Best Vintage tube amp / preamp manufacturer

I had collected a few Fishers, 0ne 800C, the Executive came out of a big console I bought just to get it.

which is a Fisher 500C with an AM Tuner added. I traded it with Bill (member here) for a Mitsubishi Vertical Turntable LT-5V

I had 3 Fisher 500C: 1 I was given and used, cleaned it up and Steve made me sell it to him; 2nd I traded something to get it; 3rd for parts to get a transformer because I had let my friend use 1 of my transformers from 2nd one many years ago. 2nd and 3rd are with Steve at VAS to get 2nd one ready for sale, 3rd will be spare parts.

The Fishers, when all parts, pots, switches cleaned and lubed, all tubes ok: sound very good and are very quiet.

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My most favorite Vintage piece is my current McIntosh Tube Tuner and Preamp, mx110z. Same thing, clean everything, dead quiet, wonderful sound.

Like Charleston Heston, you will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.

However, the rear jacks corrode, and are a speck undersized. Audio Classics changed all the RCA Jacks to new Gold Plated Ones.

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My friend has a few Sherwood pieces, his are gorgeous, many have visual problems

Marantz, Dynaco, HH Scott, Harmon Kardon, all were competition, I never owned or heard any of them.

hifishark.com, the prices tell you a lot about what holds it’s value, and why. some of course, are crazy. tube preamps sorted by price

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=vintage+tube+preamp

Western Electric, Northern Electric, RCA, Marantz, Sansui are some of the old tube gear makers who made good stuff way back.  I own custom made amps and a linestage made with vintage parts from such gear (mainly Western Electric transformers, caps and tubes).  But somewhat oddly, it is a solid state component from the past that I want—the Lyra Connoisseur phono stage.

Western Electric, Northern Electric, RCA, Marantz, Sansui are some of the old tube gear makers who made good stuff way back.  I own custom made amps and a linestage made with vintage parts from such gear (mainly Western Electric transformers, caps and tubes).  But somewhat oddly, it is a solid state component from the past that I want—the Lyra Connoisseur phono stage.

Western Electric, Northern Electric, RCA, Marantz, Sansui are some of the old tube gear makers who made good stuff way back.  I own custom made amps and a linestage made with vintage parts from such gear (mainly Western Electric transformers, caps and tubes).  But somewhat oddly, it is a solid state component from the past that I want—the Lyra Connoisseur phono stage.

Thanks for the responses.
I currently have in my collection the following

Macintosh C 20

McIntosh C 22,  

MX 110 Z restored 

MC30’s restored

MC 225 restored

MC 240. Restored
Fisher 202 T. Restored

Fisher X 100 Restored

I run them with

Tannoy MG 12’s restored

AR LST2’s restored

many others speakers along the road.  

I love them all. It’s hard to say what I like most. I think the C20 may be the best of the pre amps, for my ears anyways, and it’s unrestored. I hesitate to have it restored. At normal listening levels I find the amps don’t make that much of a difference. The Fisher X 100 with a Hammond Transformer really has something special. It can be a little loose in the bottom end but that can be tweaked with the bass knob.  I’ve had friends come over and say Wow, that old thing is making that sound!  Lol. . Go figure…. The cheapest one of the bunch. Great vintage gear just has a look and feel of quality.
One thing I will add about this high end vintage gear is this. I also have a top-of-the-line digital Meridian system with analogue capabilities. The vintage gear  easily keeps up with it in everything other than the low end of the Meridian at higher volumes. it really is quite spectacular. But I would sooner look at my vintage gear any day of the week. So for me  it really is a tossup between the two age groups. 
 

PK