Sweet sounding SE tube amps under $3K USED

Musicfile
..and by that you mean some tube rollin' right? If so, I have on order some RCA 5687. One pair. I'm going to order another set of the SED C EL34. With a full set of GE 7044 (very dynamic and extended & high res), another of Tungsol 5687, (a bit less res and so forth as the GE, but still quite good... just 'less' by about a third), and hopefully the RCA will round out the sound a bit better for my preffs.

Amp stands worth having vs. my DIY's ARE IN ORDER NOW.

Pehare
Thanks. that's an int amp right? Hopefully my 'next' amp will be akin to my preamp. The PA 30 were high on my short list and match my tastes more closely... though an ART AUDIO may be too or a VAC.

I've long since become more flexible in which way things go, as they keep going down different roads than the predetermined route.

4 yrs ago my plan was for a pair of BW 802N, a tube pre, and a BIG Mc amp. Only one of those goals were realized, and that one is a keeper. So too are some other items in my sys. Maybe the Dodds too... though they have far more extension and power than I need and so did the VK60.

25-50 wpc is all the power these particular Silverlines need, for my room and preffs, I think.

One thing is for sure, the Sonata IIIs can 'handle' power, but they are quite adept at resolving musical recreation with not much power as well. Perhaps previous itterations, or the preffs of those owners has indicated otherwise, but with my bought recently new, from Silverline, Sonata IIIs lots of power is not a necessity. IMO.

The 'TYPE' of power being applied however is more important. I've not had to use an output tap other than the 8 ohm one... on any amp... well, so far anyhow.

Tubes is one part of it
Don't forget isolation - Get those amps raised off the ground and swap out the stock power cords when time and money permits

Musicfile

Thanks... I'm a little ahead of you in that regard. I'm using an Elrod Sig 3 to supply a PS audio Duet which has two VooDoo Gold Dragon IIs supplying each amp. A pair of DIY stands and have 3 types of tubes to roll in the driver/first stage spots... RCA 5687 - GE 7044 - Tungsol 5687s too. I plan on ordering another fresher set of the SED C EL34s soon.

I also have to redress my above post as to which imp tap on the Dodds is best for my Sonata IIIs, and it ain't the 8 ohm tap. I thought I had tried both when writing the previous post, but thought well about it and could not remember when or if I had.... so I changed it over yesterday and WOW!

The change was no subtle one either! Quite surprising in fact! I've no idea as to who, what or how come this config does waht it does and it seems counterintuitive. The Sonata IIIs are really easy to drive given the various amps I've tried on them. All using the 8 ohm or 6 ohm taps on tube amps, or regular output from a lightweight solid state amp.

Don't have an O-scope, and now, am not too worried as to why the change was so dramatic, just digging it far more now. Tremendous difference for the better. Indeed.

I'm going to attribute it to the Dodd amp working best off the lower imp output tap and leave it at that. Another Dodd owner said as much to me after hearing of the move, saying he got the same results on his speakers and their imp was reportedly well above the 4 ohm imp area too.

so "my bad" as to the above erronious or misleading entry.

What was once experienced as a wide open very extended yet still musical sound using the 8 ohm output tap on the Dodds has morphed into a solidly palpable, textured, and remarkably natural sound with very good presence and layering. Oh, and the bottom end all the way up to the top end is far smoother with the lower regions being far more inline with a proper rendering. great bass, in other words. in fact I had to retune the sub, and lower it's volume.

Wow! I'm definitely impressed now with the synergy/combination of the gear in total. Though some more attention to speaker and sub placement is in order, as well as some attention to the use of different footers, and I'm thinking well about Bright Star, FIMM, BDR, Walker, AND Boston, in no particular order.

Jim

for isolation try the Mapleshade isoblocks under your Dodds

In my system this was the "tweak of choice"

I also like Herbies Tenderfeet not necessarally better but definitely different

Musicfile

Check! some sort of isoing is definitely gonna go on. What or who? I don't know yet. Soon, though, very soon.