Cube Audio Nenuphar Single Driver Speaker (10 inch) TQWT Enclosure

@rwpollock 

 I am in the camp of keeping what you currently have. Virtually everything in audio is a trade off to some degree no matter how small. You get another amplifier that gives you more of  “this” but then loses some of “that”. The Audio Note OTO I believe would be a terrific match with your speakers. It is an el84 with its inevitable strengths and weaknesses like any other amplifier.

it could be as good but I don’t see it as better than your current Shindo or Elrog/Aric Audio 300b. . Higher power push pull tube amplifiers would take you in another direction as far as I am concerned. I don’t know that this would necessarily be any improvement with the Nenuphars. It could certainly work out well for you, more likely different rather than better. Just to let you know I am bias positively  toward high-quality low power tube amplifiers. Just me. I believe that you are in a very good place right now.

Charles

More info on the new V2 series speaker drivers !

 https://www.6moons.com/audioreview_article/cubeaudio7/

"I am in the camp of keeping what you currently have."

Charles, agreed. I don't have a burning itch (is that a mixed metaphor?) that needs to be satisfied with new/different equipment. In that sense I have slowed down over the years. My question was more from curiosity. If someone wrote that brand XX or a vintage YY manages to get a bit more of 'everything' then I would keep my ears open at AXPONA or Audiogon.

Of course the price for converging perfection tends to increase exponentially. For example, I have followed Vinnie Rossi since his Tri-Path days, but his new line is a bridge too far for me. The new Brama preamp goes for $35,000 and weighs near 100 pounds!

That said, I know I am very fortunate to be able to have, not one, but two great sounding systems. And I have always been a bit eclectic in my tastes....

I bet the new $6K NAT Audio Single Integrated amp..{the best} would be the perfect match for Cube Audio speakers. Audio Heaven !

Hi rwpollock,

I tend to agree with charles 1 dad about some trade offs when changing hifi components.

If it is any help, I recently changed from monoblock amplifiers using EL34 (Gold Lion KT77 output tubes) which I owned fror 24 years. No - Í certainly don't change my hifi very often !

I changed to a pair of Melody 300B-1 monblocks and quickly rolled the Shuagang tubes to Mullard 5AR4 (rectifiers) Sylvania 6SN7GTB (driver/input tubes) and Emission Labs 300B-XLS (output tubes) and this made a big difference to the final sound quality. Even the change of rectifier tube added more "body" to the sound with each tube change providing an improvement in sound quality. This exercise in tube rolling cost around A$2,000, but I definitely think it was worth the investment.

The 300B SET monblocks were definitely a step up from my original EL34 amps in all respects of sound quality. I understand that the EL84 gives a similar sound to the EL34, but different circuit designs and component qualities makes any comparisions difficult.

I was extremely lucky to get an in-home demo on my Nenuphar Minis for two weeks (thanks Craig @ Audioheaven*, Melbourne) before I finally replaced my Sonus Faber Grand Pianos (the original version) of 25 years.

[Thanks rick2000 - you reminded me to give Audioheaven a plug for their excellent customer service].

Unfortunately, in the world of hifi, a home demo with your equipment, in a controlled environment, with enough time to assess what you like,  is the only way to be certain if your are really upgrading, going sideways "going in another direction" or even going backward in your new hifi purchase.