Finest integrated SE under U.S. $ 6,000.00

I second the motion on the Cary 300B SEI but would add that if you can find a used LX20 version and don't mind replacing tubes a little more frequently, you'll get twice the power and quality. Also a few minor upgrades, eg replace the volume pot with a stepped attenuator, replace rectifiers with hexfreds, replace bypass and coupling caps with DynamiCaps, bypass the balance pot, and you got a different beast altogether capable blowing away the big boys at any price.

Thanks to you all !

The AirTight ATM-300 (300B based) stereo amp is superb and will privide more drive than the Cary. It has dual attenuators so you can run your CD directly through it, maybe add a Creek OBH-12 passive remote volume control. I've run this system and everything works wonderfully. The amp retails for $6,300.00 - good luck finding a used one, though. Anybody got one they'd like to sell?

I would look at the Jeff Rowland Concentra II integrated amplifier. Depending on the application, I might also look at the McIntosh MA6900 integrated amp. Good luck..

Pboutin,

I have another suggestion for you:-

deHavilland Aries 845 monoblock. Here's the link:
http://www.dehavillandhifi.com/aries845.htm

It's not a 300B or 2A3 design but I've heard the Cary 805C Anniv edition mono blocks (that use 845 tubes) & they sound better than their 300B SET, of course, to my ears. The intimacy is slightly reduced vs. their 300B design but the authority in bass, transparency & air around voices & instruments is much better IMHO.