Tube Integrated Amp Recommendation
I am looking for a tube integrated amp that has lots of tube flavor (can't find a better word). I don't care for more modern tube amps that start to sound a lot like solid state. I need at least 25 watts, and my budget is $4K. Right now, I am thinking that Unison Research Triode 25 may be a good choice. I know that some vintage amps may work well; however, I don't have the time right now to pursue any restoration or maintenance needed to make them sound their best and keep them reliable. Any suggestions you may have are very much appreciated.
Consider the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum iii Dark edition. Here's a June 2023 Absolute Sound review describing the musicality of the regular, non-Dark upgraded version: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rogue-audio-cronus-magnum-iii-integrated-amplifier/ I heard the Dark version at CAF 2023 powering a pair of Joseph Audio Pulsar 2 Graphene speakers and could have listened all day. |
I love my Lab12 Integre4 MKII dearly. It costs slightly more than your budget brand new, it has that liquid sensuous mid-range but still muscular sounding. Below $10K there is no better tube integrated amp I think than that. Leben CS600X and ARC I50 are good recommendations as well and you can't go wrong with them. I have not heard Triode's KT88 integrated yet, but seems like a good value proposition as well. |
