| Valve Accessories etc. Herbie's Audio Lab Makes the HAL-O valve dampers Valve related mailing lists and forums DIY-HiFi Mostly valve based stuff is discussed on this mailing list. HK Tube Audio A forum for Hong Kong based valve freaks. Leak list No not a list discussing leaking hardware, it's a forum for owners of hardware from the old english manufacturer Leak. discussions seem mostly concern the valve amp models they made (although some of their later transistor amps where quite good). Valve related articles D.T.N. Williamson Amplifier Commentary by Stan White on the classic Williamson amplifier design. Valve related Clubs, Fairs etc. The Vintage Valve Technology Fair UK based fair, in Liverpool, all kinds of audio related vintage stuff shows up there along with lots of nuts, erm .... I mean vintage radio collectors Valve related magazines The Tube Kingdom Japanese language magazine for valveheads. Please send any factual corrections, dead links, information and/or links that you feel that should be on this page to the page maintainer but please note that I do not have an Internet access at the moment so there may be some time before I can answer.
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Thermionic valves, vacuum tubes, lamps or whatever they are called were you live are as fashionable in audio equipment today as rows of blinking led's were in the early 80's, and partly for the same reason, both shine rather nicely esp. if you turn down the lights.
Currently active valve amplifier manufacturers
Acoustic Masterpiece
Makes the 11 watt M-101, it's a power amp with attenuators so you can run it without a pre-amp if needed. .
The Affordable Valve Company
While their products aren't exactly outrageously expensive, their definition of "affordable" is not quite the same as mine. Nice amps nevertheless.
Ahrens Audio
This long running vintage audio dealer had decided to start manufacturing valve amplifiers, by popular demand they claim. The products are all power amplifiers, the cheapest being the Ec Push-Pull Stereo model that pumps out a moderate 9,5w into 8ohms, slightly more upmarket is the wonderfully named Audio Amplifiers, it's a single ended model that uses either EL34 or RS 282 valves. Top of the rage is the plain silly Model I which is built around 30 Siemens Be valves (yes 30, not a typing error), price reflects this I gather.
Air Tight
This is the new company run by the former head of Luxman, their range of valve based power amps has been getting a lot of attention lately in particular the KT-88 based ATM-2 but the more recent ATM-300 that's based on the ever so popular 300B in a single ended configuration has also been raising some eyebrows, but the most technically interesting (and the most expensive) model from the company is the ATM-3 monoblock, it allows you to switch from a 55W triode operation to a ultra linear mode that gives you 110 watts, neat. We have not been able to find a homepage for the company but you can find more information on their power amps here and their preamps here.
Alouette Audio
Has an interesting true class A hybrid amp available that's called A50, it's a dual mono unit internally and you can read the technical specs here, one of the odder looking amps around (and that's not in a negative sense).
AMC
range of amps.
Ancient Audio
Makes the Silver Grand Mono, a high end monoblock.
Antique Sound Laboratory
Best for their range of budget hi-fi, their integrated and power amplifiers in particular are some of the cheapest on the market, if not the cheapest in fact, but the company actually make a large range of amplifiers with various topologies including some high end models.
Aria
Makes mid range amps.
Aronov
Makes high end valve power amplifiers.
Art Audio
Has a large range of valve amps, mostly single ended power amplifiers but also a couple of push pull units and preamps, the only model they have any info on the web is the Carissa, a single ended triode amp that gives out a rather impressive 16w (all things considered).
ASV
Makes a range of integrated tube amplifiers.
Attila Audio
Has a range of integrated wave amplifiers available in a variety of finishes, interestingly the company also has a range of hybrid integrated models, these are very keenly priced.
Audible Illusions
Has made a valve preamp for almost 2 decades.
Audio Experience
Has a few fairly keenly priced amps along with a couple of real high end products, their best known model is probably The Music Mk3 preamplifier but under the YS-Audio brand there were probably thousand of the earlier Mk2 incarnation sold on ebay and other internet sites. Next up is the Symphones preamplifier which features 12AX7A valves in the amplification stage and unusually enough for an amplifiers in this price range both of the above feature a valve rectified power supply, there is also available a more refined version of the Symphonies amplifier in the form of the Symphonies Plus that features a dual Mono configuration. YSA 100 which is a 120W rated monoblock push pull design that is based around the KT-90. Their top of the line model is the U300B but that is a single ended monoblock based around the venerable 300B SE and is rated at 10W. See also Audio Experience RIAA Preamplifiers.
