I have a Trends with an Optima battery, blackgate ps caps, and upgraded resistors. My tube amp is a Simple SE, el34 SET, triode mode, no feedback. I also use a tube preamp w/ 6dj8 output tubes. Speakers are Omega 4.5" XRS (single drivers).
I'm sure there are much better T-amps out there, but mine isn't even close to the Simple SE, which has far better soundstage, precise imaging, and realistic tonality. With the Trends, the speakers "re-appear", and some tones sound less realistic. There is some sort of homoginization of tone in a t-amp, and it's annoying. The longer you listen the more annoying it becomes. I was trying to fix problems with cables, room treatments, speaker cabinet treatments, etc... Turns out all I needed was a good tube amp.