New to Integrated stereo tube amps


After decades of listening to and owning solid state amps I recently decided (March, 2021) to jump into the tube amp experience.  Owned are SS units made in the 70s and 80s, and examples include the Sony STR V-15, 45 and 55 units as well as a Pioneer SX-D7000 and Kenwood KR-9600 receivers.  They are very much in play in different areas of the house and are enjoyed routinely, except for the Sony V45 where the FM tuner crashed... last year!.  They're all original and a testament to build quality and audio engineering design of that era.  Since these are old school (by anyone's standard) it was way past time to modernize/upgrade just a bit. Note that the 40 year old speakers with some of these look and play as fine today as when brand new.   Love the classic gear.

So, 40 years later...yes, I've been out of the market for that long and deciding what to go with was not as simple as I first thought it would be, long gone are the subscriptions to Stereo Review and Audio mags, and online reviews can be challenging to cipher on.  I thought adding one more opinion to the mix might be a good thing.

What I discovered were all new names to me;  companies like Willsenton, Muzishare, Reisong, Prima Luna, PS Audio, Schiit Audio, etc. and some of the offerings were hybrid SS/Tube design.  What I settled on was Raven Audio and their Blackhawk 3.1  20 watt offering.  What I like about them is their USA designed and fabbed product, their quality controlled mfg. environment, the principals answered the phones when I called, they returned calls and offered insight that I expect might be available to me in overseas products.  Who in China is going to speak with me when I have a question or an issue to resolve? Not so with the Texans.

My experience has been very positive and I have really upped the game when it comes to component and sound definition (I purchased the CeLest Speaker set as well).  The Blackhawk is my go to, it's such a simple amp, has no EQ to fuss with and fills a 32 x 18 x 8 room with very satisfying bass, mids and highs where I find  new details in music that I've never heard before.  In fact this system is so good it stopped my 18 yo kid in his tracks one day.  The soundstage is wide, there is depth and there is detail.  I call it 3D sound and still can't believe this is from a tube amp with 2 speakers. 

Yes it was quite the investment and I believe it was a very good decision.  I would make the same call if I had to do it over again.  I'm a tube amp convert and a Raven fan, and I hope my 2 cents provides just a bit of insight. 

I'm new to the forum here, wish I had found the site earlier this year.  Lots of valuable info here...if you have any questions about my experience just shout.


joeyga

joeyga OP



Many tube integrates, are just a poweramp with passive volume control on it's input, and source input selector switch, that makes them look like a "real integrated" with an active preamp section.
You may want to just buy a good tube poweramp (better sound I think) and add a two input $49 Schiit Sys passive pre https://www.schiit.com/products/sys

Cheers George
As a fellow Blackhawk owner and I own the Ce Lest towers also, welcome aboard. My Blackhawk is in my secondary system in the game room and my CeLest are in my main system with the Qualiton X200. Simply wonderful speakers. 
@georgehifi You base this on what?

Have you ever heard the Blackhawk?

Actually it is the preamp section that makes the Ravens Avian series such nice tube integrated amps. 


You may want to just buy a good tube poweramp (better sound I think) and add a two input $49 Schiit Sys passive pre https://www.schiit.com/products/sys

@earlflynn, glad to see your report on the Celest towers. Had not really seen any feedback regarding the Raven speakers. How about uou @ joeyga? Are you happy with the  celest towers? Yes the Raven Avian series have an active preamp section.
I have had my CeLest Towers over a year and they replaced SF Olympica III not the Nuvo the older model and have not looked back.