Kora makes some very fine sounding amplifiers. Check out the design 50, I believe it is at your price point. Jeff Starrs at Kora can answer any of your questions. There are SS designs that sound incredible, but in my opinion there is just no substitute for the intimacy a great tube desing can impart. You may also want to lok at the Joule-Electra Vamp, it is a hybrid, but it retains much of there world class OTL sound and the retail is only $2800.00. Joule makes some truly incredible products and the price they charge is a bargain when compared to what some others ask for lesser equipment. I own Kora equipment and I have owned joule gear (with a new Joule purchase in the wings, so I am speaking first hand knowledge). If you awan to discuss offline I would be happy to: [email protected] Mike Marcellas
Do I really need separates?
Currently the main system is a Anthem Integrated 2 fed by a Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 through XLO ref. Speakers are Near 50meII. Cables MIT MH-750 bi-wires. Would I really hear a difference if I replaced the integrated with tube separates from BAT or Sonic Frontiers. Also, will a 50 watt tube amp push as much current as a solid state amp. My wife has suddenly got the audiophile bug worse than me. She really wants tubes (I guess I do to) but we also want to hear an improvement over the current rig. The cd-player we both love as well as the speakers. I guess we are a little confused. What happened to the good old days when I didn't even have the money to consider all this. Or max price point for making the switch is about 5k. please can someone help?