Audion
Makes a well regarded range of amps, including a 300B based single ended design and the Sterling 2x9w integrated amplifier that despite appearances will drive quite difficult loads.
Audio Note/Kondo
Makes some of the most revered amplifiers in the business, the company is run by Kondo-San, a noted perfectionist that single handily started the "silver mania" in the 70's when he began winding output transformers out of silver for use in valve amps, his obsession with getting things right has meant that the company manufactures their amplifiers from scratch, almost all the components in their amplifiers except the valves themselves are made in-house and this has lead to some of their products having price tags that almost beggar belief. The company is best known for their single ended designs such as the Neiro 2000 stereo power amp that has 2A3's in a parallel configuration, but they recently introduced the X-60 monoblocks that have 300B's in a push pull configuration.
Audio Power
Manufacrures a large range of valve based amplifiers.
Audio Research
Well loved manufacturer of (mostly) valve based audio, their reference series is perhaps the best known, it consists of the Reference 600 MkIII and the Reference 300 MkII power amps along with a line of preamplifiers, phono preamp etc.. The company also has a line of more reasonably priced valve products including the LS25 MkII preamp and the VT 100 MkIII power amp.
Audio Valve
Well the name say's it all does it not ? High quality German valve amps, their main claim to fame is the computer controlled biasing that eliminates the need for matched valves.
AVVT
All of them utilise their own valve design .
Ayon Audio
Has a line of single ended triode power amps with zero feedback topology, the 300b offers 2x20w into 8 ohms, the Sunrise offers 2x25, these are both integrated models and have 3 line inputs plus a direct valve input, the Sunrise also features a remote control. The company also has the Reference monoblock that uses parallelisation to get 55w >8ohm output power and the more conventional Classic monoblock that gives you 30w >8ohms. More info here.
Balanced Audio Technology
Makes a small range of valve bases pre, power and RIAA phono amplifiers along with some other valve based audio products.
Beam-Echo
Has a small range of high end amplifiers including the DL7-35 monoblocks, SA-50 stereo power amp and the SP-21 line preamp. They also make a limited edition preamp/monoblock amplifier combo called 301 that may or may not be still available.
Bottlehead
Has a range of amplifier designs.
Butler Audio
Makes a ubiquitous mono block amplifier but more interestingly a the 5150 multi channel amplifier for useage with home theatre systems.
BWS
Makes power and preamps.
Cadence Audio
Interesting Indian range of valve amps that show up in the west from time to time.
Canary Audio
Best known for their range of 300B based monoblock amplifiers but these include the CA-330, the CA-339 and the Reference One. .
Cary Audio Design
Makes single ended valve power amps.
Coincident Speaker Technology
Has a small range of valve amplifiers including the M100 SE and M100 SE integrated amps.
Consonance
Has a range of power and pre amps available including the M99 Plus class AB push pull integrated, it pumps out 2x25w, you can take a look at this amp and others from their value series of glassware amplifiers that include monoblocks and preamps, their Signature Series utilise better components than the value amps, including thorodial transformers and better valves and the product range includes the T1 Preamp and a host of power amps in push pull and single ended configurations. their top of the range Reference Series includes a preamp, a single ended monoblocks and a push pull stereo power amp.
Croft
This company was one of the pioneers of the valve renaissance in the UK, still going strong and has a line-up of mostly high end products (but has a reputation for reasonably good value, in the UK at the least). Unusually most of their power amplifiers have valve based voltage regulation. Their products are also usually PCB less.
David Berning
Makes a range of valve based amps including models that can be used from a battery or used as car amps and headphone amps.
DaVinci Audio
Makes a valve based preamp that has 4 balanced inputs and a dual stage triode power amplifier with an output of 5w >8ohms, both of these amps are called Grandezza and are extremely carefully designed products with transformer couplings on input, output AND intermediate stages, they are also quite costly. There are also variants of those 2 amps referred to as the "blue night collection" but I am unsure of the difference between them and the regular models.
DeHavilland Electric Amplifier Co.
Manufactures high end, single ended Class A triode monoblock power amps that manage to pump out 30 and 60 watts respectively, they also manufacture a preamplifier called Verve that is also available in a high spec version called UltraVerve that features a ganged volume control and other high end components.
Demeter
Has a small range of power amplifiers.
Diva
Makes a small range of amps.
Eastern Electric
Makes an amplifiers set simply called MiniMax PreAmplifier and the MiniMax PowerAmplifier.
