Thanks for taking the time … and for the direction – if only I still had my Luxman!! One of the HFC writers, Jimmy Hughes, owns a Consonance Cyber10 Sig Int valve. And loves it. Two of his reviews
http://www.opera-consonance.com/review%20pic/PDF/CS10%20review_iss49.pdf
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/amplifiers/consonance-cyber-10-940230/review
(btw You prob need to know all UK gear is heaps dearer here, not only shipping but despicable ... others. Being conservative, the Roksan Kandy GBP749 converts to $1174. It's $2100; Aviano 8 GBP599 is $940 but RRP $1699 Wharfies up to 10x and Cyrus 8XPd $3300, Destiny 2 $3.6 ... and of course some Oz makers take advantage. I'd like to limit to Low $2s).
Music: I like a lot of different music (cliche) 60s-on rock, blues, soul, folk / folk-punk to punk to occasional bagpipes ... but to narrow down a bit: Lou Reed is never too far away, listening to Songs for Drella with John Cale and Berlin at the mo and New York is in the wings; Peter Gabriel, Billy Bragg, Richard Clapton, Zevon, Springsteen, Bryan Ferry / Roxy, Bowie, Nick Cave et al. And female equivalents. Joan Armatrading, Tinita Tikarim, Petula Clark ... but then Joy Division, The Clash, The Jam to Staus Quo, Stones, CCR & Who / Daltrey-Townshend ... Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Motels, Mentals, The Numbers...) SFA recent!!
Slightly different tack: (a) emotionally deep and soulful; (b) rebellious (partic Lou, who in spite of himself can do a ballad better than anyone and can make his cold, hard elec guitar central to it, in spite of itself eg Strawman -- New York. Tho Lou does it almost habitually, combining rebelllion and ballad – but rips and carves with the best e.g. Live at Montreux 2000); or (c) happy, party e'g Mentals: If You Leave Me, Can I Come too? But I tend to go on music binges, so it really can be quite varied. And (a) and (b) are often one and the same
"Musical" and "tuneful" are key but so too are "detail" and timing -- and accuracy ... "richer and smoother, but still dynamic and detailed".
Vincent SV-226 MkII -- $1799: doesn't have first 10wpc Class A, thankfully. Does have three x 12AX7...
http://www.avguide.com/review/vincent-sv-226mk-ii-amplifier "The SV-226 Mk II melds the sweetness of tubes with the control and power of transistors. For this kind of money that’s nothing short of phenomenal" - Steve Gettenberg
I haven't heard one but I believe Marantz is a musical amp, high current dual topology: PM 7003 Oz Best Amp of the Year, with Test Labs reporting 101wpc into 8 @1kHz down to 91wpc at 20Hz and 20kHz and 135wpc into 4 @ 20Hz and 20kHz. Not the 70wpc stated. The PM7004 is just $1300. As said, the PM7003 was acclaimed, likeneed to refined PM7001KI -- tho speaker terminals a bit of an issue. "(at price) ...on the basis of the sound quality it delivered during my listening sessions—and the performance it delivered on the test bench—the PM7003 has the goods, the looks, the power, the pedigree and not least the price, not only to get it past the post but to leave the others more than a few lengths behind.” OzHiFi. Is there an 800X?
Cayin A88T integrated tube amp which, according to TAS, was 'hand made to sound like Mac's fabled MC275' -- $2200, down from 2.8 (USA$1232 – gotta move!!)
Orig Creek Evo down to $990, just to put it there. Evo2 $1575. And Destiny at $2.1. (The 5350, which I know nought abt, is RRP $2.2) Destiny 2 $3.6
Have you heard any Oz amps? Redgum or Burson? Tks again.