[Alain Arseneault]

Group shot of all my amps.  I think I might have a problem 

Hi Tyson,
I might like to have your problem.

Double A

[Presb4]

My favorite is my current, a Kenny Russell built ST-70 Dynaco. I had it built using all Amtrans AMRG carbon film resistors and Golden Black Caps out of Japan. When I run my RCA black plate 6L6GC's and a SS rectifier, its the best sound I own, up to moderate db levels. It does everything very well. 35watts of pure joy.

[James Romeyn]

If the heat is acceptable, first choice by good margin is Atma-Sphere S-30 OTL with every single maximum parts upgrade you can get your grubby hands on.

If you want to keep the heat under a more "normal" threshold, an amp with both cult status and considerable baggage, Audio Innovations (GB) Series 500 integrated (transformer coupled.)  Only the early series (mid-80s?) with 4-8-16-ohm output taps, not the later series w/1 tap and not the DIY power amp version.  Problems are legion: extreme rarity (more so in the US where then-NHT founder/CEO Ken Kantor briefly imported AI, Ken prior worked @ KLH,) felonious lack of service access and internal clearance, need for parts upgrades (under spec power Rs, etc.,) odd and highly irksome RCAs all mounted on the L, etc. 

Includes a fantastic MM phono.  Dual-EL34 of course.  Five matched 9-pin triodes, 2 for the MM phono, 3 for the amp, totally passive balance, volume and input switch.  S500 designed while the AI CEO was the current Audio Note UK CEO whose name escapes me. 

I'd prolly rebuild the S500 into a dedicated power amp with all new passive parts and move all connectors to the rear panel where they obviously belong.  It would likely be well worth the cost and trouble to find someone to specify an available transformer to upgrade to CRPS/choke regulated power supply.   

Worth getting speakers to match either amp.

I have not heard the AVA S70 upgrade but you'd want one if you read the Tone Audio review.  Unfortunately last I heard AVA can't make it for lack of parts, likely the transformers.  I'd also look closely at Brunoco's power amp which seems to have every single performance feature with which I'm familiar, it's priced well and the guy seems to be truly nice and know exactly WTH he's doing.             

[Rocket_Ronny]

Ok. We need a list of names in this suspicious mug shot. Looks like a couple solid state monos hiding behind the tube glory.

Rocket Ronny

Group shot of all my amps.  I think I might have a problem 

[Rocket_Ronny]

I picked up a Yarland Auklet Class A, KT 88, integrated this year. It was a Chinese company that went belly up during the Covid lock downs. The retailer that had who steered me right years ago on a tube amp had one left and was blowing it out at cost. He stated it is ridiculously good and similar to another killer amp he had sold before.

I don't have very many hours on it, but paired with the SA Pandion 2 monitors on my desktop, it ranks as some of the nicest sound I have heard in a system. Even my wife popped in the office and commented on how nice the sound was. This never happens.  SA Pandion 2.  https://system-audio.com/en/product/sa-pandion-2-2/

Rocket Ronny

These pictures are in the living room. It is resting on a rack my Dad made long ago. He lathed, by hand, all the doweling. The amp has not been as magical in the living room on different speakers, but that system is not really a system yet. It's in the works. We will see.






Rocket Ronny

[Tyson]

Ok. We need a list of names in this suspicious mug shot. Looks like a couple solid state monos hiding behind the tube glory.

Rocket Ronny

Sure thing!  Here's another shot, with names below.




Left Side amps are Almarro A318B (6c33c SET), Baby Kootenay (KT66 push-pull), Elekit 300b SET (can also run 2a3's), TAL Korneff Type 45 SET, Sunvalley 211/845 SET.

Right Side amps are First Watt BA3, iFi iDSD Pro (my tubed DAC), custom EL84 (push-pull), Dennis Had Inspire MB14 monoblocks (SEP), First Watt Aleph J Zen.

[Rocket_Ronny]

Thanks Tyson. So if you had to pick only 3 amps to keep, what would they be and why?

Rocket Ronny

[Early B.]

Tyson -- sell all of those amps and use the proceeds to buy or build the ultimate, cost-no-object tube amp. Maybe a 2-chassis, muscle-bound amp with big-ass tubes.

[Tyson]

Thanks Tyson. So if you had to pick only 3 amps to keep, what would they be and why?

Rocket Ronny

Depends on the speaker.  If you have a high efficiency, easy to drive speaker, it'd be the Almarro, the Elekit and the Sunvalley

If you have moderate or low efficiency, then it'd be the Baby Kootenay, the BA3 and the Aleph J Zen.

[Tyson]

Tyson -- sell all of those amps and use the proceeds to buy or build the ultimate, cost-no-object tube amp. Maybe a 2-chassis, muscle-bound amp with big-ass tubes.

Mostly because I just don't have room.  That table is our dining room table, it's where we eat, so the hifi has to fit there. 

Also, because I've learned that in this hobby (for me at least), there is no 'ultimate' amp, there's just different flavors.  The amps I have now are all quite excellent, especially after I modded the hell out of them. 

So, I run the 300b amp for a while and really enjoy it's tactile beautiful sound, then I drop in some 2a3's for their even greater immediacy, get tired of that, switch back to the EL84 amp, fall in love with the speed/transparency of that amp, get bored, move over to the Almarro and just feel astonished at it's ultrasaturated sound, then move on to the more linear and very punchy baby Kootenay, etc....

[Denton J]

Hopefully it's my Decware Torii Jr I've been waiting for about a year now.  My audio journey is probably over for at least 2-3 years.  I'm a year away from receiving the amp & preamp from Decware. I will need to add some nice speakers but I'm set until I get the itch of change. 

[rockadanny]

My current amp, of course: Whammerdyne DGA-1 Stereo Amp with NOS Sylvania 2A3 power tubes; NOS Amperex BB 6DJ8 input tube; optional wider band output transformers.
4.3 watts of mystical, magical music.

[byr2013]

EAR 834 with KT66

[Camus]

My favorite tube amps I own are a DNA Stratus with 2A3 power tubes, and a Radu Tarta Shiny Eyes 300B

[shwnwllms]

Ampsandsound Agartha 2021 w/ Elrog 300Bs

[johnss]

sort of need to decide what speakers you are going to use first. If going low to super low power then better stay with really efficient speakers. If going with speakers that are 86db efficient, may want to take a pass on low power and go with something that is 100 watts per channel or more.

[opnly bafld]

sort of need to decide what speakers you are going to use first. If going low to super low power then better stay with really efficient speakers. If going with speakers that are 86db efficient, may want to take a pass on low power and go with something that is 100 watts per channel or more.

Thanks for the PSA, but I have to say my own experience causes me to disagree.
Sensitivity is the word you are looking for, no speaker is very efficient. 

[FullRangeMan]

My favorite tube amps I own are a DNA Stratus with 2A3 power tubes, and a Radu Tarta Shiny Eyes 300B

Radu Tarta amps always good looking.

[Early B.]

Radu Tarta amps always good looking.

Another happy Radu Tarta amp owner here...

[underdawg2024]

vintage mine is Scott 250 monoblocs and I had Mullard el 37s in them. newer stuff is the rogue 88 which I replaced my Scott with and when I sold I got the rogue and had 500.00 cash left over, and sold my el 37s separately for another 400.00 later down the line, so upgraded sound 10 fold and pocket almost 1000.00 on top of it.