which tube mono blocks?

11-23-08: Jtwrace
What do you guys think of the Van Alstine Ultra 550? Can it compete with any of the above mentioned products?

Not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison what with the VA Ultra 550's output being power MOSFETs instead of tubes.

These: (http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1232672742&/Antique-Sound-Lab-hurricane-mo) Some info: (http://www.vacuumtube.com/antiquesoundlabs.htm) BTW: The amps listed are not mine.

Oh well, its easy - look at one of Joule-Electra OTL monoblock (or AthmaSphere) you can afford and the end of it. If you never matched OTL with electrastatics then you never been in heaven!

Good Luck!

I would like to add another recommendation for Wolcott monoblocks...if I had to describe them in one word it would be "effortless".

Jman,
I agree but had trouble with their reliability when I owned them. One of the Monos was faulty right out of the box.
Spectron,
my Atmas together with my Sound Labs are indeed a match made in heaven- as long as you are reasonable with your SPLs. If not, Siegfrieds are the way to go. A tad better bass control, but though not bad there either, not quite the delicacy or the uncanny closeness to a live event of the Atmas in softer passages.