2. amps-preamps
  3. 1072757496

Which Tube Amp?

Ok all you tube-O-philes, I have a question!

I am thinking of getting back to a tube amp(s), maybe.
(I used to have a C.J. MV50 many years ago.)

What is the best tube amp, or monoblock tube amps, for me?
Please note that I know that I am NOT a tweaker, so the qualifications for the tube amp I want are:

Easy to no tube biasing. (Either so easy a monkey can do it, without special tools or meters, or automatic biasing.)

At least 100W/ch, and preferrably up to 200W/ch. (I need the power to drive my Revel Studio Speakers.)

While I want that nice tube sound, I don't want too much.
(I.e I don't really want that classic C.J. "tubey" sound.)

Price: Well, give me a ballpark figure for what you suggest (Used Price). I figure I can go up to $4-5,000.

Reliability: I like my ARC LS-2 preamp as it is rock solid, as is my current SS amp, a Mark Levinson No. 23.
Therefore, I want something with good build quality.

Tube Availability: I want a tube amp that can go with cheaper tubes and still sound good. (I don't want something that I have to spend thousands of dollars on everytime I retube it.)

Preferably with cages, as I have a 3 year old daughter, who while being very good about not touching my system (so far at least), she does have friends over, who would probably love to touch the "pretty glowing lights", (and whose father would then sue me (and thus take my amps!) for allowing his daughter to get third degree burns on my equipment!)

Please list all that you are familiar with, and would recommend. If you disagree with someone else's recommendation, please state that as well, (especially if you have personel experience with the offending amp!)

Some that I have considered, but tossed out include:

Any ARC tube amp, as they are all bloody espensive to retube!

The Kora Cosmos. Nice sounding, but way to much trouble to bias.

Any older C.J. amps, as they sound too tubey. (I will admit that I have not heard the latest C.J. amps, so maybe they sound different.)

Antique Sound labs "Hurricanes": (This is a maybe, because of the reliablity issues I have heard about.)

Thanks in advance for your input!
kurt_tank
msa
35 posts
 
Has about 100 watts; easily replaceable tubes made currently; simple bias system that never goes out anyway; good slam; should work well with your speakers; Stereophile class A
goone
136 posts
 
Another vote for VTL MB-450 has cage, and rebias every six months.
fcreetlew
2 posts
 
Blue Circle BC28. 120 watts per side, 2 6922 tubes (even good NOS are relatively cheap). Lots of good inexpensive new 6922 tubes available. No biasing. This is a hybrid amp with tubes in the input stage and a solid state output which give you a nice neutral mix of warmth and "pop". Available for less than 5K new. There is a recent review on Sound Stage I believe.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
If you are going to consider a hybrid, consider the Llano Trinity or Phoenix amps. Tube voltage stage, SS current amp, uses one tube per channel, no biasing, no exposed tubes. Tremendous wattage and current delivery; can be configured as monoblocks or stereo. Built like a tank. My Trinity sounds pretty awesome with NOS 12AU7s at about $50-$100/pair. Each pair should last years and years.
kurt_tank OP
1,189 posts
 
Thanks to all of you who responded to my thread!!!

Unfortunately, my wife has thrown me a curve, and has knocked my budget down to $0. (Of course, I can always sell something to get the money, so I figure my budget is now around $2K, which is what I figure I can get for my Levinson No. 23.)

Using this figure, I have calculated that most of your great suggestions won't work. In addition, she wants the amp to be inside the stereo rack, so monoblocks are out, at least for now (So that eliminates the BAT, Wolcott and VTL suggestions). The MacIntosh does not really fit my decor. My brother and I have owned Counterpoint before, and to be honest, the build quality was lacking somewhat. (Both he and I had to have repairs done to our units. But they did sound good, I will admit that!) Therefore, I have settled on the Music Reference RM-200. (While it needs biasing, it only has a few tubes, so it should be faily easy to do, and the tubes seem to be cheap enough.) If any of you have any thoughts on this choice, please let me know what you think.

By the way, I am not disappointed with the Levinson amp, I merely want something different, especially after my friend upgraded to tube amps from his Classe amp. It really sounded good. He bought the BAT 150 monobolocks after having the Kora Cosmos.
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