Recs for a tube power amp < $600?

[oldskoolboarder]

I'd like to give tube sound a try and have been considering using an external power amp w/ my Pio 45TX for the L/R speaker connections. Any recs?

[oldskoolboarder]

Does anything like this exist anymore?

http://www.soundscapeav.com/antique/wave8.htm

[psonic]

What is the sensitivity (IE 90db) and ohm rating (impedance) of your speakers? As a rule tube amps output less power than solid state amps. This is not an issue if your speakers are say 8ohm and 89+ db, or if you don't need to play extremely loud or fill a really large room. Anyway, you should be able to find a Jolida or Antique on audiogon in that range. They are mostly integrateds, so why not hook them up for music and use the Pio for HT? Just get some bananas for your speaker cable for quick disconnect. This will give you better sound than just a tube amp, since bypassing the receiver. Your music should really come to life. Here's a few:
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1120613882
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1121183573

[oldskoolboarder]

What is the sensitivity (IE 90db) and ohm rating (impedance) of your speakers? As a rule tube amps output less power than solid state amps. This is not an issue if your speakers are say 8ohm and 89+ db, or if you don't need to play extremely loud or fill a really large room. Anyway, you should be able to find a Jolida or Antique on audiogon in that range. They are mostly integrateds, so why not hook them up for music and use the Pio for HT? Just get some bananas for your speaker cable for quick disconnect. This will give you better sound than just a tube amp, since bypassing the receiver. Your music should really come to life. Here's a few:
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1120613882
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1121183573

My speakers are Axiom M22's, yes 8 ohms. I don't need to play them loud, WAF prohibits that and room isn't that big. Yeah, integrated is an option, but it'd need to have a phono preamp cause it's mostly for the TT. The speaker connections aren't that accessible, even though I do run bananas. One option is to find an integrated w/ phono pre amp and then use a remote controlled speaker switch to switch between stereo/tube and HT/digital receiver usage. But that adds more cost and complexity than I'm up for just yet. I was hoping to find a simple tube amp solution that would be doable.

[psonic]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1121019197

[oldskoolboarder]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ube&1121019197

Thanks psonic. Is this the same as Antique Sound Labs? I tried to find some specs on this but couldn't find any.

[psonic]

Ah, I didn't notice. Try asking the seller...

[GlenNewdick]

try older CJ, Cary, Manly, Vac, there's more but you should be able to find a 60w/ch tube amp for under $1000. that will blow your HT amp out the window.

I've had some of the Jolida amps and there very simple to bypass the vol pot and selector switch its just a pasive preamp in them so you could have a tech bypass it .about 30min job.