Looking To Match A Tube Amp With A Pair Of Audio Note AN-K/Spe

That Sansui integrated looks terrific, and with Hashimoto trannies, it probably sounds great too (I have not heard this amp).

I know a young man who has heard various Western 124 clone amps (Deja Vu Audio) using vintage transformers and liked the sound so much that he planned on designing and building his own clone.  Unfortunately, he got to hear the same clone amp with the real deal Western Electric 171C transformer.  After that experience, he put aside the idea of building a clone because the model with the real output transformers sounded so much better, but, those transformers would make the build too expensive.  That is how it goes in audio, something sounds really nice and you love it  until you hear something better and that spoils your joy over the lesser item.

@larryi … Unfortunately So, unless one goes OTL with say one of Ralph’s superb amplifiers the Quality of Iron is King   

Some great discussion here @rooze @larryi and @tsushima1 I have also heard that Synthesis A40 actually driving the exact same speakers I own AN-J/lx's really lovely sounding and such a good value.  I've not ever owned a 6l6 amp but have always been curious so many folks I know with good ears love them, I also love the KT77 tube as a replacement for the EL34.

That Sansui amp looks great and I'm sure it sounds fantastic I'm guessing if you could find one it would be serious $$$.  And yes iron is king I've been lucky to have bback to back amps using vintage trannies first Accrosound and now Eico and love  that sound.

I built a 6FW5 pp about ten years back using Sansui 1000A pulls for OPTs. Sounded very nice for vintage iron. Hashimoto does build good transformers.

Iron is indeed the king with tube gear, for both pushpull and single-ended amps.  There is hardly anything new and novel in tube design, so most of it comes down to  parts quality, build quality and voicing by the designer.