[listenermark]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

[Rusty Jefferson]

Not to flame anybody but my position is there are no great sounding, engaging tube amplifiers available at a low cost, say under $2k with quality tubes. If your budget is below that you're likely to get kind of dull, fuzzy sound without high resolution. High quality output transformers and vacuum tubes are very expensive but is where the magic comes from. This fellow sells Sun Valley amplifiers as a kit or hand built in Japan that come with Hashimoto output transformers. Quite good sound at a reasonable price. I see them come up for sale occasionally used. The 45 SET amplifier is very good at about $1200 without tubes built in Japan if 2.5 watts per channel is doable.

Edit: Apologies, that Sun Valley amplifier is about $3k without tubes. Should have double checked.

https://www.vkmusic.ca/

[wushuliu]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

We'll need more info. How many watts? 4 or 8 ohm speakers? Hybrid (solid state/tube) okay?

If you're just wanting a 'taste' I don't think Hashimoto transformers and $3k are necessary.

[Early B.]

Not to flame anybody but my position is there are no great sounding, engaging tube amplifiers available at a low cost, say under $2k with quality tubes.

Rusty is being generous. Forget about the price of a good tube amp -- you'll pay $2K for a set of great tubes to install in the amp! If that tube price scares you, then don't waste money on a cheap tube amp and put cheap tubes in it. You won't be impressed with the "tube sound." You'll hear plenty of audiophiles claim that "you don't need expensive tubes...blah, blah..." Talk to people who have rolled high-dollar tubes. I just took delivery of a pair of $1,500 300B tubes and they sounded better than the $975 pair they replaced. The $500 pair of "starter tubes" I originally bought sounds like crap compared to the more expensive ones.   

[Tyson]

Looked for used Elekits, they are good sounding and not too expensive.

[wushuliu]

He said 'a taste' y'all .

Elekits have a good rep.
Tubes4hifi is another affordable option including assembled.
http://www.tubes4hifi.com/ST35.htm
Maybe Skunkie Designs too.
A lot depends though on how many watts are needed.

[nlitworld]

A lot of "tube curious" dipping your toes in will be with a tube preamp accompanied by a s/s amp rather than a tube amplifier. Easy to dabble in that way but you may be the type to dive in head first. Lol. I like tinkering so I bought an older Jolida integrated and treated it as a cheap experiment on how to mod equipment. Spent $3 or 400 up front if I remember and then slowly upgraded parts and tubes from there. Elekit or Tubes4HiFi will give much better performance but will cost a bit more up front. I've built another Tubes4HiFi phono kit and have an older SP9 preamp and will say their quality/cost ratio is really, really good and easy to upgrade along the way.

I did see your Starting Block post and can attest moving from your Emotiva amp to a tube amp will be a solid change. Look for something 20w or more which will most likely be a Push-Pull EL34 option, maybe EL84.

-Lloyd

[glynnw]

Perhaps a used Botttlehead if low power is OK.

[Letitroll98]

Yet again another post with, excepting one diy suggestion, wildly over pricing guidelines.  We'll move this to Tubophile.

[knotscott]

The VTA amps from tubes4hifi.com are an exceptional value.  Most of their amp offerings are an updated modern take on the venerable Dynaco amps.  There are options for kit or completely assembled amps, stock or upgraded caps, etc.  Very, very good performers at this price.

http://tubes4hifi.com/

I've owned many amps, both SS and tube, from receivers, integrateds, to power amps.  Tubes bring a lush holographic midrange and treble presence that I haven't gotten from SS amps.  The weakness of most affordable tube amps is damping factor, which impacts bass dynamics.   (Bi-amping with tubes on the midbass/tweeters and SS on the woofers was a great solution in my case...best of both worlds, but every situation is different).   

[opnly bafld]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

A lot more information is needed to make good recommendations.
Do some research and don't believe everything you read (in this thread or other places).

[/mp]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

Speakers, room size, listening habits, budget?
One person's affordable is another's untenable.

Trust your own ears.

[nlitworld]

Speakers, room size, listening habits, budget?
One person's affordable is another's untenable.

Trust your own ears.

