I need tube sound without the tubes


I've been running tubes for awhile and am just about fed up with all the problems that tubes entail. I've spent the past five years putting out fires...sometimes literally. Problem is I love the tube sound. Now, I'm a poor social worker with a taste for caviar and a pocket for tunafish...anyone out there have any recommendations for a great cheap amplifier that sounds sorta tubey. I need at least 75W per channel to run my speakers effectively. Cheap, my doctor and lawyer friends, means around $400. Maybe I'll be able to afford more in my next lifetime. Anybody want to make a donation to charity?
todd_crosby59c4

Showing 1 response by david99

I can't understand why you have so many problems with tubes.I never have had a problem and currently have 16 tubes in my system.I can think of no $400.00 amps that have a tube like quality to them.You usually have to pay lots to get REAL "tube like" sound.You may be told some cheaper amps sound this way but I wouldnt believe it.IF you can swing some more cash the Pass Labs Aleph 3 is a real sweet sounding amp.Only 35 wpc but pure class A bias and handles amps with 88db and above quite well to fairly high volumn.If I were you I would stick with tubes.Is your bias set correctly? Tubes in good shape? I cant figure out why you have so much trouble.What amp do you have?? Im a nurse so I can relate to your $$ issues.