Thanks Hifiharv for the suggestion. It is an option that I have considered, especially with the tubes that you make note of.
And Pbnaudio, let me give a little push back on the cost-value question. I would agree with you if I were having a triode amp (SET or PP) built. However a PP pentode or sweep tube amp can be had by some good builders for less than a few thousand at most in monoblock and slightly less still in stereo. Check out Niteshade, for example. Because of some simple circuitry I'm interested in as well as rectification and iron selection, the custome builder route is preferred over the "off the shelf" commercial producers. My quest is to find the very best builders possible within a specific price band and put the project out to bid--so to speak.
And Pbnaudio, let me give a little push back on the cost-value question. I would agree with you if I were having a triode amp (SET or PP) built. However a PP pentode or sweep tube amp can be had by some good builders for less than a few thousand at most in monoblock and slightly less still in stereo. Check out Niteshade, for example. Because of some simple circuitry I'm interested in as well as rectification and iron selection, the custome builder route is preferred over the "off the shelf" commercial producers. My quest is to find the very best builders possible within a specific price band and put the project out to bid--so to speak.