3 Jaw-dropping Hi-Fi Tube Amplifiers That Made My Audiophile Home Sound System Sing !

I've had the pleasure of hearing many high-end tube amplifiers and these are my top 3 best tube amplifiers for audiophiles in their home systems! Decware, Convergent Audio Technology, and Marantz Tube Amplifiers !
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[@Jayiyagi]

Thanks for stopping by to hear my story (iyagi), experience and journey in audio! Remember to leave a like on the video as it really helps me without costing you anything. Thank you in advance :)

[@gjnbouwmeester5860]

Hi Jay, nice vid again! And yes, i 'd like to see more vid's on the tube amps, if you could. I'm also a big fan of the tubes, singing angels as i call them, but for daily radio duties i use a T+A receiver R1220R. For the 'serious' listening i use my own DIY 2A3SE tube poweramp with a direct feed from the streamer/dac/cd-player. The speakers i use are DIY modified KEF104aB-Ref's and sometimes a BIG set of Tannoy 12" dual concentrics in a DIY portloaded box. Overall, the tube amp gives so much more spaciousness, deeper and wider stereo imaging in the holografic soundcloud. It's tantalizing fluidity is almost like dreaming with your ears! Eargasms are the goal here:-)🤩

[@alexnovique1718]

Sansui vintage 15" speakers very soft and sense.😊

[@TheCharlesAtoz]

Share all the corners of your experience Jay, that's one of many reasons we're on the journey with you! I wake up thinking about stereos and speaker combos!

[@lazdow9229]

The ZMA really performs unbelievably with a preamp. I use the Backert Rhumba 1.3 and the overall frequency response from top to bottom is breathtaking. The speakers ore DeVore O96's. No lack of bass whatsoever. Great channel Jay, thank you.

[@hershbagelstein545]

A two year wait for the ZMA. At. My age, there is a better chance of grandkids hearing it than I.

[@TheCharlesAtoz]

That combo seems amazing!! Wow.

[@badgerdms]

@@hershbagelstein545 Really, two years??

[@hauxon]

@@hershbagelstein545 ..and you won't be hearing those shimmering highs!

[@danashay]

Best. Video. Ever. Thank you Jay, love all of your work, but this one is special. I have been trying, hard, to wear out my Cornwalls for 40 years, and have always, always, missed my JBLs. (I should mention my hearing problem, big hole at 12k) I just love soft dome tweeters, and I want to strap on a tube amp! Everything you said was pointed right at me! I have to rely on folks like yourself for guidance, and no regrets! Anywho, don't ever change. Some of us need you. Terrific short, perfect! Please, for the love of God, carry on!!

[@davidsagarra9841]

I bet any of those three amplifiers sound marvelous; nevertheless, the combination of preamplifier, amplifier and speakers is really the one that should be talked about. I have a very humble preamplifier NAD C165BEE; a nice power amplifier PrimaLuna EVO400 and a pair of Klipsch Forte IV; that combination is the one that has stayed in my main system for many months now. A pair of JBLs came and left, a Cary preamp came and left, a Rogue Audio RP5 came and left and a McIntosh MC275 was tested also; the winning combo is the one that stayed.

[@paulcampise3050]

Feeling lucky here, my system consist of the Marantz 7c preamp, 8b amp (35 watts) and their 10b FM tuner, 22 tubes. I switch back and forth from my AR-3A'S (mainly Classical & Jazz) to Klipsch 3's for R & R. I also use a REL subwoofer. My turntable is a VPI 30th anniversary classic with an Orofon 2M black cartridge. I have to say, "one is never satisfied with their equipment". I sit down to listen and my neighbor is mowing his lawn or the house across the street is getting a new roof, etc. Life has a way of balancing out out objectives. Having "the best equipment possible does not equal perfection". Considering one person listens to digital and another analog recordings, this can make a huge difference because of the digital sound floor and omission of information. It is actually very possible using a high end system playing digital music to be out performed by inferior equipment playing analogue records, my take, by.

[@Nephilim-81]

For any audio enthusiast tube amplifiers are such a terrific Avenue to explore. Jay’s video here is a an awesome topic of discussion. If you love this hobby, tubing is a great place to go to experience a true difference. :)

[@bencausey]

Thank you! Love hearing about others’ experiences with tubes. I hooked up my older Cary v12i this weekend and wow…that midrange magic was there!

