This amp is currently in transit back to Butler Audio for a complete checkup, which I do with all my tube gear every 4 or 5 years, and is costing me several hundred dollars. If purchased you can be sure you are also getting it in as-new working condition - I may even be able to have Butler send it directly to you from the factory which will save everyone on shipping. If not purchased, I will be extremely happy to keep it for many more years. This 2250 does have the "deep bias" upgrade which included a new power switch, biasing, etc. and in particular improved low-end response.
http://butleraudio.com/tdb2250.phpI love this amp. But after 4 years (my longest stop for a single piece of audio gear), I finally have an itch to try something new - and arrival of a new baby has tipped me over the edge. It has been used with a Conrad Johnson preamp, a solid state Bryston 1B preamp, and a Cary Audio SLP-98P tube preamp (as close to heaven as my poor soul is going to get). It has driven Energy Connoisseur Reference 22s and Gallo Reference 3.1s, i.e. power-hungry speakers. In my opinion this amp is the best way to get a touch of tube warmth from less efficient speakers without sacrificing tremendous power reserves and low-end grip.
Butler Audio is not a large manufacturer, but you will find lots of very satisfied customers singing the praises of these amps online. Famously overwrought 6Moons review here:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/butler/2250.htmlAsking:
$1950 which includes my costs in sending back to Butler for a full checkup, biasing, evaluation, etc.
General features from Butler Audio's web page:
• ZERO negative feedback. No global degenerative
negative feedback loop
• Open Ended Audiophile Circuitry
• Musical, warm and dynamic
• Load Independent; Will drive any speaker
• Hand selected/matched 6SL7GT Twin Triode tubes
(One per channel)
• Fully regulated Tube Heaters with Delayed Soft Start
(10-15 second turn-on delay)
• Load Adaptive Vacuum Tube Driven output circuitry
• Modular power channels with a seperate massive, oversized heatsink for each channel
• Independent AC Secondaries and Rectifiers
with 60,000µF per channel filtering
• DC fault / Short Circuit Protection Circuitry
• Diagnostic LEDs: Red=Fault
• Custom-made Hard Gold Plated Eutetic Brass RCA connectors
• Custom-made Hard Gold Plated Eutetic Brass 5-way Binding Posts
• Frosted Platinum finish
• Tube Illumination: Internal BLUE LEDs
• Patented Design
• Concept & Design: BK Butler / USA
Specifications:
• Rated Power (all channels driven):
2 x 250 Watts RMS per channel @ 8 ohms
2 x 400 Watts RMS per channel @ 4 ohms
1 x 800 Watts RMS Bridged (Mono) @ 8 ohms
• Freq response: 20Hz to 20kHz (+/- 0.5dB)
Power Bandwidth: -3dB, 50kHz
• THD: <0.10% @ 8 Ohms, <0.15% @ 4 Ohms
• S/N Ratio: Better than 120dB (A-Wtd)
• Slew Rate: 15v/µsec
• Input Sensitivity: 2V for 250 Watts into 8 Ohms
• Input Impedance: 47k Ohms
• Idling Consumption: Approx. 40 Watts
(Approx. 0.3A @ 120VAC or 0.15A @ 230VAC)
• AC Consumption (Nominal power):
720 Watts @ 8 Ohms - 6A (120VAC), 3A (230VAC)
1200 Watts @ 4 Ohms - 10A (120VAC), 5A (230VAC)
• Dimensions: 17"W x 16"D x 8.5"H w/feet (7"H w/o feet)
• Weight: 43 Lbs. (19.2Kgs.)
