which el 84 amp or integrated

Jerry, thanks for the reply, any opinion on Scott or Eico EL84's

Listening in the near field with Klipsch Chorus? I have an early Manley Stingray with 50wpc. They changed the transformers on the later models and decreased the power. I also own a vintage Sherwood S-5000 also uses EL84 type tube with wonderful sound. The Sherwood makes cheap speakers sound expensive. Music Reference RM 10 is very good and Dynaco even made an EL84 amp the ST35, 17.5wpc.

It's been a long time since I have listened to a Scott 222 but I would think that a totally refurbished 222 would compete well with most of the current El84 amps as the transformers were superb and they are the heart of most tube amps. Also be careful what version 222 you have as the Scott 222c version is really a 7189 amp so you are restricted to the EL84m or the Soveteks I mentioned above. As to the Eico I have no experience at all with their products but late 50's /early 60's tube stuff really was well designed as that time period was the zenith of tube product development. I just had Mike Samra rebuild a Mac 1500 receiver for me (he did the electrical and I did the cosmetics) and it sounds incredible so the potential is there but make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing. Also don't go crazy on the modifications or you lose the "soul" of the unit and often the reliability as well. In addition by the time you have an older unit updated (unless you do all the labor yourself) it will cost you the same or more as a new production amp.

For sound quality, reliability, ergonomics and tube life, and can't think of one better than the Music Reference RM10MKII (which I will always regret having sold).

The baby is killer- I would a/b it against whatever else you get and make sure the price increase is justifiied. IMO- the baby is just one of those amps that does everything right. It is better than their el34 and I have preffered it to many mentioned above. Spend $100 replacing the tubes and give it a good listen.