My suggestion would be the Conrad Johnson MV-55.It runs about $950-1100 depending on condition.It is an awesome amp,sweet on vocals.I would advice you to stay away from cheap Chinese offerings,they will disapoint you with thin sound.
Best
George |
Not been a Jolida fan for years until recently, the 1301 for $350 retail is very decent and with upgrade tubes even better. |
I second the cj. I had a cj premier 11a (70wpc) also a possibility. I loved that amp and still miss it today. Only sold it because it didn't have enough power to drive my thiel 3.6's. No matter what you choose I would stick with a reputable manufacturer. Good Luck
Chuck |
Assuming you're looking for an integrated, I'd second Celtic66's Jolida rec for either the 1301 or 1501. They're both hybrids, but as such are a great and affordable way to get into tubes. I owned a 1501, loved the sound and would have kept it if I'd bought the remote version and if it had a headphone jack. It responds well to tube rolling, and since it uses only two 12ax7s you can tune the sound to your liking rather inexpensively. If you want a full tube amp, a Cayin A50-T is at the top of my own list right now: incredible transparency, dynamics, bass, air--and for a great price at $1300 new/$900 used. For the money, though, the Jolidas are tremendous bargains and frequently show up here used. |
I'd go with a Rogue tube amp, they average 650 to 750. Very robust, lots of power and can handle a wide range of speaker types so you can try other speakers in the future if you want. |
Don't forget Primaluna, whether integrated, stereo
or monoblocs, they're excellent. I've got the 6s
if you'd like to discuss. |
If your system will work Ok with 20WPC, the Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-25 DT (or the older AV-20) is a nice choice. They cost $700 for the pair (monoblocs) new, but could be had for much less used. I've used the AV-20's in an office system for a few years, and they have been perfectly reliable and very nice sounding. |
Sophia baby electric was what I tried first - $350 used, but it provided a LOT of what I get through a much more expensive amp now. |
thanks folks. i'll get to researching these suggestions today!
fun stuff! |
what kind of music do you like,how big is the listening room and at what levels do you listen at? |
I recently bought my first tube gear in a very long time, an AES AE-25 Supramp and AE-3 DJH preamp, and have been extremely happy with them. They're built by Cary in North Carolina.
The amp will work with many different output tube types and is auto-biasing, which is both a great convenience and makes it very easy to swap tubes and learn what the different kinds sound like. The wiring is all point-to-point and the build quality and parts are exceptional.
The amp is 15 watts in the triode configuration but easily powers my Devore 8's in an 11x17 room. |
i listen to a lot of classic rock and roll, 50s-60s jazz, and r+b. this system is in my finished basement with low ceilings. i also try not to listen to loud, but sometimes you just have to!
thanks |
I would look at that dynaco st70 rebuilt by Ray Vincent price looks good and the work performed looks quite nice as well.
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Right on joe_in_seatle, the baby was my first tube amp. |
also check out Mingda M7R or something like that
it cost around $700 .Nice piece for the money.
Ohh ya ,it is an integrated amp. It could work for you.
I 2nd or 3th Prima Luna , Rogue and Jolida as a good beginer's choice. |
anything from Cayin, new or used. Great sound, value and resale value. |
i just want to say thanks for all the recommendations folks! its been very helpful. perhaps it would be even more helpful if i say that i like warm and lush. are these attributes that can be attributed to the amp? |
If your tastes run to warm and lush: Tube whatever you get with NOS, British(ie: Mullard or Brimar) tubes. The PrimaLuna pieces are nice, easy to use(self-biasing), and Kevin(Upscale Audio) can tube them to fill your desires . |
so i am overwhelmed with the response this thread has gotten. this is a very helpful dialog. i think my jolida source fell through and it was totally in my price range. basically i would rather spend less than 1000 and 500 would be great. i'm thinking used is the way to go as long as i do my homework on the seller. i like the idea of getting the tubes to give the lush sound. if i get an integrated am i spending more? would i need one even though i have the Bellari? should i keep the Bellari no matter what? i've noticed most amps do not have headphone jacks. am i even close to learning anything?
thanks folks! |
Your going to need the Bellari as the phono stage. Most anything does not come with one. I really like my Primaluna PL2. I believe there are a couple on the site for sale. I got mine from an agoner. In fact, I've put together my whole system from here. I believe if you're looking used, this is the place to look. Everyone seems very knowledgable and keeps their equipment in great shape. I'd be leary about buying hi-fi from ebay.... |
