[darkclouds]

I'm looking to purchase a tube based power amp for under $1000.
I don't mind used equipment. I'd also really, really like for it to have a decent headphone out. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Don't know of any power amps that have a headphone out -- how would you adjust the volume? You either need an integrated, give up on the headphone out, or ... I don't know, something else. Haven't heard of such a beast.

I have the Houston GSP-02 for sale if you want it, though.

 

[darkclouds]

Well then, an integrated it is

I was looking at this:

http://www.audiophile.com.au/aes_specs/ae25saspecs.html

 

[darkclouds]

come on now... someone here in Headfi help please. I don't want to go into this blind.

 

[pigmode]

Can you provide more info on the associated equipment?

 

[eric343]

Apparently the Antique Sound Labs ASL-8 Wave monoblocks are a steal at $100/per (two needed for stereo). No headphone out tho. But with the left over $800 I'll build you an Apheared 42 like the world has never seen...

 

[darkclouds]

I was looking for something that's really versatile. I want it to have a decent headphone out, be able to drive the K-1000 and yet open doors for me into the world of speakers.

 

[Tuberoller]

I have been auditioning thishttp://www.gw-labs.com/products/cyclops.html.The Cyclops is a really nice sounding integrated with a built-in headamp.despite the low power it sounds great with every speaker I have tried with it.It sonds very good with all my phones as well.George Wong is a very nice guy to deal with as well and the price of $895.00 is very nice.That blue "eye" tube is so cool looking.

 

[chych]

Eh, no power amp has a headphone output (normal headphone output anyway, k1000 uses speaker terminals). Preamps have the normal headphone output.

Check out the Bottlehead Paramour, it gets good reviews... though it is a DIY kit and only 3.5Watts of power.

Or, Antqiue Soundlab's amps are good too, if power check out the Tulip 2A3 (http://www.divertech.com/tulip.html)

But, you do know the difference between a preamp, a poweramp, and an integrated amp (which is pre+power), right? You need both a pre and power to have a setup.

If you do not have a pre, a Melos SHA-1 is a great pre/excellent headphone out and with the Bottlehead Paramours will be around $1000.

 

[markjia]

Ya, as chych said, the K1000 are designed to use speaker level output, so you don't really need a headphone amp. Perhaps the best thing do to is get a good integrated (or pre + power) amp that has A/B switching. Use one end for your speakers, and the other for K1000. There are probably some other devices that are designed specifically to switch outputs. If not, you could also build one easily (or have someone else do it).

 

[darkclouds]

Thanks for all the replies. At the moment, I do own a Sha-1. So the paramours sound like a good candidate but I'd like to see a few more different ones. An integrated amp w/ head out would be more desirable. The cyclop, I think, looks really slick.

I'm also looking at a used ASL AQ1005DTI and the AES AE 25 super amp. So if anyone has had experience swith either of these, I'd like to hear from you too. Again, I'm looking for more suggestions.

Thanks

 

[markjia]

Headroom seems to recommend using the AQ1005DTI with the K1000. And I've heard that it is very good as a speaker amp as well.

 

[eric343]

Chych: Apparently, the K1000s need 7 watts of power, so the Bottlehead won't work...

 

[chych]

eric, that is a suggested figure, anyways I've heard of people getting good results with the bottleheads. It also depends on the input voltage from the source to preamp, the gain the preamp can put before the poweramp, then the poweramp... you can't tell how loud something will go just by a single power rating.

Anyways, I think that is 3.5W at 8ohms, meier-audio suggests 5W at 4ohms, so that comes out to 7W at 4ohms...

 

[Nick Dangerous]

DRCope seems to think his Paramours do a fantastic job of driving the AKG-K1000's...