Audionote Soro SE, or cheaper single-ended?


Hi,

I'm looking for a budget single-ended intergrated amp. The Soro, at about $1300 used, is as high as I'd want to go. Should I consider the alternatives, like Radii or Dared, or is Audio Note heads and shoulders above those?

Thanks!
lousyreeds1

Showing 1 response by br3098

I have an Oto SE, and in my opinion it is a pretty warm sounding amp out of the box. Mullard EL84s will sound warmer than the stock tubes, but IMHO there is also a loss of the pleasant clarity and timbre or grain to the music.

I have tried new tubes in almost every position, and the amount of change they bring to the sound varies from a lot (EL84s) to almost none (6922s in the phono stage). I have had good luck with CBS Hytrons and (surprisingly) with Baldwin 6BQ5s; which are still quite a bargain. The latter are hard to find matched, but they are cheap so buy many and match 'em up yourself.