Tube stereo amplifier and speaker suggestion

lake1988

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Could you guys please suggest good Stereo Tube amplifier and speakers to go with available in USA?
Total Budget would be $500-700.
 
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Try this, I used to have one. It fits into your budget and you can set the preamp to SS or valve. You can also replace the stock valve with a superior one. Its a musical amp. Additionally it has a Sabre DAC and USB in as well. Only refurbished units are available since its been discontinued.
Peachtree Audio DECCO65 Integrated Amplifier with DAC Cherry | eBay
Peachtree makes some matching speakers as well. You can check their website.
 
Tube amps alone cost near 500. Most of them need a pre amp, but you can get a Fisher 500 or similar receiver for about 500.
Speakers - need to be pretty efficient, basically need to manage to make good spl with low wattage and sound very good and accurate. My suggestion - dont get a $200 speaker - but you can get pretty inexoensive. I'd suggest a vintage klipsch Cornwall, EV SP12's or altec VOTT series or something like that. However what is your space constraint. These are all big-huge buggers.
And what location ? USA spans 3K east to west and 2K N-S. I can look in your local Craigslist and suggest - before you need to hit eBay/audiogon etc.
BTW I am very partial to Dynaco ST70, Pas3 preamp and EV sp12b's all of which I own, and know they work great together, but they will set you back well over 700. Closer to 1700.
You could save yourself some $$$ and get an accurate SS amp (like a carver TFM 45 etc) and almost any speakers (B&W 603's come to mind) and a tube pre amp like a PAS3 and be in tube heaven and only break your budget a little. 8-9 maybe. Let me know where, I could get you some suggestions.

Cool.
Srinath.
 
I am in Minneapolis.. Dynaco ST70 looks little-bit costly..I can extend the budget to $1000 for Amp and ~$300 for speakers..
 
I'll look in MN, and is size a concern ? As in, are refridgerator sized speakers OK ? Or something more "normal"
BTW they are heavy as well. Like over 100 lb. If you need to take it up the stairs, better hire help, or take the components out, or both.

Cool.
Srinath.
 
Electrovoice EV- speakers (pair)
Vintage Mono Block tube amps - Grommes <- I have a G75 pending me getting smarter and fixing it. 221 is a new build I think by grommes. Could be in near new shape and last a long time.
Vintage B&W DM7 MKII Speakers
Vintage, Audiofile ADS L990 speaker pair. GREAT condition.
Harman Kardon Tube amp Restored!
Rogue Audio 88 tube Amplifier
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/ele/5250226993.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/ele/5262981927.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/ele/5266537946.html <- If size is a concern.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/ele/5265622686.html <- Ref 5 is awesome, I had a ref 4. Great speaker.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/ele/5269917528.html <- I have 7's great, too much $$$ though.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/ele/5231009235.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/ele/5256481994.html <- Polydomes should be translucent, there is a restoring spray, but if they dont turn clear with it, dont buy it. Those will rip and replacing is $$$

Maybe more will turn up if you look, and use searchtempest.com and you may find more.
Cool.
Srinath.
 
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Peachtree nova65SE looks cool..what would be a good speaker with that...I don't like big speaker..it should be bookshelf speaker but should be sweet sounding..how would klipsch speaker would go..I heard they are efficient..
 
Check with Frank Van Alstine, Audio by Van Alstine in Minneapolis, he makes excellent gear and sometimes offers good preowned Van Alstine products that are traded in.
 
Some brands are very inexpensive in some areas. For example Carver stuff was pretty cheap in the Seattle area. Cos they were based out of there and they got a lot of local penetration. That could be true of Van Alstine, but in that case, I'll hit Yard sales and flea markets. Not Their showroom unless you want to buy new.

Klipsch, the big ones are usually very very good. I would get this - and nothing smaller.
Klipsch 5.5 Medium Oak Floor Standing Speakers

But if you really want small bookshelf sized -
B&W Bowers & Wilkens LM-1 High Quality Satellite Bookshelf Speakers
B&W LCR6 S2 and two DM602 S2's <- B&W 602, but any more than 300 is high for these. Make sure the tweeters are not damaged. They dont react very well to being dented and straightened back out.

Anyway compare prices, ebay completed listings is actually a good guide, but be sure to account for condition, and also look in a 500 mile radius and get the best $$$.

That HK tube amp should work great with either of these.

Cool.
Srinath.
 
Peachtree nova65SE looks cool..what would be a good speaker with that...I don't like big speaker..it should be bookshelf speaker but should be sweet sounding..how would klipsch speaker would go..I heard they are efficient..

Klipsch and a lot of the old brands (EV, Altec, JBL) got this reputation for their 2 and 3 way horn based systems. Sensitivity in the 100+ range.
Klipsch especially carry over that sensitivity into the newer ones too. The point most people forget is, sound quality. I find that any speaker with a plastic horn tends to be sorely lacking that, starts sounding annoying very very soon. Have you ever heard someone playing a plastic clarinet ??? Yea there is a good reason why they dont. They sound awful. Anyway there is quite a few exceptions to that general assumption. Mostly mid 90's and earlier models and the bigger horn ones. Like I've heard a JBL something or other with a 15" woofer and an 18" wide horn, that really sounded fantastic. Anyway you probably should hear it before you make a decision.
Also I like these for almost the opposite reason - Not very sensitive, but always very good sounding.

ADS L9E Speakers <- Bookshelf.
Vintage, Audiofile ADS L990 speaker pair. GREAT condition. <- Floorstander.

Soft dome X 2 - awesome.

Or send me like $300 and I'll send you dynaudio components I've been pondering about. 2 X 1" soft dome tweeters and 1 X 4" soft dome mid per cabinet, and I plan on putting 2 8" dynaudio's in an open baffle, but really its any available woofer that can hit 20 - 800 with an spl of 95+ and is 8 ohm.

Cool.
Srinath.
 
A beautiful, well-constructed speaker with class-leading soundstage, imaging and bass that is fast, deep, and precise.
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