[@DJ_BROBOT]

s3cønd....Iyagi Clan (J's Journey Clan), we in here ! The way you were explaining the sweetness and holographic of the sound was an on point explanation

[@michaelshultz2540]

One of the main reasons hi fq sounds so much smother from tubes is their very linear reproduction of sound. As opposed to transistors that all tend to act more like switches in the high fr and they also take rapid atack at high fq and become disproportionately more dynamic. Thus brighter and harsher which leads to listener fatigue. It as well detracts from the fluid transparency of the sound stage . Tubes create truer sign waves in the high fq. And also the natural harmonics of tubes are even harmonics with no spiking . Transistors natural harmonics tend twards odd harmonics that spike dynamically. We thats my best technical description of why tubes are better than solid state for audio. Yes they cost more to use both in hardware and energy consumption but after all you get what you pay for. Bonus tube amps stand a very high chance of surviving a massive emp either from a nuclear balst or an electronic apocalypse from a massive solar flare oc cme. The old school tube stereo geeks will be still rocking out long after the music dies.

[@luminiferous1960]

Unfortunately, your explanation of why tube and solid state amplifiers sound different is not quite technically correct. Below is the correct explanation. When the emitter junction and collector junction of a transistor are both forward biased, the transistor's region of operation is called the saturation region wherein the transistor acts like a short circuit (aka a closed switch). When the emitter junction and collector junction are both reversed biased, the transistor's region of operation is called the cutoff region wherein the transistor acts like an open circuit (aka an open switch). A transistor is operated as a switch when the bias voltage is changed between forward and reverse bias on both the emitter junction and the collector junction. However, when the emitter junction of a transistor is forward biased and the collector junction is reverse biased, the transistor's region of operation is called the active region wherein the current from collector to emitter is proportional to the current flowing into the base. The large portion of the active region in which the current from the collector to the emitter is highly linearly proportional to the current flowing into the base is called the linear region. This is the region in which the transistor acts best as a linear amplifier. The generation of harmonics is a result of nonlinearity in the amplification. The fact that most transistors generate much lower levels of harmonic distortion than most tubes when both are operated in their linear regions indicates that most transistors are more linear than most tubes within their respective linear regions. The audible differences between tubes and transistors is mainly due to what happens as they transition outside the linear region at high signal levels approaching saturation where the amplification deviates from being linear and thereby generates appreciable levels of harmonics and intermodulation distortion. It is important to note that the vacuum tube triode does not have as wide a linear region as a bipolar transistor. Hamm examined the harmonic distortion characteristics of several solid-state and vacuum-tube preamplifier stages under overload conditions. His experiments used single-tone sine-wave test signals, and his paper does not discuss the intermodulation distortion differences between the amplifiers. He demonstrated that vacuum-tube amplifiers under overload conditions cause a shift in the duty cycle of the output signal. Where the input sine wave is positive during exactly half of its period and negative during the other half, the distorted output waveform has less than half of its period on one side of zero and more than half of its period on the other side. For sine-wave inputs this duty-cycle shift results in more even harmonic distortion components than solid-state amplifiers, which have a symmetric duty cycle in their distorted output waveforms. Rutt examined the characteristics of grid current flow in a vacuum tube triode. He states that grid limiting occurs when the grid circuit becomes forward biased, causing a grid current flow induced voltage drop across the grid circuit source resistance. This is a soft-limiting effect which has no parallel in most solid-state amplifier designs. Even under heavy overload conditions, vacuum-tube triode amplifiers have much of their overload operation in the soft-limit region. Triode amplifiers have a duty-cycle shift as the signal is driven into overload. It is this duty cycle shift which is responsible for the predominance of even harmonic distortion components when driven by a sine wave. Rutt further states that solid-state amplifiers have most of their overload operation in a hard-limit region. Transistor amplifiers are usually biased for symmetric distortion to maximize output level, and as a result they produce predominantly odd harmonic distortion components when driven by a sine wave. Transistor amplifiers can be designed to produce even harmonic distortion by shifting their bias points, but they still will not sound like vacuum-tube amplifiers because in overdrive transistor amplifiers always have hard limiting on both sides of the modulating waveform. In his conclusion, Rutt states that a soft limiting amplifier such as a vacuum-tube triode lets more of the weak signals through the amplifier at high signal levels. Most solid-state amplifiers have symmetric "brick wall" hard limits on both sides of the output waveform. This symmetry causes a predominance of odd-harmonic distortion components, while the hard limiting produces undesirable intermodulation distortion effects. Furthermore, Rutt states that the voltage drop across the grid circuit source resistance, caused by grid current flow, is known as grid limiting and is responsible for the soft limiting effects of tube amplifiers. Emulation of the grid limit effect using solid-state diode circuits will not produce the same results as a vacuum tube because tube grid currents follow a power function relationship with voltage but solid-state devices follow an exponential relationship. The exponential relationship in solid state devices causes a faster transition into a hard limit region of operation than the power function relationship found in tube circuits. Hamm, Russel O. "Tubes vs Transistors - Is there an Audible Difference?" Journal AES, May 1973, Vol 21 No. 4. Rutt, T. E. "Vacuum Tube Triode Nonlinearity as Part of The Electric Guitar Sound" Presented at the 76th Convention of Audio Engineering Society, 0ctober 8-11, 1984, New York (Preprint 2141 F-5).