Esoteric Audio Research - Yoshino (EAR)
Variety of valve based amps including the 834L linestage also availavble in a Deluxe version with an improved facade.
Electron Luv
Has a range of pre and power amplifiers that put as much emphasis on unusual and style conscious designs plus the use of rare valves as they do on the electronic design itself.
Emotive Audio
Manufactures the Poeta which is an all valve preamplifier and the Sira which is a hybrid that is also available in a variant called Sira LE, the company has recently introduced the ultra high end Epifania single ended linestage. The only power amplifier available from the company however is the Caeli LE monoblock, this is a single ended 300B based Class-A design.
EnVouge Audio
Makes the DaCapo MkII and the Solitaire MkII, both ate high end models with the Solitaire being twice the price of the DaCapo.
ERAudio
Makes 2 valve power amps, the ER 520 SE a single ended monoblock that uses the 6E5P and manages to pump out 20w or so, that amp is also one of the best looking hi-fi products out there, somehow manages to look both ancient and modern. The ER 520 PP is based around the same output tube but in a push pull configuration and thus manages to give you 40w into 8ohms.
Examplar Audio
Makes the Exception, a triode based preamplifier and the Exultation single ended monoblock based around the 300B, these are only made to order and additionally the company makes bespoke valve amplification.
Furuyama Audio Lab (FAL)
Makes 3 models of integrated amplifiers, FAL EL34, the FAL 300B and the FAL AMP, the company also makes a transistorised amplifier called "the original model" that attempts to mimic the characterists of a valve amplifier.
Golden Middle
Manufactures qute a range of amps, most of them are integrated models and most are also single ended designs including a couple built around the GM70 resulting in a fairly healthy 30W output, but there are a couple of push-pull models there as well.
Granite Audio
Makes a range of valve amplifiers.
Highphonic
Manufacture the HPA-1 in many ways the architypical Japanese high end valve amp (outside of the 300B cult), this is a high end monoblock unit that pumbps out 25W and the only page I could find that has any info on tis amp is a page in Japanese on the Inpulse homepage just scroll to the bottom you can see a picture, list of valves used and the specification. I think the company also had a 300B based single ended amp in production fairly recently.
Hovland
Makes valve based and hybrid valve/transistor based amplifiers.
Jadis
French valve amplifiers.
JJ Electronic
Makes and sells a range of amplification.
Klimo
Makes a range of valve powered products, most of them look stunning and have an excellent build quality and finish, their range includes the much praised Belatine 300B based single ended monoblocks, the push pull Kent monoblock and the Merlin preamp that with it's valve segment indicator is one of the best looking preamp we have seen, note that there are 2 versions the plain Merlin that has the Klimo phono stage built in and the Merlin LS that skips the phono stage but is almost 40% cheaper (all the comments about phonostage go for the preamp NB.), you can also read a review of the Merlin by HiFi+ here.
Kora
Apparently has some sexy valve amps on offer but we cannot view their Windows only hompage so........
Korato
.
KR Audio Electronics
Makes a range of valve amplifiers using their own directly heated triode valve designs.
Luxman
Makes the SQ-88 integrated amp, it has KT88 output tubes, a MM capable phono stage and gives you 2x50w/6o.
Marchand
Sell valve based amplifiers and crossovers (for bi- wiring), available both in kit form and fully assembled.
Margules
Has some interesting designs including the hybrid HD-1 integrated amp, it has a valve preamplifier stage with an transistorised output stage, pumps out around 2x75w and is pure class A. The company also has 2 class A power amps, these have an active bias circuit, variable output impedance, active damping (more common in semiconductor amps) and can be used in triode or ultralinear modes, the design can use 6550, KT99, KT88 or KT100 for it's output tubes, the U280sc pumps out 2x60w and the TR2200sc with it's 16 output tubes will give you a whopping 2x220w. The company also has the SF220 valve preamp, it's available in 3 variations, as SF220r2 a version that can control a 2 room installation, the SF220r stereo version with remote control and the plain stereo SF220.
Milbert
Makes valve amplifiers for car audio usage.
NAT
This manufacturer has quite a few interesting amplifiers, have been getting very good press lately, amongst their products are line stage preamplifiers including the Plasma and the interesting Utopia, and monoblocks galore, all single ended models such as the recently introduced SE-3 and the SE-1, there is more, try downloading their catalogue in a PDF format here.
Nagra-Kudelski
Makes the VPA or "Valve Power Amplifier" a very nifty looking device.
