[Mateo Sanboval]

Hey, Gang. In my never ending quest to reduce my setup size/component stack, I've started down the dark path of educating myself on budget tube amps. I'm looking for something that has several inputs, can drive a good pair of bookshelf speakers without elite sensitivity, and more that likely include a decent headphone jack/amp. Hopefully for around $500, but that's a flexible number depending on what I find. That's all secondary though. Mostly, I thought I'd check and see if folks in here had any experience with these little buggers. Fire away.

[Dollarhyde]

@Mateo

I was once looking for a new amp, didn't actually get one though, I ended up running a very nice REGA Brio phono pre amp through a very old and loved Sony Amp/receiver.

Trivialities aside I nearly got (may still get) a "Fatman MI-Tube 2", or something similar. It's maybe a little basic but all your money's going into the tubes.
https://www.whathifi.com/fatman/mi-tube-2/review

On a side note if it's for vinyl I really recommend getting a quality pre amp,My first step into the audiophile world. Next hopefully a new (or second hand DIY project ;) ) turntable.

[ChrisMcQueen007]

Mateo: While I don't have a concrete recommendation for you re tube amp acc to your criteria (also because several brands available in the US are not very common in Europe and vice versa) I would second Dollar's recommendation to consider looking into a good pre amp.

When I was looking to upgrade my integrated amp my local hifi dealer would let me take home some amps to try out over several different weekends. If and how much an amp really 'sounds'/influences the audio in a positive way is a topic of often heated discussions. Also, the definition of a positive influence on the sound is ultimately subject to personal taste (some people love the 'warm' sound of certain valve amplifiers, others would say it is a distortion of how the source material actually should sound). A positive effect also sometimes comes at a cost (e.g. dynamics of the music, some amps are a bit 'slow'). In my personal experience the (positive OR negative) effect of an amp depends on how well it matches the speakers (impedance, sensitivity, power) but even "perfect" matches didn't make such a big difference to the listening experience as a good pre amp. I ended up buying a tube pre amp instead of upgrading my integrated amp and am very happy with that decision. If I one day should upgrade my speakers I will most likely change the integrated amp as well but I will for sure keep the pre amp.

[Bezulsqy]

@ Mateo: good luck with your search. If have no tube experience whatsoever. I do always love vintage stuff.
Here is a link to some audiokarma with more tube info: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php? ... -audio.14/

[Mateo Sanboval]

Appreciate the replies and links, gents. If I buy one of these it would be for a secondary system. It is really wild to see how much people feel like they get out of these little things. By the bye, I'm a firm believer in a good phono stage be they integrated or in the for of a preamp.

@Chris - Which tube pre did you end up with?

[ChrisMcQueen007]

@Mateo: It's from a small German manufacturer called Rike audio who is mainly specialised in capacitors that they supply to various hifi brands across the world. I had never heard of them before my local hifi dealer demoed the pre to me.