[@dan.nathan]

I heard CAT in Tampa at the Florida audio expo this year, and they completely reshaped what I thought a tube amp could do. Saturday they were driving a pair of Magico S5's with their Statement monoblocks which was completely unreal, but Sunday they played their JL5 which is in a price-class that's a little more attainable. Ever since, the JL5 had been at the top of my wish list.

[@scottspencer4018]

Great video Jay. Love the personal insights you share. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing the Marantz 8B or Decware amps, but have heard the JL-2 and JL-5 a few times, and they're always "jaw-droppingly" spectacular (always fed by the CAT SL-1 preamp). Convergent electronics in general make for an outstanding reference because they have so many strengths and so few sonic weaknesses with little to no coloration that it makes it much easier to evaluate other equipment in the chain. Of course, tube selection, setup, and the rest of the system will ensure that your mileage will vary.. ;-) Until my ship comes in, I'm typically pretty happy listening to my Dyna/VTA monoblocks and modified Lazarus preamp setup.

[@jasonlollar2647]

im 63 years old- ive had many tube guitar amps starting around 1971 but by the 70s tubes were out for stereos- in the 90s someone gave me a marantz 8b and the 7c pre amp but it took me untill about 6 years ago to get those rebuilt- the amp wouldnt bias, everyhthing was corroded. I was using a scott 299c- I think- which had been rebuilt and sounds really sweet with altec valencias someone else gave me but the bass was a little squishy, however overall super sweet. I got the marantz rebuilt- both the power and pre and ran that into the valencias and the bass got way tighter almost solid state like but from the low mids to the highs is creamy. I only listen to records and only a small percentage of those are totally amazing but most any record sounds more lively than most cds IMO nice video- I was suprised you had the marantz which the power amps are not all that much $- why are the pre amps so much? I can say I have used solid state pre amps with the marantz and they sound really dry compared to the 12ax7s in the 7c

[@alexnovique1718]

You can use single stage amp just for bass. Because bass doesn't need stereo. And all power for mid and high range you can use your main amp for best result.😊

[@richardbartch3620]

thanks for the videos jay...I use a rme adi-2 dac as a pre amp for my zma amp and a pair of 72 year old klipsch corner horns...sounds great

[@SahinurUK]

Always enjoy listening to your audio experiences.

[@DrGIzmoBRad]

Jay, your descriptions in this latest video align with my experiences regarding single ended tube gear. I'm using a pair of 2001 Wavelength Mercury DHT (Direct Heated Triode) monoblocks built by Gordon Rankin. One EZ80 rectifier, and one AVVT 20SL amplifier tube with a step up signal transformer at the input. As with with your Decware, they're slightly shy in bass, but mids and highs are phenomenal. Driving a pair of L Cao FA6 single driver speakers in Tuned Quarter Wave Pipe enclosures. Such a treat :)

[@rvaillant]

When I researched the CAT amp many years ago there was something about the tube biasing, or arrangement, that would cause one to buy new tubes if one went. That's the best I can recall and this might be wrong. I do remember that whatever it was, tube costs would be very high. If anyone really knows we all want to hear.

