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What is the best tube integrated amp?

I love tube amp since I started to get involved this hobby. I have also listened to many tube stereo amp, monoblocks and integrated (not too many?)amps. But right now I have tried to look for a tube SET or PP integrated amp for my office I still not find for my taste especially vocals, classicals and instrumentals. Therefore, I need some help from someone who has had more experience than me about the tube integrated amp for a small office. I also want to look a pair of monitors which are matched with. Thanks to everyone who anticipate in this thread.
musiclover58

Showing 1 response by springbok10

springbok10
711 posts
 
If you can suffer the hassle and pain of biasing the unit, the Jadis Orchestra Reference just blows away anything else in its price range (used about $1500-$1800)for pure musicality, tonal and timbral correctness, midrange mellowness and sweetness of highs. (With JJ EL34s)It is a stupendous amp, and, as it is a "regular" push-pull design, the secret must and has to be in the winding of the transformers, which are massive. When my new speakers (Merlin TSM-Mx) have a few hundred hours on them, I will compare my Bel Canto SET40 to the Jadis. As I improve any ancillaries, such as the source, cabling and speakers, the amp just keeps rising to the demands and sounds sweeter and sweeter as the ancillary quality ascends. It is great at low volumes, particularly with voices, instruments, chamber pieces and country and even jazz. It is clear, nuanced and qualitatively comparable at even low volumes, articulated and smooth and very detailed. I thought I would have a second tier system to my big, really top-end home rig that would leave me wanting during the 12 daily hours I spend at work, at low volumes, but I dont come home wanting for any sonic succor - I had it at work...........when you have Kharma 3.2s, AS Mk 2.2 monoblocs modified with Jena cabling inside and 2 7th driver NOS tubes, EMM combo, Indra and PAD Dominus cable, AS M-P 1 MkII preamp and EG MK and UK Rev 2 PCs,at home, it would be hard to convince anyone that an office system on a much smaller budget, could match the audionut level of expectation to such an extent on such a lower scale - but - this office system - this collection of electronics, with the Jadis at the heart, have made a spine-tingling musical event take place daily at low volumes
that have absolutely floored me - and those who hear it.
(System: APL 3910, Jadis OR, Cardas GR I/C, Electraglide MK+ PC, Signal magic PC, Merlin TSM-Mx - replacing Proac 1s and Totem 1 Sigs, S/Cs currently under trial)
I'll let you know how the Bel canto SET40 compares to the Jadis in a few weeks. (But more expensive than the Jadis)
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