tube amps with El 34s your favorites ??

Just gotta chime in here. Canary Audio CA 160 is the best hands-down EL34 amp I've heard. Sweet like a VTL and with the same dynamic drive, but much more open and transparent, with tighter and deeper bass and airier highs.

Depends what speakers you're driving, as always... amp and speakers are a system, as Art Dudley memorably pointed out in Stereophile a few issues back.

That said, I really love my Radford STA-15, driving Quad ESLs.

Opera-Consonance Cyber 800 mono-blocks with some tube rolling will compete with amplifiers costing twice its original $4000 price tag.
It represents good value in today's very competitive market.
This amplifier has the refinement as well as muscle to drive almost any speakers you can imagine.

One of the best amps coming from the "East".

The Consonance M100 Plus. I used to own a CJ MV55 but didn't care for its dry sound. This little Consonance however, despite its humble beginnings, is totally amazing. I like it way better than the CJ in terms of detail, dynamics, and soundstaging. It is really an amazing little amp - and it sells for super cheap!

Arthur

Simply amazing!