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Top Ten Tube Amps of All Time?

Okay,Okay,heres a thread for you tube guys.Gotta remember Iam an old geezer 57 now. Been in this hobby since 1957. So when I started all there was,was tube and it was mono to boot. My early tube gear was Bogen then Fisher,the McIntosh. Not crazy about any of them. Do not have first hand knowledge of the newer gear,so I will get educated in this thread. I cast a vote for the McIntosh 240 amp. So all yo dyed in the wool tube guys heres your chance to vote for your all time best.
ferrari
joe_b
421 posts
 
My personal favorites are the Audio Research D115 and the Quicksilver Monoblocks.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Yeah Joe I am STILL using the D115 Mk2. I love those D series ARC amps; maybe no better push pull amp except possibly the ARC D-79 (a midrange to die for) and the M-100's. The VAC's mentioned above are also superb.
jay_carlson
78 posts
 
My vote, at least one of my ten votes, goes for the Cary sli 80 signature. It's the new integrated with all the previous add-on options included. It's got all the usual stuff we all rave about, incredible imaging, big tight bass, smooooooth clear extended highs, and a midrange with such body you'd swear you were there. That all sounds so cliche but it's true, worth checking out. A Great all in one.
slawney
242 posts
 
I find it a little strange that the Manley Labs Retro 300B monoblocks have not yet been mentioned on this string.
rcprince
3,068 posts
 
I nominate the Jadis JA-80 and JA-30 amps (hey, I own the former, gotta show some conviction here). Classic designs that still compete with anything out there today when it comes to natural sound reproduction and truth of timbre.
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