Sweet sounding SE tube amps under $3K USED

Tvad
many thanks.

the killer for me with VAC is the PP 300b's. My last go 'round trying to get a Ren 70 was put off ultimately by the requirement for '8' 300b tubes. Finding out what the retubing costs were caused me to let that go.

I would think the 30/30 uses less however and I'll give that some goodly amount of thought as well. I agree, Mr. Marks, Mr. hayes, and some others do make great gear. I feel VK, P Marks, and K Hayes are at the top of, or very near, the top of the list of the best of the best. IMO. Though I've had only 3 of VK's & one of Marks gear here to try, I would have little problem buying VAC simply on Recomeds.

As Tvad had pointed to some lesser expensive (though modded) amps, I was hoping to have heard some thoughts of other possibly lesser known yet quite good names being dropped here.

tvad... I had forgotten all about Prima Luna. 'preciate it.

My little sojurn into well, lets say "les than mid stream powered" amps might not be the best test for yourself. Primarily as my particular tastes in music tilt towards the "not quite at" the truly neutral side of things and rests securely on the warmer side of it.

I still have a propensity to listen to a wide variety of genres. With Roomful, Gordon Goodwins group, many old school R&B artists such as Solomon Burke, Wilson Picket, Aretha, etc.. amongst my favs I pray I never settle into any myopic phyllum of musical expression, aside from my prefferences to tonal qualities, with thick and rich being my usual standard. .. and naturality always the judge.

Therefore, I can't get in one amp (s) everything I desire. My willingness to make concessions in exceptionally dynamic presentations is tuff for me... yet to more than some degree that seems my particular bent.

I doubt seriously, given the money spent to bring in what other pieces I have on hand is already gone, that I'll digress or consolidate my rig, for at this point several items IMO, are keepers. The amp situation does seem questionable however. The question lays more to prefference than to preformance, to put it squarely.

In a few weeks I'll know far, far, better about the amp too as the current speakerage is definitely lacking in conveying to me great accuracy of scale, and organic timberal qualities quite often. Although pleasant enough to listen to, wagering on system needs based upon their presentation abilities is sheer folly.

The ‘real deal’ as I see it is finding out which tube amp will provide enough harmonic richness and texture, and still have enough jump in it to bestow an . involving re-creation.

In the back of my mind is a fall back plan that allows me, should the tube amp be just flat out gorgeous sounding yet without the dynamic thrustyness I feel is necessary, I’ll just get 100wpc SS amp for part time duties.

What has surprised me too is no one has mentioned Qucksilver, ASL, Cary, or Outlaw. IN fact a friend of mine said she had owned a Stingray int. and went to an ASL int. and was far more pleased with the ASL. She was using Vandy 2’s back then.