Tube amps that kick ass?


I'd like to find a high powered tube amp that can deliver all the magic that tubes are known for AND that kicks butt. Solid, tight bass with good authority. Dynamic, quick, but handles the little information (micro) sweetly as well. A tube amp that will play rock and roll at realistic volumes – the way rock in roll was meant to be enjoyed - and still sound great.

Any ideas? 10K or under? preferably 5K or so

Thanks for all responses.
128x128keithmundy
Coincident Dragon PP211 is the most dynamic tube amp I've expirenced. May be difficult to audition but well worth the effort. I'm not exagerating by saying there really is nothing like it
Cary 120s I had one, now have a V12R. Both kick ass. Even my 92 year old neighbors are starting to like Johnny Winter.
Just for the record, 'Solid, tight bass' does not describe real bass- that sort of description makes me think of transistor bass, which is to say it has punch but no definition. If you want definition, you have to have tubes.

A lot also depends on the speaker load. If you want the tube amp to have as much slam as possible, avoid speakers that are 4 ohms in the woofer region. Your tube amp dollar will be better represented by a speaker that is at least 8 ohms. The output transformer will have better bass extension and greater efficiency.

Thanks to all.

Ya, I should have mentioned the speakers that I am driving...

I have a pair of Vandersteen 5A's. And now that I think about this.... the 5A's have a powered sub woofer. Not that I didn't know this already.... I just didn't consider this fact when I wrote my initial post. So anyway, I guess the tube amps won't actually be helping much in that area - da.

The 5A's are rated at:

FREQUENCY RESPONSE
22Hz to 30kHz + or - 2dB

EFFICIENCY
87dB at 1 meter with a 2.83 volt input.

RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER
40 TO 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms for the upper section, 400-watt subwoofer amplifier built in.

IMPEDANCE
6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum.

CROSSOVER
100Hz, 600Hz, 5000Hz and adjustable H.F., 6dB per octave.