[@randymcclanahan5087]

Hi, Jay. Another great review/opinion piece. Thanks. Since you have said you like questions and comments, I'll give it a shot. I have Klipsch La Scala speakers (105 dB sensitivity). I am using them for the front L and R speakers in my combined movie/Hi-Fi setup, with a McIntosh MX-123 AV Processor, a McIntosh MC 8207 seven channel solid state amplifier and an SVS 2000 sub-woofer. My room appears slightly larger than your listening room, with lots of sound dampening through rugs, sofas, curtains, and other furniture. I am considering buying a tube amp for the front L and R La Scalas for music listening, and using the 8207 for the surround channels on movies. I am considering the McIntosh MC 275, any of the Decware amps (Steve Deckert should also be releasing his 300B pretty soon), and based on a recent review, the Willsenton R300 and the Dennis Had Inspire 300B-set. Both Steve Deckert and McIntosh tell me there is no problem using their amp for the front L and R channels in my set-up. Can you give me any advice on which tube amp to purchase? Again, it would be for music, and the front L and R channels on movies. Thanks so much! REPLY

[@snipervision1]

I have always loved the CAT tubes.

[@charlesnr]

Ken the designer brought his CAT preamp and the monoblocks to Axpona 2022. They were driving the Magico S5II speakers. Sounded fantastic. Rather than new models, he has been improving these models continually. The preamp. the original product. for 30 years. A friend who sold all solid state receivers and amplifiers in the 80's had one tube product, the original preamp, as it was so superior even at that time to any of his solid state premaps.

[@GH-zs8eq]

Great Vid, Jay! Loved it!

[@stephenstevens6573]

Awesome!! Thank you for sharing this!!

[@jcvr18]

Jay your Choices are great I like CAT amps too what are your favorite amps of all could you do video's on headphone gear too?

[@Thomannfamily.]

Thanks Jay for another great video. Best I've heard is my VTL mb450's with EAR preamp.

[@hushpuppykl]

My fav tube pre … Cary Audio SLP-05 with NOS tubes.

[@adamk4716]

LTA el34 nos Mullard amps are breathtaking too

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Sounds great. Have you ever heard OTL tube amps? I use them as the coloration or lack of detail likely come from the quality of the output transformers. Have you heard Transcendent amps?

[@Jayiyagi]

OTL - yes and they are great but I’ll save that for another video;)

[@scottwolf8633]

I own two amps from Transcendent Sound, the T 16 monblocs and the first version of the Mini Beast. Used to build Audio Amateur/Old Colony, versions of the Lang Amp, but modified from the article, as per Nelson Pass and J Peter Moncreiff's published work, to give more output. MOSFETS run Class A. Bruce's products are superior in every way, and illustrate that tubes in the correct Topology can surpass any product commercially available, at pennies on the dollar.

[@edwardhanyane]

Also try the Graaf 20 valve power amplifier

[@dangoh2237]

The CAT pre-amp was a legend!

[@naikrosh]

Look forward to more tube related content. Some topic suggestions.. your fav tube preamps, fav tube integrated, comparing all tube amplification v/s tube-preamp + ss amp, sound of diff types of tube amps (set, 300b, low/high power, otl, etc)

[@GavinHodgson]

Great video - you should do one for solid state, then top 3 all time!

[@chrisfrank9288]

Love the video. You mentioned the Decware in the past tense. I thought you were keeping that one?

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Your descriptions are great

[@ericstefko4852]

Jay this was a great idea, can you do a series of the 3 best ...... I heard? some suggestions. Class A SS Amp, best integrated, best bookshelf speaker best tower etc..

[@jackstraw1756]

Would love to get a Decware, but damn the wait list.

[@imosolar]

Great review and KZbin channel. Please review more tube amplifiers

[@scottchegg1209]

Currently own leben cs300xs, audionote p1se signature, el84 designs. Ming da 300b and kt150 p/p beast, audio detail malvern UK tuned, zu druid 4, klipsch Cornwall 4, audio note type j and harbeth p3esr. Try a music first audio pre, amazing

[@ML-rm3vk]

A must listen is a dyanco 70 amp a world beater in the old days it's worth your time try the them.

[@dangoh2237]

My friend bought the CAT pre. At that time it was popular!

[@deancorrea2641]

I have a beautifully restored Fisher 500C that I love but is in the shop far too often, it sounds incredible, I am definitely a tube person. Is there a modern tube amplifier you would suggest may be a replacement for it? thanks in advance, I learn a lot from you reviews...best....Dean

[@HareDeLune]

Jay, you lucky, lucky bastard! :P

[@boigoe]

Hi can you use these amps off an av reciever preouts for fronts...movies and 2 channel music

[@slammer153]

Conrad Johnson Premier 11A here!

[@willblomker1393]

Thanks for the great video. Is that a Gato amp I see back there? What are your thoughts on Gato?

