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Who makes the highest quality tube amps?

One scale of 1-10, 10 being best designed and constructed technically, personal sound preferences aside, who are the 8s, 9s, and 10s?

VAC, ARC, Atmasphere would seem like likely candidates I can think of. Are they ?

Where does Decware rank? Rogue? How about others?

SOme technical facts to help support any claims is appreciated please.

Durability and reliability matters to me here as much as anything. I would want my tube gear to continue to work as reliably as designed years down the road as well as up front.

THanks.

Thanks.
128x128mapman

Showing 8 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Phaelon if the tubes tend to go up fast, that's a - in my book. I'd tend to agree that tube life is a key factor for reliability.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Sure, I'll take whatever info people want to provide, current or past. As long as its something that might still be acquired, either new or used.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Thanks for the supporting argument Syntax.

TP, I don't doubt your the best, but where's the beef? :-)
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Jdec,

Class D amps aren't going anywhere.

I've dabbled with adding an additional system built around
high efficiency speakers and a tube amp for awhile and hope
to do that someday.

My Triangle Titus speakers are tube friendly. I could use
them in my current second a/v system with a tube amp. I use
a mhdt Paradisea tube DAC and Tube Audio Design Hibachi 125
monoblocks there currently with an old NAD 7020 run as the
pre-amp.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
"Is budget a factor?

Eventually but not at this point.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Finsup,

No tube amp for the OHMs.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses.

One thing I gotta ask is how much does looks/appearance factor into your tube gear buying decision?

Gotta admit that I love the distinctive industrial/laboratory/retro look of a lot of tube gear so the appearance is something that I think matters for me as much as all the rest. Meters that serve a useful purpose are also a plus for me in terms of aesthetics.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
21,830 posts
 
Another tube amp feature that is of interest to me is tube biasing. I am interested in doing this as simply but effectively as possible. Maybe a meter is part of the solution. Which amps fit the ease of biasing requirement best?

Thanks.
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