Looking For A New Tube Integrated Amp With Very Specific Features

@sierratrails 

In response to my note suggesting an Audio Note Cobra, "ghasley" wrote, "The Cobra isn't class a nor does it have balanced inputs." The Audio Note Cobra is a pure Class A amplifier. I have no idea where ghasley got his/her information, but it's wrong. On the other hand, he/she is correct about balanced inputs.The Cobra doesn't have those. We have a Cobra (and their incredible Audio Note CD 3.1x/II) and Quad ESL-57s. Like I said before, its the best sounding amp/pre-amp that we have found for our very picky speakers.

Apologies @sierratrails , indeed, the Cobra is class A. What I intended type was the Cobra was not class A single ended (nor class A parallel single ended) as the OP specified.

I’ve owned the Cobra and it’s a great amp, especial at its price, double good for its preowned pricing between $3.5k and $4k. Enjoy.

As I mentioned before, the Triode Corporation 300B amp is Class A, single-ended triode, but it is not balanced, nor does it have XLR inputs.  But, it does meet your requirement for have remote control of volume and it has a headphone jack.  The specifications sheet says that it is a "fixed bias" amp.  There can hardly be a more confusing term than that.  Fixed bias usually means that the user has to adjust bias but some manufacturers use that term to mean non-adjustable bias (i.e., cathode biased).  There are also other schemes where the bias is adjustable, but, there are logic circuits built into the amp that make the adjustment automatically and some may even make changes to the adjustment while the amp warms up.  I have no idea what Triode Corporation means when they say their amp is fixed bias.

 balanced inputs require double the circuitry

@faustuss This bit is false. You do need more circuitry, but not double! If the circuit is differential, the parts count is lower than if it is balanced but not differential.

Our Gem integrated amplifier, which is balanced (but only has single-ended inputs) has no more parts in it than a regular push pull amp of conventional design. 

@atmasphere 

" balanced inputs require double the circuitry

@faustuss This bit is false. You do need more circuitry, but not double! If the circuit is differential, the parts count is lower than if it is balanced but not differential.

Our Gem integrated amplifier, which is balanced (but only has single-ended inputs) has no more parts in it than a regular push pull amp of conventional design."

A solid-state circuit using an NPN and a PNP similar in configuration to a solid-state class AB power amplifier. Kind of defeats the purpose of an all-tube preamp or line stage. Single ended input to me would be the purist approach and the fact we're most likely to use short interconnects and noise wouldn't be a factor as in long ones.

A solid-state circuit using an NPN and a PNP similar in configuration to a solid-state class AB power amplifier. Kind of defeats the purpose of an all-tube preamp or line stage. Single ended input to me would be the purist approach and the fact we're most likely to use short interconnects and noise wouldn't be a factor as in long ones.

@faustuss The amp I was describing in my prior post is a tube amp. Its very compact and makes 5 Watts/channel class A. It has 3 tubes per channel, the same number you would have if driving the power tubes with a conventional (not balanced) Voltage amplifier/driver circuit. The parts count is the same. 

If you meant something else by your comment it went right over my head.