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Help: low Maintenance Tube Amp short list.

I am making a short list of tube amps for audition. I would like to spend around 2000, give or take a couple hundred bucks. I would like to stay in the 50 to 60wpc range. And, last, but now least, I am looking for very low maintenance. I have seen some pictures of some tube amps, like the BAT models, with so many tubes that I wouldn't know what to do with them if they failed or needed replacement. Don't even ask me about biasing because I don't even know exactly what that is. Right now I have my eyes on a Conrad Johnson MV60. What else is there out there?

Help!
matchstikman
sufentanil's avatar
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sufentanil
782 posts
 
For true plug and play tube amps, I'll ante up with Audio Valve. Starting with the Avalons ($4500 for the pair of monoblocks), they include red and green LED's that tell you when a tube is going bad and needs to be changed. They are fully auto-biased, the tubes are easily accessible (by unscrewing 4 thumbscrews that hold the glass tops in place), and they sound great to boot. I have the ppp45's and I couldn't be happier with the sound or the maintenance-free life.

Michael
listener57
730 posts
 
I can second the Aronov LS960 for excellent performance, and no adjustments to make. You can even eliminate a separate preamp (with its powercord and interconnect) by getting the LS960i for about $1600 on Audiogon. But then there is no built-in phono, if that is a priority.
btrvalik
61 posts
 
I just got a MV-60 so I can't comment on the long term issue but biasing is a piece of cake and seems quite stable once dialed in. Oh it sounds great..
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