Entry into tubes

Used Jadis, ARC, or CJ integrated would meet your budget and sound terrific. Good resale value too if you change your mind later. The Manley and VTL integrateds I'd to this list, but as both are still relatively new models, they're a bit harder to find on the used market and a bit pricier when they do show up. If you can stretch your budget just a tiny bit more, and stick to the used market, you could actually put together a very satisfying 2-piece preamp/amp combo. Something like a VTL 2.5 and a CJ MV55 for example would be outstanding, and used would come in right at about $2K. Best of luck!

Your desires may be a bit unrealistic. You will have to compromise in some area to take full benefit of tubes. The problem area is your goal to drive Magneplanars for $1500. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I want to save you disappointment. Integrated amps in your price range(Jolida, Golden Tube, C - J, and Jadis) do not have the guts. I haven't heard the new Rogue yet, but I can tell you that the EL34 based Jolida(202/302), C - J(MV-55/CAV50), and Jadis(Orchestra) simply are not suited for driving difficult loads. Period. A dealer in my area insists on showing the C - J CAV50 amp with B & W N805's. The amp is flat out STRAINED. Both products are wonderful, just not suited to each other. You could look into a 6550/KT88 based amp(Jolida 502/801), or maybe this new Rogue(I don't know what tubes it uses - their other products are 6550/KT88 based), but you lose a good bit of that EL34(classic tube sound) magic. You may try to buy an EL34 based $1500(or less) amp, make sure it has some decent tubes from Europe, upgrade the power cord, and get some high sensitivity/high impedence dynamic loudspeakers. You may find nirvana. Good luck!

dunno how well the rogue will do regarding bass - i am the new owner of a rogue 99 preamp, tweeked by rogue, & the only thing that makes it listenable in the bass range is the addition of n.o.s. ge 6sn7 tubes - and this is w/a pair of adcom gfa 555's driving a pair of vmps larger subs, w/a pair of electrocompaniet amps driving my bi-amped meret re's. rogue's *upgrade* phillips nos tubes are not very good. i dunno if the latest rogue integrated is an all-tube design or not, but my experience, coupled w/what i have read about their amps, is that their integrated would not be satisfying for you, if it's all-tube. i was fortunate to have a *very* knowledgeable tube-roller locally. http://www.bws-tube.com/ if there isn't one in your area, you should be prepared to deal w/a company like this via the mail, to try & get the response you are looking for, *regardless* of which tubed product you choose. (also, stereo subs will help your sound *immensely*). i would suggest a hybrid integrated, such as the pathos classic one, which combines a tube pre w/solid-state amps. $2k new, i've seen these things for ~$1200 on the used market. (&, they're drop-dead gorgeous!) or, as suggested above, find a separate toob pre & a solid-state amp. or, try a solid-state integrated, such as electrocompaniet or alchemist, that's known for a warm sound. there's currently an alchemist kraken integrated f/s on audiogon for $575, asking price - you would *not* go wrong w/this... doug

Hey Charlie Daniell, I'm not an expert and I didn't spend last night at a Holiday Inn :-), but you asked so here's my 2 cents(actually loosely based on my tube journey).With a $1500 budget I'd spend maybe up to 650 on a decent used tubed linestage or full function preamp which probably retailed in it's day ~1500, throw the remaining 850 at a set of either EL34 or KT 88 older mono block amps- and if they didn't drive the Maggies to my liking, I'd turn 'em and use those bucks to get a set they would. But an essential ingredient would be hours and hours of research (audio asylum good start)-- but that's me. You have a quite nice SS set-up, so you might actually want to hook up with some one who has an analog(tube) system to check it out. I was extremely fortunate to be exposed to tube audio (read- bitten real bad)this way. There are 2 distinct tube worlds -- vintage sound (warm,laidback, rich mids)and modern (transparent, uncolored, slightly forward). Neither being bad, just what your ear prefers. I was flat out floored by the vintage gear I was listening to, that when I listened to newer gear I found it wanting -- not as full and rich as the vintage. So have fun and enjoy the journey. I've met some good people here on mine! --FIREBOTTLES RULE!!!!!! --

Charlie, I agree with some of the above posts, and I am also a tube lover. All of the components in my system except for the speakers and the transport contain tubes. I am a previous owner of maggies (before wife & kids) A couple of suggestions to think about... Beware of powering the maggies with tubes and a budget - I did it (with MG-1As) unsatisfactorily with 50W (Audio Research VT-60) for a while and then switched to 100W (Audio Research VT100) - which was enough power. Also beware of powering maggies with anything EL-34 based - good EL-34 tubes are getting rare and expensive and maggies eat them fast (pre-AR amp I owned) Maggies tend to be rough on tubes because their impedance can dip pretty low, and they are relatively inefficient. I do not have any suggestions for integrated solutions ~$1500, but if you have the patience, audiogon has been turning VT100s in the low 2K range (not for the MKII)....And upgrade with a preamp when more $$ are available.. If you do not have to drive maggies, I would give a the Rogue a shot, or look for a used Audio Research CA-50. If you haven't detected my bias, I am an AR lover, and no -- I have no affiliation with them. I have received no flawless service out of all the various AR gear I have owned for the past 10yrs. Never had to check out the world class service center other than for tubes every 2000hrs. Last suggestion is to spend ~$1200 for a AR VT-60, and an old counterpoint 7.1 pre-amp ~$300 - Easier to upgrade later, the VT-60 is holding value well, can be used as balanced monoblocks with custom cable connections for future upgrades. My humble biased opinions John