Which one to choose between two 80K$ tube amps?

Avantgarde Trios with basshorns can’t do this? or the big Cessaros? Not sure I agree with you here.

I think your speakers are simply harder to drive in a large room than one thinks.

depends on one’s expectations for large scale, complicated, reproduced music.

i’m not saying you are limited in musical choices with those very high efficiency speakers, only that those very large scale recordings are not the strength of those type speakers. whereas it is the strength of large dynamic cone speakers. it’s still not easy to accomplish.

the only performance limitation in my room is the limits of SPL’s on the capacity of the human senses. the system exceeds those by a good margin without losing it’s grip.

Two amplifiers that represent the pinnacle of decades of design development of two legends in the Audio world, Kondo san and Berning san. I speak from a listener and enthusiast’s perspective. Not from a technical one. I do not discount the importance of specs and technical aspects. But present the importance of enjoying the music. If someone’s tastes lean toward the “cool and neutral” presentation, the Berning is perhaps the ultimate example. If one’s tastes are more the “warm and liquid”, the Kondo may be the best there is. Both amps are highly “musical”. Perhaps the classic yin and yang. Personally, if I had the cash and inclination, I would jump at a chance to own the Kondo for $30+K less and never look back. Especially considering the “taming” of that plasma tweeter!

Clearly, both are SET tube based. However, when I refer to “warm and cool” I speak of the designer’s tastes IME. 

I had this post to find out which one people prefer between high power tube and Small power quality tube one.

I have Silbatone 300B SET with silver foiled output transformer.

With WE 300B made in 40’s, it give excellent details, transparent, wide and deep soundstage.

But it does not have enough headroom in my listening space with high vault.


I may get horn speaker with more than 105 db/W efficiency to work with Silbatone in the future.


Or I may drive using active crossover to feed only 50hz or high to Silbaton and 50hz below to my two 18 inches Scaena subwoofers.

Since I had never used OTL, I am also intrigued with one that made by Atma-sphere.


But I am not in a hurry since I am also happy with Line Magnetic 508 48 Watts SET after lot of tube rolling.

It give enough headroom and bass control so that I may not need to use subwoofer.

Bah! silly question.., at that price you should buy BOTH!!