In search of respectable/reasonable tube amps with 16 ohm taps

can you build?

https://www.transcendentsound.com/cathode-follower-amp.html

I researched this topic before posting, but my efforts were fruitless. However, I’ve done some additional research. A different forum had a similar post from 2013 and the consensus was that only old tube amps had 16 ohm taps. Looks like maybe the new Line Magnetic LM88iA has them. That’s about all I’ve found. Didn’t realize it would be so hard.

For starters, just about any amplifier with Magnequest output transformers can be strapped for 4, 9 or 16 ohms. That’s what’s in our NiWatt amps.

Amplifiers with Intact Audio (Dave Slagle), Tamura and Hashimoto output transformers can typically be strapped for 16 ohms.

I’d invert my search - starting by looking for amps you like, and then contact the manufacturer. They may have neglected to publish the output transformer wiring options.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier Design

Thank you, sir. That is great info. I appreciate the response. 

Our amps have no output transformers and love 16 ohms. No tap needed, just hook up and play.

The advantage of 16 ohms is that with all amplifiers, tube, solid state or class D, distortion is lower (the exception being if you have a tube amp that lacks a 16 ohm tap- then the output transformer can ring since it would be improperly loaded and so can introduce more distortion).

Lower distortion means more neutral sound and that often means smoother and more detailed bringing you closer to the music.

There are two other advantages. If the amp is equipped with an output transformer, it will operate more efficiently and so the amp will make slightly more power and might even have an octave more bandwidth on the bottom. Also, speaker cables are a lot less critical and can be run longer distances without reducing bass impact or resolution.

If a given speaker that is 4 or 8 ohms were magically made to be 16 ohms while otherwise having the same specs and the like, it would instantly sound smoother and more detailed, not because it changed, but because the amplifiers driving it would change. Its a pretty big deal and is instantly audible.
If you are spending money on an amplifier and everyone does in this hobby, that amplifier dollar investment is best served by a speaker of higher impedance **if sound quality is your goal**. If **sound pressure** is your goal, there is a slight argument for lower impedances.

Put another way there isn't a good argument for making any amplifier work hard. That simply means that the amp is going to make more distortion which is both measurable and audible.

I know that there are a lot of 4 ohm speakers that sound pretty good but every single one of them would sound even better if only their impedance were higher.