To integrate or not...

@infection
Class’e solid state separates. The sound, what else?

What did you get after the McCormack DNA1?

Aronov LS-960I integrated. Had all the bass control, midrange beauty and top end extension of the McCormack, but minus the thin sheen of mosfet mist. It really was close and taught me early on just how shamefully simplistic it is for people to say tubes are warm, SS neutral, etc. The Aronov was better, but not by much. Where it blew the McCormack away was in terms of value. The Aronov cost only about as much as the McCormack alone- and needed no interconnect, power cord, cones..... For the cost of a preamp I put the Aronov on a BDR Shelf with a killer Synergistic power cord, and still money left over. The value in a good tube integrated is just incredible. 

The Aronov threw a wonderful stage, deep and wide. But after some years it started blowing things up. Resistors, tubes, fuses. Like a fool I decided to try SS. Jungson, I think it was. This was back when I knew little about China and assumed the best, you know like the average misinformed American today. The China amp lasted hardly any time at all. No support, nothing. 

After that I thought well the safe bet is another tube amp. Searched around, found a great deal on the Melody I have now. Dozen years, no problems. Sounds about the same as the Aronov. Would have to run them side by side to be sure.

The thing about tube amps, its not so much the tubes. Its really more the transformers, circuit, and parts quality. Yes there’s differences between tube types like EL34, KT88 and 6550C but even these are relatively small compared to the differences between the various amps they are used in. Not that most guys know this. Heck a bunch are banging away right now mad as hell I’m screwed up enough to spout such sacrilege. The nerve! But they don’t know, never having swapped diodes or caps or modded anything at all- which is the only way of knowing.

With tube amps what you see is what you get. Having looked inside them, having modded and all, I know. The one thing you can’t know about is the transformers. Seemingly little things like winding patterns are the black magic going on inside the black box that explain why two otherwise near identical amps can sound so very different.

Being in the UK you will probably have better luck finding a Prima Luna to audition. But if you cannot, if it comes down to buying sight unheard, I would not hesitate to try a Raven. In fact I would encourage you to give them a call and at least talk to them about it, even if there is a Prima Luna over there.

ML585 used or demo. Extreme quality all around with great high end sound. Read some reviews. FWIW

It is hard for any amplifier to compete with the line magnetic 805 Integrated amplifier. Best of luck and happy Hunting

@4425  that was a manufacturer suggested by my dealer a couple of months ago...

@needfreestuff  never heard of them but the fact they state counterfeit models exist is worrying. 

With tube amps what you see is what you get. Having looked inside them, having modded and all, I know. The one thing you can’t know about is the transformers. Seemingly little things like winding patterns are the black magic going on inside the black box that explain why two otherwise near identical amps can sound so very different.

In your opinion which manufacturers produce the best transformers? So do Raven tick all the boxes for you?

I watched an interview with Dave Thomson...Interesting to hear about the super precise boards.