New Audio Frontiers
The company manufactures ultra high end integrated valve amplifiers.
Nothing But Signal (NBS)
Manufactures the Shields power amplifier, it's a bit unusual in using the fairly recently developed Svetlana3CX300A1 vavle power valve and has a switched mode power supply, the use of this exotic tube allows the amplifier to producing a whopping 150w into 8 ohms despite being a class A design, ah and did we mention that this is expencive ?.
Octave
Manufactures mid/high end valve amplifiers including integrated models and monoblocks, while their Jubilee Line is an out and out high end product their other products are not as expensive as they might seem, good looking as well, more info here.
Papworth
Has a range of push-pull power amps and the single ended TVA-8 integrated.
Pathos
Makes a range of some visually stunning tube amps, including the Classic one which is their best selling product, it's an integrated model with an 2 x35W power output at a fairly reasonable price (all things considered), their other integrated product is the Logos and that is a unshamedly high end unit which has got some very nice reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. They also manufacture the T.T. stereo power amp (named after a famous Italian motorcycle) and their top of the line amps are the InPower monoblocks and InControl preamplifer.
Rauna
Makes the high end Opus3 Candela high end power amp, it features symmetrical inputs (and outputs as well I think this is not clear though) and is a push-pull design based on 5881 valves and pushes out 2x30w.
Red Rose Music
Has a range of high end valve based amplification.
Raspor
Has 2 integrated models, the long running Delta which is a 2x 50W > 8ohm push pull design and the more recently introduced Integra which is a hybrid model but unlike most other East European amps of the same ilk it's the preamplifier section that is based around a single ended class A valve preamp section while the power amp is a 2x 100W transitorised design (there is a tradition for going the other way in mid priced EE produced amps, ie. solving the problem of small signal noise in valve amps by producing integrated models with taransistorised preamps and push-pull power sections).
Reimyo
Manufacture one valve based product in the form of a single ended stereo amplifier called the PAT-777, this is a pure class-A model that has a 300B output tube, out put is rated at 7 w per channel into 8 ohms.
Rouge Audio
Has quite a range of amps, this includes integrated, preamps and poweramps, including some powerful models.
Rudi Stor
Has the VT-2. In addition the company has a range of valve based headphone amplifiers, see : RudiStor Headphone Amplifiers..
SAS Audio Labs
Makes line preamplifiers and push-pull topology power amps.
Scarlet Audio
Makes 2 high end monoblock amplifiers, namely the Masterpiece and the Pearl, the former is a push pull design that puts out 70w into 4 ohms while the latter is a single ended 300B based design that puts out 25w into 4 ohms. the company was reportedly working on a preamplifier design a couple of years back but nothing appears to have materialised.
Siemel
Makes the HY20 hybrid integrated amplifier and the TU10 valve based premplifier.
Signature Technologies
Makes power amplifiers.
Silvaweld Audio Lab.
Has quite a range of amplifiers including the obligatory 300B single ended monoblock in the form of SWA-300BU, other monoblock include the 300B PP, the OTL-200, the SWA-20M (also 300B based) and the Tube reference OTL. Stereo power amps are the transformer less OTL-100S and the SWA-20S, the company also makes one integrated model called SWT-40 and a couple of line level preamps in the form of SWC-550 and the SWC-1000 linestage.
SIS Audio
Has a range of high end valve amps including the 300B based Masstro i BQ single ended monoblock, unusually it has an external power supply, the company also makes an integrated model aka Masetro I v2.
Softtone
Has some lovely valve amps.
The Sound of The Valve
Has a small range of high end amps including an integrated model.
Sound Valves
Yet another valve amp maker.
Spark Audio
Has a range of power amplifiers.
Stan White
This long running speaker manufacturer has been working on a valve amplifier design for years, details about the product can be found here, but according to a price list at the same site it's not yet in production.
Stein Music
Has a range of amplifiers.
Supratek
Has a range of hand built pre and power amplifiers.
VAC
Has a unusually large range of high end valve amplifiers including systems suitable for use for home theatre applications, also have a DVD player with valve based output amp. Have recently released a high power KT-88 based stereo power amp called Virtu105/105.
T+A
While this company did manufacture valve based audio in the 80's they have not done so for quite some time but they decided to celebrate their 25th anniversary in November 2003 by introducing a new valve based integrated amplifier that they call the V 10.
TEAC
Has the amazing Uesugi UT-50 amp, delivers 2x22w >8ohm, more info here.
