Wanting to try a tube amp.

I had ARC gear, including the Ref 40th and then the ARC Ref. 10.  About 4 years ago I started switching to Octave.  First the MRE 220 Monos and then the Jubilee preamp.

Octave amps with the additional capacitance provided by the Super Black Box ("SBB") will drive any speaker, irrespective of the load challenges.  More importantly, Octave gear represents the best of both design worlds: the transient speed, inner detail and punch of solid state and the bloom, realism and atmosphere that only valves can produce.

There RE 320 is an incredible stereo amp and only requires a single SBB.  It will amaze.  One of the members in our local audio club has one and it is the envy of our group.

Audio Hungary I-20 , nice unit ""but"" the price is going up.

@knighttodd 

I thought the same thing. Then I got the PL and started with different tubes. Found out EL-34/KT77 are my favorites and Gold Line 12au7 are great too. Then, after a few years, wondered what else could be out there and went down the tube rabbit hole... still falling. Good luck.

the ref 110 is one hell of a tube amp

but i am in agreement with others who have stated it is overkill for the efficient golden ear speakers with built in self powered subs

i would look in the range of 30-50 wpc tube amps... fewer power tubes, perhaps even more pure sound

I haven't heard one myself but have a good friend that says the REF75 is a very special amp,  Read all the reviews and you will find how amazed people are of the output and sound from that amp.  Now with the REF80 out, maybe prices will fall below $5k.  They seem to go for around $5500.  My friend is driving the Wilson Sophias which are 89db and he says the REF75 is more than they need.  You can't go wrong with more power than you need.  From the reviews it really seems ARC nailed the design so you may want to stretch your budget a bit and check it out.