Dynaco Mk IV amps / sweet transistor amps

Tube-o-philes, any of youse guys/gals have experience with the Dynaco Mk IV tube amps? I'm raising funds to upgrade my amp, and most tube amps are too fat to be safely placed somewhere where my 16 month old son won't get scorched by the glowing bottles of a tube amp. I'm also dealing with spousal acceptance factors here, so nothing can be out in the open or on top of our entertainment center. The MkIV's skinny footprint would allow me the chance to get tubes in my stereo - I could shoehorn them in behind the center on some appropriate bases, but I wanna know about their sonics - being the equivalent of half a Stereo-70 is a good start... Transistor sister fans - what do you use to sweeten things up? The Musical Fidelity A3cr looks tempting, and what about Van Alstine Dyna rebuilds (I have a Stereo 150 that could be rebuilt by Frank for about 8 bills). Another trusted set of ears says maybe a McIntosh from the blue meter era - I'm driving Dynaudio monitors with about 87db sensitivity, so power hogs they be.

 

IIRC, the Mk IV was a reliable but undistinguished little set.
Right from the start, it's never been as popular as the larger Dyna amps - Mk III and ST-70.

IME, Frank does nice work, and the result might be a better match for your speakers considering their efficiency spec, than a Mk IV.
But if you're looking for olde-time tubey magic, I would not expect it to be found in either an original or a rebuilt ST-150 from Van Alstine.


As for McIntosh, someone in here will surely have the right advice if you're going for a blue-light special. That's nice stuff.

 

Thanks Fab - I'm hoping some Mac attackers will chime in here! I know the glowing bottles are what I crave, but for practicality I most likely will have to go solid state until my pad changes/number 1 son grows older... Dynaco MkIV users, don't be shy - I like the idea of each amp being mono and wonder about how it compares to a St-70.. Van Alstine dudes/dudettes - any of you out there??? Jump on in, please!