Tube integrated amp recommendations

I’m an Audio Research fan and that new I/50 integrated has caught my eye. Hard to go wrong with ARC unless just not tubey sounding enough for some.

Conrad Johnson has been around a long time also always impresses when I hear.

i have not heard the others but they all of course have their fans. I heard some Raven amp once at a show and it was perfectly fine but did not strike me in particular either way. Not as much of a fan from what I read though as some. Not as extensive a track record as ARC CJ or even Luxman but the owners seem to love Raven.  Each have their own aesthetic that should also be a factor in deciding. 

If others say the RAVEN’s sound good, and you consider their built-in high pass filter to off-load the need to amplify low bass, you could be extremely happy, and if you ever want to try less efficient speakers, that out to self-powered sub will make a huge difference.

missing headphone feature.

In any case, you need to do some reading, asking questions, and specifically ask Raven for their advice as to which tubes to try.

Also, I highly recommend anyone with tube equipment to get their own tube tester, a simple inexpensive portable one, will give you confidence in what you buy, help diagnose any suspected problems, for the rest of your life! Just add it to your budget. You need it’s manual to know the settings for testing.

this ACCURATE 257 is untested, I have it, and it’s little brother 157, there’s not much to go wrong or to fix if needed, and I have the manuals for both if you find a nice one without a manual.

30 day free returns: no risk

these and many other brands had cheap hinges, don't let rusty hinges scare you.

For first time tube equipment, it’s tought to beat Primaluna.

Just try to break a Primaluna. No way. It has a protective response for every idiot move.

Also EL34 are very holographic to me. I’m currently using 7581A tubes.

Evo 400 is a level step up from the Dialogue Premium line.

Primaluna has very ballsy bass...no joke. If you like tube rolling, you will have fun with a Primaluna. In fact, if you want to understand what different tubes sound like, Primaluna is a great first component...you can roll and learn to your heart's delight.

When I got my Evo, I didn’t want my end game amp. I wanted to play around and learn first. But once you get some efficient speakers, it’s tough to move on. Plenty of timbre, detail and holography to enjoy.

i like the EL-34 so much, i got 8 of them..... Music Reference RM-9

Glad to see the OP has an open mind...and ears....

Another vote for Line Magnetic and Leben, glorious tone color if not the last word in neutrality. Leben in particular w excellent build quality.

Personally I will not buy an integrated amp without  a headphone capability.  I have a Bel Canto c5i and a $100 pair of Grado s80e phones with that are hard to beat.