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Ok....Audiogoners: need some tube amp ideas

Any suggestion/comment is appreciated. Just off the top of my head, below is a list of initial parameters.

- budget: $4k ish (somewhat flexible)
- tubes/valves amp(s)
- preowned or new
- mono or stereo configuration
- min wattage: 70 and higher (this rating would afford me more speaker options down the road e.g. 4/8 ohm and >88db efficiency)
- brand(s): leaning toward more esoteric manufacturers or models (e.g. Dodd 120, VAC PHI, Audio Valves); would prefer staying away from manufactueres that do magazine advertisement.

Current thought: I might push the budget a bit to consider a pair of preowned Lamm ML1.

Thanks much. (currently listening to Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 by NY Philharmonic/Berstein)

Ken
kyyuan
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
Check out a real OTL design... Atma-Sphere. You may be surprised with the dynamics and lower end resolution comparatively. I love the sound from mine. The one caveat is you will need to be focused on a higher efficiency speaker (90db or + would be great) with a straight 8 ohms (or higher), but why not regardless. I'm running Atma's MA-1 Silvers with a 140 watts into a 94db Coincident Total Eclipse speakers @ 14ohms and IMHO they do it all from top to bottom. A higher efficiency speaker will open you up to a much wider range of possible tube amps in the future. Think ahead. Happy Listening!
kyyuan OP
28 posts
 
Again, thanks for all the inputs. At this point, 3 amps have emerged as the leading candidates. In the end, I'll do my best to demo them, but it will be difficult as there are no local dealers for the Air Tight and the MF. We'll see.

Please feel free to comment on the below observation.

- Air Tight ATM-2

- Music Reference RM-10 MKii (a pair in mono mode)

- Dodd 120

Ken
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
I would choose the Music Reference because of the company's track record and because of the flexibility afforded by the two amps for mono use or vertical biamping or dropping down in power with more efficient speakers or just having a spare should one amp fail.
springbok10
711 posts
 
Second Atma-Sphere. MA-1 used will fit the bill. I have never heard a better amp than the Atma-Sphere
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 
The Ait Tight and Atma-Sphere are in a completely different league than the Music Reference IMHO. Never heard of Dodd. Both these companies have long-standing high quality reputations. Ralph Karsten of Atma-Sphere is almost legendary in this regard.
If you do go OTL, you will need to have an appropriate speaker in mind. They don't mate well with everything. But when they do, they are amazing.
I would discount R_f_sales disparaging remark to "check out a real OTL design", which is code for "the Berning isn't a real OTL design". This topic has been discussed at great lengths elsewhere in the archives. The point is that they are both great amps, and if you get a chance to hear the Bernings you will likely hear things that few amps can accomplish. The similarity quality in sound of the Bernings, Atma-Spheres, Joule Electras and other OTLs is something that is rare overall, and difficult to do justice in words. Cheers,
Spencer
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