Sumptuous, lush, rich, liquid golden midrange amp?

Ralph, The amps that I alternate between in the system alluded to, are a TAD 1000 (with EL 34s), which I operate in triode mode and a Dennis Had designed Cary/AES Six pac A/AB, push-pull (also EL 34s). I guess the question is, how much improvement would the suggestions that all have made, give me in the areas I am looking for, since the Cary does have a nice midrange and a Bel Canto SEi40 SET with 845 tubes was not better! I suppose to answer these questions, one would need to have listened to my amps. Nevertheless, my question remains, since I always get such great suggestions on this forum. Thanks for chiming in, Ralph. Your MA-2 is still, and always will be, my reference amp in the main system for "real" concerts, and the amp I am looking for is a diversion, a hopefully unreal, euphonic one!

I don't think so. Well, not entirely.

Blindjim - I'm not exactly sure what your point is, but if you're saying the TPA-30's sonic signature is not solely a result of its using the EL-34, then, sure that's obvious and I agree with you. Paul Marks made no secret of his aiming the TPA-30 at a 'SET-like' sound in a 30W amp (more than flea-weight power) and he was particularly proud of its 60W power supply. I'll bet we also agree that tubes have no sound outside a circuit implementation and that there is no need to cite the difference between NOS and contemporary tubes to make that point. When compared with, say, a 655O or KT88, the EL34 has its own characteristic sound, which, to my ears, tends toward the warm romantic, toward a certain "lit from within" quality. No reason I know of for the OP not to consider other EL34 based amps. Cheers.

Blindjim, You have certainly elicioted my interest in the Thor. I have reservations about its ability to fill an L shaped very large room and the fact that I would be the 4th owner. Furthermore, I am not sure what is meant by the inability to read the bias meters? However, my tastes veer towards the EL 34, as evidenced by the fact that both my amps that would be replaced, use EL34s. I suppose I am waiting for someone to tell me how much difference I will hear compared to what I have, which may not be possible!

What about the Conrad-Johnson Premier 140? On sale on A'gon. Or the C-J Premier 12? Would appreciate hearing from users of either of these.

BlindJim
The Legacy's are rated at 96db but Stereophile rated them at 94.5 so say plus or minus 1.5 db. Yes they do dip down to about 2 ohms a couple of times in the bass and to 3.3 in the mid treble, again according to Stereophile, specs say 4 ohm nominal.
MY preamp is a Conrad-Johnson Premier16 series II, with a 0-100 for volume have rarely had it above 40 and only for vinyl. Paul set his phono preamp to be equal to the preamp at about .65mVolts. With the Celebration, it needs to be turned up or down depending on vinyl or CD's.
I was very impressed and if they could have biased with their meters they would have stayed. Sigh! Went on to get a Conrad-Johnson Premier 11a, good amp, but after hearing the Wyetech Topaz monoblocks, I was hooked and they're my amp now.