I will second or thrid the Art Audio Diavolo. Love mine and Joe is wonderful to work with; even if you buy used.
Cheers
Vernon
Cheers
Vernon
Sweet sounding SE tube amps under $3K USED
I'm looking for some imput on tube amps... mono blocks or stereo, doesn't matter. Needs be SE for sure, XLR in as well as option is OK.
Sonically? Superior mid range, great bottom end, and sweet top end without lack.
I would prefer self biasing, but a stable amp once biased properly or one easy to bias, would be FINE.
Stock tubes should be sufficient to provide a very good sound and the neeed to retube with NOS not a mandatory thing to accomplish that end.
Retubing should not cost a ridiculous amount.
If the overall cast of the sound leans towards the euphonic or musically colored side of the scale... that's all the better too.
Power? I'd guess anything over 10 - 15 wpc, to ???... though I would prefer 30+ wpc.
Are there such amps?
I sure would like to know. BTW the less costly, the better.
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711smilin Thanks much. i appreciate the experience (s). When you say "up to about 95-96db", you mean speaker eff, right? "My feeling is, yu better have a small room, or like low level listening if you gonna go with 15 watts.....remember, yu need power reserve." Hmmm. I have to admit low power, which to me is under 20 wpc, does give me pause. the biggest mistake I think I've yet made is not testing the boundaries with low or mid (30-100wpc), power amps enough to determine how much is enough. My limited testing of what's on hand and in my room, shows me I listen usually at less than 88db or so. At an avg. of 92-94db, or so, I'm not hanging out there very long. A cut or two perhaps. I got those above numbers from the vk60 driving some 84-85db mid to large, stand mounted two ways. The 'attack' I would preffer wasn't there however, and I'll attribute that to the speakers low sensitivity, cone design & construction. I'm not attempting a limbo act here. I've simply felt that in my limited experience (s) in tube amps, that now I can finally try some I've previously discounted entirely out of sheer ignorance, or the then speaker's needs. I've nothing against Dodd or any other makers amps for that matter. I simply need be cautious and prudent. Primarily, I do not want to wind up with a tube amp that sounds like a solid state amp. Likely there are any number that will fit the bill I ask for... though I am relegated to conjecture, postulating, and the resultant confusion which stems from it. whatever the choice, I feel it's gotta be a pretty safe one so if not right (enough), I'll not lose when it's put back into the market. that is about the only thing I do know for sure... well, and it needs be SE and under $3K. Ed_sawyer Thanks. Got one already. Just Trying to improve upon it. |
How about something completely out of the box, like a Response Audio Bella Extreme 3205i integrated amplifer? It's a highly modded Jolida 302 or 502. 50wpc with EL34 tubes, or 60wpc with 6550/KT88 tubes. Should drive the Sonata III nicely, and it's only $1650. Or, if you prefer a separate preamp, there's the Bella Extreme 3205 stereo amplifier. 50 or 60 watts per channel for $1699. |
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