Best Sounding Tube Integrated Amp


I'm looking for a sweet, colorful, liquid like quality that I have heard in tube equipment of the past. The Dynavector 3000 pre-amp, if anyone remembers hearing this, is a good example. Almost as if there is a slight harmonic shift making strings stringier and bells more shimmery. Recently, tube gear has been characterized as warm or smooth and I think manufacturers are targeting a neutral sound. This misses the boat for me. I'd like something with clean tight bass even if slightly attenuated and an extended high end. Even a tube amp if I could find a tube output CD player with a high quality volume attenuator. Any advice? I'd prefer not to spend more that 3-4k.

Thanks
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Showing 1 response by ral

The Pathos Classic One hybrid integrated amp will give you very close to all-tube amp sound, but with clean tight bass. Even brand new I think it's only $2300, but several used ones are now listed here under $2K. As long as your speakers are not extremely difficult to drive (this Pathos is only 70W/ch). You could even pick up two used ones and run them in bridged mono mode.