~1000 bucks to spend on an amp.

Good luck getting that Outlaw Amp in Switzerland, which is where I live. That's a big problem is I really don't have access to the U.S. boutique companies. But Check this sucker out, I see it on sale used for 600 bucks. Will need a DAC and a Phono stage though...

Vincent TubeLine SV-236MK integrated amplifier

 

You mean like this guy?

Fisher x-202 Integrated Tube Amp-Rare Hi-Grade Vintage Verstärker | eBay

 

Is that just a preamp? I have a kx-200 that I love more than most people. That looks like a big price but the numbers keeps going up. My first tube amp was a fisher 400 that I bought in this forum for about $600. Still have it and love it. It has its limitations but so do I.

 

you know I read this somewhere years ago and I’m thinking you may be right. The discussion from years ago was that a solid-state preamp, phono preamps (actually MC head amps) in particular, are better for the lowest noise amplifying the smallest signals. Then a tube amp to give you the tube magic. I’m actually doing that on one of my systems now with a solid-state preamp and 300B SETs driving tube friendly speakers in a nearfield setup.

 

PrimaLuna from Netherlands.

 

What about a Marantz 2270?

 

It’s a very good amp but the collector value exceeds the performance value and 40 year old electronics can get weird. You will develop a relationship with a tech if you don’t already have one. If you can find one in good shape for less than $1,000, yes get it.

the outlaw has 40 more WPC, a DAC and is brand new with a warranty. A couple clicks on the internet and it’s a done deal. A 2270 is much more of an effort to find unless you have one sourced already.

 

Thanks, I would probably buy the outlaw if I could get it shipped to Switzerland. I've written to them asking if they would do so but have no response thus far.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I love signal tubes and spend more money on them than a reasonable person should. But yes, SS on top is going to give you a blacker background and tubes for power really gives you that midrange and space that make tubes great. That is unfortunately the most impractical and expensive way to Get things done. You are either buying efficient speakers or spending a ton on a very hot amp.

I think the thing that most people come to realize is that tubes don’t make equipment great, great equipment can use tubes but it’s hard to get there with $1,000. Hell, I just replaced 6 tubes in my preamp for more than $400 and could have spent twice that.

 

Oh, my bad. Didn’t realize you weren’t in the US. New brands, prices and what’s available in the used market is a mystery to me.

also, if you are in a tight space with those speakers and/or have shared walls with neighbors. An amp with less power is probably fine. I’m a Klipsch fan and owner, I know your speakers can hit hard if you give them power, and that’s what they are designed to do. If you’re not able to open them up without upsetting neighbors, less power is fine. It’s really the bass that falls off without power and that’s the thing that travels through walls. That horn will deliver the tube sounds without much power. And tubes will take a bit of the shout out of that horn.

good luck

 

thanks,

As I wrote before I'm seriously considering this thing, it gets great reviews and I found one used for 600 bucks.
Vincent TubeLine SV-236MK integrated amplifier

 

I was actually just giving a more general comment, not considering the $1000 limit. It does sound like the OP has found a solution that might work for him. But it does likely involve tubes in the preamp and a solid-state power amp.

As I said, I’m using 8W SETs with efficient, tube-friendly speakers in the nearfield, augmenting with a sub. Works great.

 

Twice your budget and missing features you wanted but....that looks pretty sweet. 12ax7’s are fantastic, you can find plenty of vintage tubes to work with and 150wpc is perfect. I’d say that’s a winner and way better than the Outlaw based on the specs and reviews.

 

600 used with new tubes, leaves budget for a phono stage, I'm going to pull the trigger on this!

 

I mean $600 for a 150wpc amp with preamp tubes that retailed for $2,000 is crazy cheap. I’d buy that in a Cocaine heartbeat.

 

Sounds good to me

 

I got this today, will hook it up tomorrow and let you all know, thanks for everyone's help!

https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/images/y2017/08/177088/1.jpg

I actually wrote to Vincent and asked them the difference between the SV-236 and the SV-236 MK and thsi is what they responded

Dear Sir,

we made improvements in the power supply and the main circuit.
Also I had more output power. Please check attached PDF.

Well the SV-236 was rated at 100 watts per channel whereas the SV-236 mk is rated at 150. However I dug up a test which showed the SV-236's real output was 140 so... for considerably less, i.e. the price of the phono stage, I went with this one.

Will post results tomorrow!

 

OK well I listened to Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow, vinyl, on the new amp. I am, for lack of a better word, ecstatic. The sound is super full throughout, I can even hear Jorma's pick on the strings. This was one of the albums my Onkyo was having serious problems with. On the soft songs, the Onkyo dropped out a lot, and this thing fills the room throughout. It's also really well built, and weighs like 100 lbs

Thanks again everyone for your help!

p.s. I will report back once my DAC arrives and what it sounds like playing FLAC's and the like.

 

Well I got my DAC, a Cambridge 100 something, and played Warfield Theater San Francisco, CA October 14, 1980 Set 1 at 320 KBPS through an optical cable from my PC. Wow! Yay etc. This amp is really performing at a a great level. I am happy for a long while like this I think!