Tenor Audio
Makes high end power amplifiers, both full class A all valve designs and some hybrid models, noticably they have a high power (75W) OTL design amongst their offerings.
Thor Audio
Makes high end amplifiers mainly power amps but also some preamps.
Tiny Tube
Has 3 products simply called Line, Riaa and Power, these are a preamplifier, a phono preamp and a power amp. The products have got excellent reviews in the Danish hi-fi press especially for their price/performance ratio and the RIAA preamp in particular.
Triode
Makes a range of valve bases amps, amongst the more interesting are the VP300BD, a 300B based integrated, it has been getting excellent reviews in the Asian hi-fi press, another integrated is the VP-Mini88 MkII, a small, nifty integrated based around a KT88 and the 845 Signature & 88 Signature monoblocks.
TRON
Has a range of power amps, including a single ended model based on the 300b avaiable in both a stereo and mono versions, a 56kg monster called 211, the Nucleus and the Type PX25 named after the main output valve used. The company also has recently introduced a preamplifier called a Meteor.
UL Sound
Makes the 300B single ended stereo poweramp, no prices for guessing what valve it's based around, also makes a monoblock with 2 300B in a parallel configuration, apparently called just 300B Parallel Single, also manufacture an interesting if a little dear preamp called Rainbow available in 2 variants, White and Gold.
Unison Research
Manufactures high end amps.
Vacuum State Electronics
Makes 2 highly regarded preamplifiers, the RTP3C and the FVP5A, the company is also about ready to introduce a power amp.
Westrex/Western Electric
Makes the WE91C single ended monoblock amplifier based around their own 300 valve.
Wright Sound Company
Has a line of reasonably priced amps including preamps and RIAA/Phone Preamps.
Yoshiba Onkyo
Makes high end amps both power amps and integrated units.
Valve based kits etc..
ASV
Has the KTA-60 integrated valve amplifier available in kit form, it's a 2x30w/8o Class A/B push pull design.
Audion
All their amplifier products are available in kit form as well as fully built.
Elektro Akustik
Has a range of valve amplifiers in kit form.
ElKit
Has a range of valve based amplifier kits, including a single ended 300b model but also an the interesting the TU-875 a budget hybrid preamp with built in RIAA/Phone preamplifier that supports both MM and MC.
Marchand
All their amplifier products are available in kit form.
Stein Music
Has a range of valve based kits.
S5 Electronics
Makes a valve amplifier kit, it's a push-pull 2x8w unit that can be run on it's own since it has an attenuator.
Tektron
Has one of the more interesting ranges of valve kit's out there, but at the same lime one of the most expensive as well, all their models are low power units and most models are integrated but there are power amps there as well.
Triode
Makes some of their amps available in kits including the well liked VP300BD 300B based integrated.
Triode Ljud
Makes a range of valve based kits including the Edison 60 integrated amplifier that has 2x30w and uses a push-pull topology, but can be modified to be a single ended amp giving out 2x12w, and the Edison Triode an single ended integrated amp that is built around a 300B.
Vellman
Makes a range of excellent quality valve amp kits.
Welborne Labs
Make valve amplifier kits and sell books etc. for those with interest in valve audio.
DIY Valve Audio
RA-100
A valve pre and power amp design by Fred Nachbaur.
Valve & transformer manufacturers
ASV
Manufactures output transformers and chokes for use in valve amps, more info here.
AVVT
This Czech company makes high quality tubes specifically designed for use in audio applications and the company's founder holds a number of recent patents with regards to valve design and manufacture, unusually some tube models are available in a range of variants. Obviously niche products like this are more expensive than the more everyday products, you will find more info on their product line here, interestingly it seems that the "reference" variants of the tubes are not much more expensive than the normal models and it is also a bit surprising that the 300B variants are not all that more expensive than driver vales etc.., considering the quite difference in price between a "normal" 300B and common driver valves.
Bartolucci Transformers
Manufactures a large range of transformers and chokes intended for use in valve amplifiers.
JJ Electronic
Makes a small series of valves especially for use in audio equipment.
KR Audio Electronics
Makes a range of high end, high vacuum directly heated triode valves intended for audio applications.
Svetlana
USA trademark but valves made in Russia, sells a big line of valves mostly classic lines but some new designs.
Westrex/Western Electric
Makes the famous 300B and more.
Other valve based audio products See also : Headphone Amplifiers, Phono Preamps & CD Filters
Next Page : Discontinued Valve Amplifiers