2. amps-preamps
  3. 1360263273

Who makes the highest quality tube amps?

One scale of 1-10, 10 being best designed and constructed technically, personal sound preferences aside, who are the 8s, 9s, and 10s?

VAC, ARC, Atmasphere would seem like likely candidates I can think of. Are they ?

Where does Decware rank? Rogue? How about others?

SOme technical facts to help support any claims is appreciated please.

Durability and reliability matters to me here as much as anything. I would want my tube gear to continue to work as reliably as designed years down the road as well as up front.

THanks.

Thanks.
128x128mapman
ybukhan
11 posts
 
Von Gaylord Audio designs some awesome tube gear. I have the entire line and I am smitten.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
In addition to some of the above mentioned, David Berning's designs since 1974, have a legendary status for both reliability and technical design and would have to be in the discussion. Example, I have owned the zh270 for 11 years and the outputs test at or very close to their rated transconductance value STILL and all the various input/driver tubes still test strong. Not even a hiccup from this amp, totally reliable and a strong case for those concerned with the reliability of tube amplifiers. McIntosh would also be a very strong candidate.
jperry
2,450 posts
 
I agree with you tubegroover. A friend of mine still has an Audionics BA-150 designed by David Berning. It works and sounds great.
xti16
1,525 posts
 
Put Octave on your list if it is in your budget. They have a protection circuit that even if if a tube decides to show you a lightning show no other parts will be damaged. I'm speaking from experience. I've had 2 tubes that thought it was the forth of July. No problems as a result.
wolf_garcia
6,704 posts
 
I have a Jolida that sounds great and has worked perfectly for over a year.
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