Tube Amps (below $1500) Recommendations

There are a few used Unison Research units on the Bay.

I’ve been listening to their hybrid SR-1 for the past 2 years at my local coffee shop (via Tidal or Project TT and through Ohm Walsh 2’s) and i can’t say enough about how much i love the sound. I demoed a new unit at one of the snootbag audio stores in my city and fell in love (though i can’t afford a new one).
 
There are a few used Unison Research units on the Bay.

I’ve been listening to their hybrid SR-1 for the past 2 years at my local coffee shop (via Tidal or Project TT and through Ohm Walsh 2’s) and i can’t say enough about how much i love the sound. I demoed a new unit at one of the snootbag audio stores in my city and fell in love (though i can’t afford a new one).

''snootbag'' :rflmao::rflmao::rflmao:
 
My favourite amp so far is an Oldchen K3. Buy on AliExpress without its complement of tubes with the transformers custom wound for your voltage. Source 4x Tung Sol KT120, 2x Shuguang CV181-Z and 1x Melz 6H8C metal base tubes and you're in heaven.

Running mine with Aurum Cantus F620 speakers (89db). Your Klipsch KG4 would be far easier to drive
 
I'm a few days new owner of a Rogue Cronus Magnum aquired through AK Bartertown thread. Two sold well under your budget max this month. My first tube amp. It has a NOS Mullard tube in preamp position. I can't comment on tube life or sound comparison to other modern tube amps. I think it is lightly warm compared to Rogue Spinx tube/SS hybride or SS amps I have. Not nearly as warm as vintage Grundig console I've heard.. It has100 wpc, so should drive most speakers easily. Has 4 ohm and 8 ohm speaker capability.
I think it sounds very nice.

EDIT: Sorry, I just read where your in Malasia. Rogue amps or Bartertown sales are likely half world away. Good hunting.
 
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This 2x75 Watts amp I got last week from China, and it is sounding as good as my Techics SE-M100 solid state actually: https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en...-p-909?zenid=2f62458410435afaff4ed5670b0f7e95
I changed the Chinese 8 by EL-34B:s to NOS vintage Philips EL34:s And also the Russian 6n1-drivers to NOS vintage Tungsram ECC85:s, keeping a single russian 6n1 at the input, the center of the 5 small tubes (gave less measured total harmonic distortion). Also modified the cathode bias to have separate cathode resistors on each EL34 instead for 2 sharing the same. Now it is just great sounding. If you are handy you may buy this? Extremely cheap. I measured it to have 20-20000Hz +- 0.01 dB! 2 by 75 Watts with less than 1% THD into 8 Ohms, and at 10 watts 0,2% THD.
 

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I'm a few days new owner of a Rogue Cronus Magnum aquired through AK Bartertown thread. Two sold well under your budget max this month. My first tube amp. It has a NOS Mullard tube in preamp position. I can't comment on tube life or sound comparison to other modern tube amps. I think it is lightly warm compared to Rogue Spinx tube/SS hybride or SS amps I have. Not nearly as warm as vintage Grundig console I've heard.. It has100 wpc, so should drive most speakers easily. Has 4 ohm and 8 ohm speaker capability.
I think it sounds very nice.

EDIT: Sorry, I just read where your in Malasia. Rogue amps or Bartertown sales are likely half world away. Good hunting.
I heavily auditioned that amp and it’s quite nice. In the end it had more power than I need and I went with the smaller Jolida with the Level 1 upgrade at 1/2 the price. The up-charge for the Rogue integrated over the amp is a steal.
 
When each of you are able to shovel it with the facility of these fellows,you may then criticize the grammar of otherso_O


MY GAWD! That was some of the BEST Stuff I've heard since Nixon swore up and down the White House wasn't Bugged!
 
MY GAWD! That was some of the BEST Stuff I've heard since Nixon swore up and down the White House wasn't Bugged!

Those guys were incredible!!

That entire series (Yes,Minister,and subsequently, Yes,Prime Minister) was blessed with some of the best (and funniest!) writing and acting you'll ever see.
Sir Nigel Hawthorne, in his role as Sir Humphrey Applebee, is utterly hysterical.And,with his experience in stage acting,delivered his lines from memory; no cue cards or teleprompters for that man! Cripes,I can't even remember a short grocery list,let alone one of his rants.....

Both series are available on dvd,but you can probably watch all of the episodes on-line,and believe me Larry,they'll have you rolling on the floor.
 
If that's the case, then somebody is doing something wrong to the Rogue Audio amps.

That may have been true for the cathode bias amps (such as the M120s) and/or the older ones using EL34s (original Cronus- but that was because, at that time the QC of most new production EL34s went to hell in a handbasket- this is one of the primary reasons Rogue went first to KT90s, then to KT120s)- but the KT120 based amps with fixed bias will usually run up to 8 hours a day every day for a few years without the tubes failing. I've been working with them for many years, and these are pretty consistently reliable results...

Regards,
Gordon.
 
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From a quick internet search it appears Jolida products are available new in Malaysia. I have nothing but praise for my JD-202BRC with Level 1 upgrades. It has since been discontinued. The Fusion 3502s is larger at 60w and sells for $1500 USD.
My Jolida 502CRC sounds better than my Mcintosh MC240 kid you not!image.jpg
 
This 2x75 Watts amp I got last week from China, and it is sounding as good as my Techics SE-M100 solid state actually: https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en...-p-909?zenid=2f62458410435afaff4ed5670b0f7e95
I changed the Chinese 8 by EL-34B:s to NOS vintage Philips EL34:s And also the Russian 6n1-drivers to NOS vintage Tungsram ECC85:s, keeping a single russian 6n1 at the input, the center of the 5 small tubes (gave less measured total harmonic distortion). Also modified the cathode bias to have separate cathode resistors on each EL34 instead for 2 sharing the same. Now it is just great sounding. If you are handy you may buy this? Extremely cheap. I measured it to have 20-20000Hz +- 0.01 dB! 2 by 75 Watts with less than 1% THD into 8 Ohms, and at 10 watts 0,2% THD.

Damn but that's a lot of power for the money. . . I'm tempted to buy yet another bit of gear I don't need!

Why did you do this to me? :p
 
The Raphaelite Sinovet 2a3/300B is well within your budget. Point to point hand wired with high quality Asian trannies.

842706-raphaelite-sinovt-6j8p300b2a3-tube-integrated-amplifier.jpg
 
Damn but that's a lot of power for the money. . . I'm tempted to buy yet another bit of gear I don't need!

Why did you do this to me? :p

I'd be tempted to get this just for fun.That is a very nice looking and substantial amplifier for really small money.I'd love to see an actual schematic and an under the chassis shot though. Damn,this is sooo tempting....
 
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