My room is 14x17 with vaulted ceilings. My gear is an Emotiva integrated amp (50 wpc), Schiit Modius dac, GR Research XLS encores, and two 10” Klipsch  subs.  I listen to all genres, but favor contemporary electronic artists.  Typical listening volume is 70-85 db.

Probably best with PP EL34 integrated amp and the good news is there's no shortage of those around in budget friendly or fancy a$$ options.

[scp2]

I was kind of in the same camp as OP. I bought a Muzishare X7(chinese) off Amazon ($1500). They have a liberal return policy...thinking I can try it and return it. I was blown away...the tubey holographic sound is addictive. Intially upgraded the tubes with better albeit chinese tubes and it took up another notch. Then NOS tubes in the front and even better.

Problem is I want more and am now investigating my upgrade path. I am sure to loose 50% plus on this amp. But it served its purpose...introduced me to tubes and has been a nice learning experience.

So my suggestion is try a Muzishare to see ....but be prepared for what follows. I have owned it for a year now and some people could be happy...but you guys know how the disease is.

[FullRangeMan]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

Dont be stupid as I was, I bought a 6c33 SET that run at 220*C each tube but I live in a hot area where temp reach 30 to plus 40*C from November to March, so if you live in a cold area and have a sensitive 100bB speaker you can have the luxury of use a sweet small tube amp as 2A3/45 to 1.5Watt bliss.

[Early B.]

I was kind of in the same camp as OP. I bought a Muzishare X7(chinese) off Amazon ($1500). They have a liberal return policy...thinking I can try it and return it. I was blown away...the tubey holographic sound is addictive. Intially upgraded the tubes with better albeit chinese tubes and it took up another notch. Then NOS tubes in the front and even better.

Problem is I want more and am now investigating my upgrade path. I am sure to loose 50% plus on this amp. But it served its purpose...introduced me to tubes and has been a nice learning experience.

So my suggestion is try a Muzishare to see ....but be prepared for what follows. I have owned it for a year now and some people could be happy...but you guys know how the disease is.

This is precisely what some of us are trying to help the OP avoid -- the endless upgrade game and the tremendous waste of money that comes with it. We've all been there.

OP -- if you truly want a "taste," consider making friends with a local audiophile who has a tube integrated amp they're willing to let you borrow for a week.

[S Clark]

A lot of "tube curious" dipping your toes in will be with a tube preamp ......... Look for something 20w or more which will most likely be a Push-Pull EL34 option, maybe EL84.

-Lloyd

I agree with the tube pre amp idea, and the EL84 amp idea.  They don't come up often, but the Dodd battery pre amps are both excellent and can change their spots as you tube roll.
I completely disagree that you have to spend thousands on modern tubes to get top sound. 

[SET Man]

I've never heard a tube amp. What's an affordable option to get a taste?

Hey!

     There are a few things you need to take in account before you decided to get a tube amp...
   
     1. What speaker are you using right now? If you like speaker you have right now, you will have to get tube amp with enough power to drive them to the level you like.
     2. How much you want to spend? So, define "affordable" what consider affordable to some can be expensive to others.
     3. What type tube amp you want to try? SET, SE or Push Pull... that last one it is likely a good start for most. Don't get into low power SET unless you have speaker that would work with low power amp or you'll be disappointed.

    Anyway, not knowing what speaker are you using it is hard to recommend anything. Price wise... yeah, you now can get tube amps... even SET amp from Amazon for $1000. I've never tried or heard them so I don't know how they sound or how reliable they are. You can look for used tube amps to save money but if they are approaching 20 years old, they might need to be recaps.
   
   One last thing... since you said you've never heard tube amps. Don't know where you are but if there is audio store or you know someone with tube amps you can go check them out I do recommend you do that first. Well, good luck and take it slow, do your research before you spend your hard earned money.

[mick wolfe]

I agree with SET Man and a few others here. Without knowing what speakers you're trying to drive, it's impossible to offer an accurate suggestion. You may have speakers that simply work better with solid state amplification. Like others have said, if you truly want an honest suggestion, it's on you to supply a whole lot more system information.

[listenermark]

Thanks for all of the responses.

I will be listening near field with 87db efficient speakers.  I use two 12" subs and listen to mostly electronic music at 60 to 75db.  I want a system to be fun and dynamic at a relatively low volume.