[chiking]

I've been using a Decware Zen amp (www.decware.com/newsite/SE84CKC.html) with Klipschorns with great results. It's more than your budget but this can be the last amp you'll need for the La Scalas.

[planet10]

Note: the TubeCube is the third or fourth coming of the miniWatt.

A tube SE amp (and mot SS ones) have a highish R_out (the proper way to talk about damping factor), and any speaker impedance deviations will impose themselves on the frequency response of your loudspeaker.

Here stock impedance (not good) vrs the Crites XO.



You might want to optimize the speaker impedance before moving to a high R_out amp.

It is going to be hard to find a commercail SE amp for less than $500 unless you diy (the tube cube amp is sort of a budget EL84 SE, using a slighly less beefy tube). It is really hard, for instance, to make a bad EL84 SE (do note that the Decware paved the way, but now kinda insanely expensive for the quality). Should be able to do something for a couple hundred bucks if you are frugal. Gets harder from there, but there are at least a few kits, and some well documented projects (i saw the oddwatt linked).

And as i was reading thru the thread, my thots also came to the ACA (Amp Camp Amp). This amplifier solidly falls into the 300B class SE amp, better than many, not as good as the best. But dirt cheap, easy to build*, and really decent sound. Not for those who weight the flaws of an SE amp over their strengths, but often winning orbeing hard to distinguish from 300B SE amps in amateur reviews. R_out is modest and not a lot of problems with all over the map speaker impedance so that is not a serious worry (buy 2 and bridge them and R_out doubles and they go from being SE to being balaced SE (ie Class A PP) if bridged, or Parallel SE in parallel mode (where R_out halves).

*(Amp Camp Amp. designed so that a group of people could get together for a day camp and go home with a working amplifier, designed to get people over their fear of diy. And given the 1000s out there often can be had used for not much more than the kit. Everyone should have at least one [i have 6 channels, ;^) ]

A bit more than the tubecube, you have to have a soldering iron, but you get about 5-6x the power and no tubes every need changing.

[nature boy]

A used Decware Zen amp. Perfect pairing.

NB

[steelgitr]

Note: the TubeCube is the third or fourth coming of the miniWatt.

A tube SE amp (and mot SS ones) have a highish R_out (the proper way to talk about damping factor), and any speaker impedance deviations will impose themselves on the frequency response of your loudspeaker.

Here stock impedance (not good) vrs the Crites XO.



You might want to optimize the speaker impedance before moving to a high R_out amp.

It is going to be hard to find a commercail SE amp for less than $500 unless you diy (the tube cube amp is sort of a budget EL84 SE, using a slighly less beefy tube). It is really hard, for instance, to make a bad EL84 SE (do note that the Decware paved the way, but now kinda insanely expensive for the quality). Should be able to do something for a couple hundred bucks if you are frugal. Gets harder from there, but there are at least a few kits, and some well documented projects (i saw the oddwatt linked).

And as i was reading thru the thread, my thots also came to the ACA (Amp Camp Amp). This amplifier solidly falls into the 300B class SE amp, better than many, not as good as the best. But dirt cheap, easy to build*, and really decent sound. Not for those who weight the flaws of an SE amp over their strengths, but often winning orbeing hard to distinguish from 300B SE amps in amateur reviews. R_out is modest and not a lot of problems with all over the map speaker impedance so that is not a serious worry (buy 2 and bridge them and R_out doubles and they go from being SE to being balaced SE (ie Class A PP) if bridged, or Parallel SE in parallel mode (where R_out halves).

*(Amp Camp Amp. designed so that a group of people could get together for a day camp and go home with a working amplifier, designed to get people over their fear of diy. And given the 1000s out there often can be had used for not much more than the kit. Everyone should have at least one [i have 6 channels, ;^) ]

A bit more than the tubecube, you have to have a soldering iron, but you get about 5-6x the power and no tubes every need changing.

Thanks. Do you have a link for the ACA amps?

thx

bob

[steelgitr]

I  did end up with this amp. Still rolling tubes, not bad but a little grainy on harsher recordings:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/on-impulse-i-ordered-a-boyuu-reisong-a10-el34-class-a-any-experience-add-your-opinion-on-it.902399/

Paired with this also:
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/fx-audio-6j1-tube-preamp-a-31-wonder.848535/


bob

[genjamon]

Tubes4Hifi has a well-reviewed El84 amp that puts out what they claim is 17 watts/channel - so quite a bit more power than the Decware.  It's based on an Audio Note circuit board.  And can be had in either kit-form for $650, or assembled for $850.  It's called the ST35.

[planet10]

Thanks. Do you have a link for the ACA amps?

(can also be had in black)

It was linked above, here it is again:https://diyaudiostore.com/collections/kits/products/amp-camp-amp-kit?variant=7072933085218

And the main forum thread (of many): https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/215392-amp-camp-amp-aca.html

dave

[sunnydaze]

I  did end up with this amp. Still rolling tubes, not bad but a little grainy on harsher recordings:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/on-impulse-i-ordered-a-boyuu-reisong-a10-el34-class-a-any-experience-add-your-opinion-on-it.902399/

Paired with this also:
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/fx-audio-6j1-tube-preamp-a-31-wonder.848535/


bob

The Boyuu Reisong is an integrated, curious why you are using a line stage with it.     

[steelgitr]

It gives it a clean boost and added clarity. I know it's "wrong" but it seems to help. I have the JAN GE tubes in the fx-03


bob

[sunnydaze]

It gives it a clean boost and added clarity. I know it's "wrong" but it seems to help. I have the JAN GE tubes in the fx-03


bob

Not "wrong" if the integrated's line section is passive.  I often put a tubed line stage before my solid state Redgum integrated.  Its line section is passive, and doing so adds some toob goodness.   

Maybe not the best idea if Boyuu's line section is active?  Gotta believe that active into active, gain on top of gain,  just adds noise / grit into the signal.

But that's just theory.  Ears are final arbiter and I always do what sounds best......regardless of theory and measurements. 

[steelgitr]

This setup is dead quiet, fwiw

bob

[SpeakersNoEvil]

Another very affordable low-power tube amp was the Antique Sound Labs Wave 8. I think they were made 15+ years ago. They got a lot of positive attention at the time, though I'm not sure how often they come up for sale nowadays. You can find various discussions online, such as:

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/186131/antique-sound-labs-in-verbs-house

True confession: I have a pair of Wave 8's (sorry, not for sale) that I haven't had set up for several years. I did like them but sold my Klipsch Forte II's before an interstate move. Now curious how well they would work for music and movies, maybe if I get some 8-ohm Tektons or other high-efficiency speakers.

[sunnydaze]

Good call on the ASL Wave 8.   

They are fairly uncommon used, but when they do appear they are priced  $230 to $400 range.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=antique+wave+8

(click on "sold / expired")

[Tom Bombadil]

I picked up a hand-built Dennis Had Inspire SE EL84 a ways back for $500.  Produces about 4 wpc.  He modeled it after the old Magnavox 196.   He quit building them about 6-7 years ago but they occasionally pop up on the used market. 

Some people have restored 196s and even improved them a bit, with mods (David Gillespie) posted on the Audiokarma site.  I see those posted for sale from time to time at very reasonable prices.  With the mods these are nice sounding units.   The Maggy 8601 is nice too.