Tube amps for Eggleston Andra II

Omegaman, I have used other tube amps in the past, e.g. ASL Hurricanes, Joule VZN-100, Berning ZH-270, and a Canary, but when I got the Andras, I was trying to mate them with the "right" solid state amp. Nothing pleased (a BAT VK-500 came close though) but then I borrowed a friend's Dodd's, and I ended up buying a new pair, they were so good. I've listened to other's Andras being run by Viva and Art Audio low powered amps (25 wpc), and they sound extremely good, but not enough power for me and my bigger room. BTW, There's much more on Audio Circle re: Dodds than here.

F1a, yes I love to tube roll, at least until that "magic" combination is found. In the Dodd amps, I love the inexpensive SED "Winged C" EL34 power tubes, GE 7044 driver tubes, and Amperex 7119 input tubes. In the Dodd preamp, I have found favor in Amperex Bugle Boy 6DJ8s or white label US made PQ 6922. I have a few more to try, but haven't been in a hurry since this combination is highly musical and enjoyable!

Okay, the wife went away for a few days on bussiness and I have turned the upstairs room into a mini audio room. I hooked up my ARC Ref300 mono blocks, ARC REF3 pre, ARC REF 7 cd player and now I'm wondering how can I get this same sound but in a smaller equipement scale and not loose out on the sound that I am getting. The only area I am having issues with is the bass, it's good but the bass on the Ref1000's was better in control and deep double bass notes which are important to me.

I have my Mac 501's that I'm going to try tommorow.

Regarding the Bel Canto, all I can say is it just isn't in the same league, not even close. It does do some nice things but not enough for me, next.

The more I hear these Andras they just keep impressing me more and more.

Several years ago I brought a pair of demo Mac 501s home and hooked them up to my Andra IIs. The Andras practically purred. After a half hour of listening I wouldn't let the dealer take the Macs out long enough to replace the demos with new ones, and sold all of my other amps. Only change since then has been to add a pair of biwired Purist Dominus Rev. B cables, which were the perfect addition. I'd be surprised if you don't wind up leaving the Macs in once you hear the combination.

1markr, come by and borrow a pair of pw amperex, smile will be on face longggg time

Mgottlieb, the McIntosh 501's with Audio Research Ref3 pre and ARC Ref7 cd player combo sounded the best.

I was at friends place doing some demoing on the weekend and got to demo a McIntosh 1000 pre and the new EMM all in one cd unit.

That was alot of fun, I can't wait to hear the Mac and EMM in my system. The EMM is a different flavour of sound than my ARC but I really liked it also.

The Mac pre piece wow! what a unit.

711 smilin, have you compared the Dodd and pw amperex on the Eggleston's? You feel the pw ampererex is that good? if so what does it do better than the Dodd.

Reason I ask this is that I also want to try some other tube besides what I have already tried.