[@TheFilletingfish]

Thanks Jay. Like to hear your thoughts on Decware ZMA and Torii V????Please

[@Jayiyagi]

Thanks! Not sure about the tori but I have a full video on the zma here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIXLZaivi5qmeNU

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Please try the excellent american made ALLEN 75 Watt Monoblocks from the 1960s!

[@vuptihansen5719]

hi what about the CAT compared to the Mcintosh 1502 ?

[@ahmadhusaini8420]

Jay, when are you gonna talk about your room treatment?

[@jonthompson8807]

That wait list at decware though 😅

[@stinkenstine]

How about genres of music? How does Rock & metal sound on say the Marantz as opposed to classic jazz or pop or newer music? I have yet to own a tube amp. It’s my dream. I have a Marantz 2325 & 2250b & a pioneer SX 1010 that is incredible sounding and of course my McIntosh ma6200 though OHM F’s & JBL -L100’s. So I have set ups for rock & jazz but, I’m really wanting a nice tube amp that can do it all.

[@Jayiyagi]

Well honestly the marantz 8b with my JBLs seemed to do all music equally as well but mostly shined with jazzy music

[@keeferdog5617]

Try an Audio Hungary tube amp, Jay. They make great components and hardly no one is aware of them, here in the States. Got turned on to the company years ago and my rig has never sounded better…

[@Jayiyagi]

Thanks! I will look into it

[@keeferdog5617]

@@Jayiyagi Cool man- keep up the great work, you’re doing a really nice job with your reviews and we appreciate it.

[@keeferdog5617]

@@Jayiyagi Oh, this will help- Mark Sousa of “Well Pleased Audio” is the North American distributor. I worked with him with an issue and he was awesome getting it resolved. I’m not a dealer, just a very satisfied Audio Hungary customer and fan boy. Good luck

[@garymoore3497]

wait until Surface Console Amp comes out.

[@toddhupp]

Jay: some of the differences may be 34s vs 88s.34s are said to have better mid range. what do you think? Would 34s be better with bright speakers? while adding a sub perhaps.

[@scottchegg1209]

Kt88 the most "transistor" sounding tube.

[@AudioheavenDenmark]

Had one and the preamp some years ago. The power amp was great. But the preamp was noisy as hell. Cat jl2. And preamp.

[@Jayiyagi]

Never heard the pre amp. Thanks for sharing!

[@badgerdms]

Best tube amps I've ever owned--Joule Electra VZN-160s. Nothing I've ever heard matches the midrange that comes out of OTLs, and (all due respect to Atma-Sphere) Joule Electra were the mac daddies. Current tube amp that I own that I think would be hard to knock off--McGary SA1E.

[@outboardfun3353]

Have ever tried any of the Cary audio tube amps?

[@Simplyveej]

This was a bit confusing: “The three are not in particular order. They are equally great. But the third is the best one.”

[@Dinolobe376]

I’m surprised to see that you didn’t included any true triode amp !

[@Jayiyagi]

Perhaps in another video ;)

[@hauxon]

Amazing how little advancement there has been in tube technology for almost 100 years. The Korg NuTube is the only new-tech tube I can think of. We also don't really have made much advance when it comes to making speakers more efficient, so we mostly need to rely on tech developed 100 years ago (horns) to use our SET amps! ..and still the single ended triode is the purest form of amplification.

[@biketech60]

A tube power amp (vintage) you are lucky if you find one is the David Berning ZH-270 , his first zero hysteresis amplifier . Unique design , best sound I have heard from any amp , lightweight and easy on it's tubes which last a really long time . Designed and built by a genius in tube amplifiers .

[@bluesymmetry]

waiting for that gato review

[@fabien7079]

Have you hear any Audiomat integrated amps?

[@allardvanderstarre5238]

what about the luxman lx 380?

[@JaySinead12]

I love the review my man but I can't stand triangle sound. Beautiful design but I don't see it.

[@genotabby]

How would you rate the ma12000 compared to these?

[@jdm-uk-yank]

The ONLY thing close to mine is the Air Tight line.

[@DrBroncanuus]

was youtube named in honor of these amps ?

[@Jayiyagi]

Nope

[@scottchegg1209]

I had JBL L20tiwith a marantz pm4a, 15wpc pure class a, or 60 class ab, switchable. Great little amp. Check it out.

[@tombillard5264]

VAC, lamm, AR, JADIS etc

[@MrBazsi888]

Meisu Tonemeister has even higher sound quality than these?

[@007EnglishAcademy]

If something is not as good as some other thing then it is not ''impeccable''.

[@alexnovique1718]

👍👍👍