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What's The Best Blooming Tube Amp?

When people think of tubed power amps, they think primarily of descriptive terms like warm tonal balance, harmonically rich and midrange bloom.
But many tube amps, particularly more modern varieties, tend to be voiced to have more of a neutral sound.

The power amps of old, like the Leak Stereo 20 and the Quad II's were warm, rich and full of that 'tube magic', wheras some of the amps from Audio Research and even perhaps some of the bigger Cary's tend toward a more neutral tonal balance.

So, what are your favorite tubed power amps that are renowned for their midrange bloom and harmonic richness?
Forget about those attempts at trying to combine Solid State attributes with tube-like qualities, what's the best blooming tube amp you've ever heard?

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Showing 2 responses by larryi

larryi
3,716 posts
 
I should also mention that I find that quality to be quite elusive when it comes to linestages. The best I've heard at creating an enveloping soundfield without creating a false warmth and annoying phaseyness are the Emotive Audio Epifania and the Audionote M-8 and M-10 (Audionote UK). I briefly heard the Kondo M-10 and it too had some magic qualities, but I did not get to do a long audition. Both the M-10 and Epifania are fantastic linestages, the Epifania might be a bit faster and lithe in tonal structure, the Audionote might be a bit warmer and seductive, but I never tried the two side by side.

I must admit that the Levinson No. 32 I currently run is a bit weak in that department, but it is not totally lacking. I also got a bit of that quality out of a Placette active linestage I use to use (still have it as a backup).
larryi
3,716 posts
 
By "bloom" I think of the way some tube amps are able to create the illusion of sound expanding into an enormous space and enveloping the listener (as compared to the relatively flat soundfield of most solid state amps). I don't particularly like tube amps that accomplish merely the sense of envelopment by being tonally warm or creating a large soundfield by being a bit phasey sounding.

Some of the best I've heard include: Audionote Gaku-On ($250,000 211-based SET); Audionote Kageki (the 2a3 SET amp I own); Art Audio PX25; a custom pair of OTL amps (recently sold used for @$60,000); and a custom pair of 2a3/45 parallel SET amps (uses Audionote trannies). I have a pair of pushpull 45 amps that have some of that kind of bloom, but not quite like the Kageki. I know others hear that quality with higher powered pentode pushpull amps, but I personally don't hear quite the same magic.
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