First Tube amp suggestions

@1extreme P.S. I know I will get flamed by the tube cultists. But I am willing to take the flames for you. I currently own a CARY V12R and CARY 805AE mono amps but rarely listen to them anymore preferring to listen to my Plinius SA100 amp.

As a former Cary V12R owner, and Pass/Forte’ true Class-A solid state owner, with the tube amps, after upgrades, replacing the old stock AudioOne caps, adding hexfreds, and better input tubes for my V12R - it became a different amplifier at a different level. Sold it to buy mono tube amps to try. Since then, Cary Audio offers these upgrades for the new Cary 805RS amplifiers. The Mundorf upgrades provide nice transparency, beautiful tone, texture, and soundstage improvements.

I use these upgrades in my current amps and it does make a nice difference.

While many Class A solid state amps are nice, more 2-dimensional sounding. After good warmup, my upgraded tube amps are 3-dimenional, and layered sounding. Each time I switch back to my tube amps, I reflect on why they hold primary position.

@tritube

When tubophiles wax on about how tubes completely changed their lives, brought them to a state of inner narvana and even made them better looking, you really need to dig into what systems they had prior or what they are comparing the tube component to. Tubes really sprang into popularity when most systems were mid-fi, at best in the 60’s to 90’s unless those audiophiles invested a fortune in one of the handful of manufactures making really powerful SS amps. So when comparing mid-fi to tubes it was definitely an improvement. You also would hear an improvement if you compared your current NAD integrated amp. My point is just that you should try some higher-end SS amps before you move to tubes because there are many more options today and many good SS preowned options.

PS. That impedance graph previously posted for your speakers is a deal killer. Don’t even bother putting tubes on those speakers. Tubes just don't do well on speakers that have an impedance graph that looks like that. They do best with fairly level impedance curves. Put a good SS amp with strong current on your speakers and you will notice a big improvement. Do you have a local audiophile club in your area? That is a good way to listen to higher end system.

I’ve had a Krell FPB 600 class A for the last 8 yrs. I recently bought the Audio Research REF 750s mono amps and I am in heaven with the tube sound. Everything u have ever heard about tubes are so true. I was just listening for 6 hrs. And I am not one bit fatigued. I could never have done that with my Krell amp. 

@1extreme

Sounds reasonable.

I took out my first loan in 1979 to buy a Threshold s500 ($18K in todays dollars)… designed by Pass.. the finest solid state amp of its time. Over the next forty years I upgraded to a Pass x350 and have had extensive experience with Krell, Boulder, Luxman, and Mark Levenson and Rowland over this time.

When I upgraded to an Audio Research Reference 160s and Reference 160m monoblocks my audio world completely changed. The musicality is simply overwhelming. What was I screwing around with solid state for 45 years… wow, what a waste of time.

Hi tritube,  just curious what you ended up doing.   I was in your position 2 years ago and can empathize.  The good folks here on Audiogon also provided me great advice like they have above here. 

Black Ice Audio came up as something for me to look into.    I can vouch for everyone's positive comments on Black Ice Audio.  I started out with their F22, as it was the most I could afford.   Then, I found a used F35 and pounced! I have rolled tubes to TungSol KT-170s to maximize the power, as I am driving ATC SCM 11v2 speakers - albeit in a small 8ft x 10ft home office.  So, this set up works for me.  

In addition, I own their FOZ SS-X, and their DAC.  I am happy with all of them.

I also have had awesome experiences with the customer service.  Jerred (CEO) is very passionate about their products. I have traded emails, had phone conversations, and have had the pleasure of meeting him and Mike on a few occasions.

My 2 cents as a customer of their products, FWIW.

Cheers.