Audio Super KT88/120 SET amplifier (currently running Westinghouse 6sn7gtb tall bottles and KT170's in triode). At the end of the line I have a pair of Spatial M3TM's that you would never know were even in the room! Arics pieces are just amazing you should  honestly reach out to him. I don't disagree with previous recommendations as I have no experience with most. 

I do know that my experience with Aric is nothing short of amazing, a good honest man!

J.F.

Get in touch with Will Vincent here on Audiogon or over on Audiomart. He always has some sweet ST70’s for sale.

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I've had my Quicksilver Minimite monoblocks for the past 17 years and still truly enjoy them with some of my British monitors. Linn Kan I and KEF Reference Series Model I (similar to the LS3/5A BBC monitor).   If you can find a used pair in nice shape for around $750 I think you'd really like them.  

If you want to purchase new,  then the Quicksilver horn monoblocks at around $1600 the pair might make sense.  They're 25 watts per channel but sound much more powerful.

Good luck! 😀