Tube Amp Suggestions


I have had the audio affliction for about 10 years. I am finally ready to venture into the world of tube amps and would appreciate any ideas my fellow audiophiles might have. My current set up is theta basic II with a camelot uther IV going directly into a pass labs aleph 5 and audio physic virgo II speakers. All wiring is tara labs air 1. Budget is $2,000 to 3,000 new or used.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
sgunther
C1...
The difference is .4% :-) though surely not as relevant as the difference between say 0.005% and 1 to 2% (or more). But the point is whether it is audible, or not. Or if you like the idea of the source material being affected by a component at all, or whether you want to attempt to 'improve' the music with some distortion quality or other in one or more components.

Once recorded, though, is that even possible?

Please define, 'sounded "nice"'.

I really do not care to argue with those who enjoy their various qualities of distortion, regardless of how seductive the poetic terms used to describe it. From my perspective, there is No point.

Two schools of audio can be differentiated by 'goal'. Note that those who argue surprisingly ferverently against me personally (whatever that is about), and much less the point I attempt to make, rarely mention the music. And obviously have no ambition to reproduce it as accurately as possible in their listening room.

I do not know to what degree they acknowledge it, but they seem to only be concerned about the 'sound' of the individual components, and of their system collectively. Any sound whatever of which has to be 'distortion'. 'A good system is a silent system.' One that gets out of the way, and lets the music through.

That is my position, and I am sticking to it.

I imagine that if a musician was found to be so invloved in the sound of their instrument they would be corrected by their teachers and instructed to focus primarily on the music. Perhaps even to the degree of faithfully depicting the intention of the composer.

Anyway, I notice the Wavac's have no distortion measurement in their specs at all. They are pretty, though.

I have yet to see, even after contacting mfgrs specifically, that a spec indicating low distoriton was ever unintentionally omitted from publication. The cutoff seems to be 1 to 2% (THD/IMD) Some, but not all, 'brand names' will show that much, but never more. Whereas a mfgr ALWAYS shows when it is less. Hmmm.

To all: nothing personal, and no offence. BTW I have never cut and pasted a post in my life; Nor is my relationship with Seigfried Linkwitz other than one of a buyer to a seller. Since my speaker system is his design, I am just grateful he is accessible (and didactic by nature :-)
Do you listen to test tones or music? I guarantee you that any moderately good sounding tube amp will slay your SS home theater amps.

Oz
Didactically. Goals Smoals.... will you give your head a shake! Have you ever heard a Wavac amplifier? No... I didn't think so.Have you ever heard the Cary 805'? Obviously not! Yes sir, your ATI amp is a very nice sounding solid state amplifier... along with a host of others solid state amplifiers. Personally speaking sir......My Bedini 25/25 pure class A amplifier simply stomps on all over it in my rig. Sorry partner,call it any way you wish too..... and to be a little more blunt and to the point here.... The ATI is not even in the same league as the Cary 805 or any of the wavac amplifiers when it boils down to reproducing a musical signal.For the life of me, I just do not understand how anyone can ascertain how amplifier A is better than amplifier B without listening to each of them. Hey Batman,if you haven't listened to them... perhaps you should do so before preaching the Gospel here about distortion specs. Hell... my teenage nephews 80 watt Radio Shack receiver specs out pretty damned close to your ATI amplifier, and it's guaranteed to give me a headache in the first few bars of whatever you wish to listen to.
Slay? in what way?
Define 'good sounding'.

FYI
It is actually more difficult to design a distortion free solid state amp than a tube design. It makes you wonder why it is more difficult to find tube amps with tolerable levels of distortion.

But then so many are more interested in how their system sounds than in listening to the actual music, which would lead one to aspire to hear it accurately: as played by the musicians in whichever environment.

Oh, well. To each his or her own, I suppose.
A wise man once said, ' most error is the result of a false premise, carelessly assumed, then building on that premise'.

You do not know what I have listened to. Yet you proceed as though you did, then presume to have made a convincing argument.

At any rate, my view is based on levels of distortion produced by a component, which is measurable. Not how it 'sounds'. I prefer it have no sound of its own since it is distortion that you hear even though many have very definate tastes for various specific characteristics of distortion, often described in affectionate and poetic terms.

I have no argument with these 'connoisserus of coloration', and certainly no interest in debating their subjective tastes for the 'sound' they like. I want to hear the music. As accurately, and live like, as possible.

Have I not been clear about that?