power amp or integrated?--tube of course

Jim: before reading Kelly's post my mind went to the Twin Towers! I have listened to the Tempo/Pathos combo & was favourably impressed. The amp sounded well in control, the timbres were good and the sound beautifully fluid.

The NuVista mentioned above had a drier sound -- but the particular piece I listened to had problems... so, the sound is not necessarily indicative of the model's performance.

Good luck!

I think your weak link in that set up is the amp. The preamp and phono preamp are good. I had a pair of Audio Physic Virgo's driven by a BAT VK-60 tube amp. Awesome setup. The LS7 and Bat amp are both balanced so that should help some. IMO the other posts are great choices, but your preamp isn't the weak point...

A Audio Reseach amp is a good match as well. VT100 or 50...BAT has a little different (and to me) better sound.

the bat amp is a good choice. if you want intregated, cj and vtl build nice ones. i would rather have seperates. good luck.

Jim, sorry to confuse the issue with one more consideration. Even though it's retail price is above your stated amount, Mark Levinson's Red Rose group has a new tube integrated that I hear is spectacular. I'm a solid state guy (Plinius 8150), but when the time comes to upgrade my int. amp, I know where I'm headed - tubes!

Happy listening.
Joel

Hi,
My humble opinion is surely pre-amp and power-amp seperate will be better. Higher flexiblity and up-gradability. Bi-amping is also possible in the future.
I am a solid state guy several years ago, I use the Accuphase E-203 integrated amp before, and I had shop over the market didn't find something suitable, until one day I come along the "Space-Tech Lab. " products, I goto their showroom and just want to take a listen. Surprisingly those amplifiers sounds terribly great, then I bring my TANNOY speaker to their shop and listen with their system, that speaker never sound so good before , just like vanished in the air, surrounded by music. Fully transparent and liquid. I am a professional consultant for live music show, I know that's what I am looking for in my life time, so I kept buying pre-amp, two power amps, 512x DA converter and even their speakers in the pass few years. Until now, I didn't hear anything can compare with that. Their web site address is "http://www.space-tech-lab.com" . I will tell everyone in the world about that company when I know people looking for tube amplifiers, for they are so damn good sounding.

Good Luck. Frank