<2K amp for Shearwaters

Jay - Do yourself a favor and stick with tubes. Ez either isn't reading your post or hasn't heard good, all-tube amps. If there isn't something intrinsically special about good tubes, then why would any manufacturer still use them?!?. There are plenty of used tube amps, stereo or monoblocks, less than $2k listed. Figure on tube rolling to get the sound that best fits your system and taste. There's a RM-9 Mk2 listed for $1550 obo which is a great amp for the money, and very reliable. Also, CJ and VTL models are available. These usually sound best after a bit of "tweaking", upgraded caps and tubes. Follow your ears and you'll eventually find what you want. Goodluck.

Rogue has a all tube Integrated Amp due out next week.Its called the Tempest.1995.00 If its anywhere as good as their other stuff it will be a steal.Your speakers will sound great with these.The amps also have the capability of bringing another set of amps into it so you can bi amp.

I too, used to have the Shearwaters (Hot Rods) and Marantz 63 SE. These speakers really do like tubes, Jay. I have heard them on Rogue equip. and they sounded great, so I concur w/prev. post. My best friend has them with Jolida 502B ($700 used) w/ DH Silver Sonics biwire/interconnects and it is one of the best budget systems I have ever heard! I also think an Aronov Tube integrated 60w/ch ($1400 used) is hard to beat. But you really should go up to a Rega (CD $450 used) or get a MSB DAC (can use 63's optical output) to help your front end. The Harmonic Technology Truth-Link cables are a good way to go for a bit more. Their Pro-11 biwired is one of the best kept secrets for speaker wire set-ups. Best Regards, truman

There's a dealer here in New York who has essentially made a name for himself selling little other than Meadowlark speakers coupled with VAC equipment. Really, to the point where, if you walk into another store and mention that you are considering this combination, whoever you are speaking to will know the guy by name. He almost had me (however, I ended up with Thiel, a Bryston amp, and a VTL pre). Really funny, though. That said, the Shearwaters sounded really sweet driven by the VAC Avatar (integrated, tubes), not to mention on some of their CJ stuff that was definitely beyond my pricerange, I must admit. (...and the Herons, better still, driven by Cary monoblocks...) Just thought I'd throw that on, as I didn't see VAC on your list of things to consider. I think the Avatar is more expensive (3.5k?) but a little patience may turn a used one up close about 2k.... Finally, I suspect that you may be dissapointed by the volume control on the Marantz in the long run if you run it directly into an amp, and then quickly find yourself longing for a fancier CD player (as I am, another story). That said, a nice CD player, a tube amp, and the Shearwaters could make for quite a nice system.... Shop (and listen) about a bit and try to get a feel for how different tubed equipment sounds different. I'm happy with my VTL, but part of me wishes that I'd spent a little more time with some BAT, Audio Research, and Audible Illusions before I bought it--just to have done so, more than anything. From my experience, Meadowlarks do like tubes, though. Enjoy.

I have a set of Wright Mono 10s ($1700) on order to use with my Shearwaters, so I can't yet comment on the sound. However, in the meantime, I am using a Fisher 400 tube receiver that I purchased for $200 on eBay--and it sounds great! I previously owned a Mesa Tigris and a Joule Electra VAMP, and the Fisher beats them both.