After many years, and hundreds of designs, including single ended and push pull amps using every kind of output tube (KT66, 807, 6550, EL34, EL84, 2A3, 211, 845, 300B, 6336, 6080, 805, 6C33C-B etc) in Class A, AB1, AB2, A2 and all types of driver stages (cap coupled, transformer coupled, choke coupled, direct coupled) using a myriad of driver tubes (6SN7, 76, 26, 3A/110A, 12AU7, 12B4A, 6C45, 6H30, 6C19, 6J5, 6922, 6SJ7, 45), Supratek has had a lot of tube power amp expertise and knowledge.

However, preamps are what we specialise in, simply because a good transperant, accurate tube preamp will always improve any system's musicality. We believe the preamp is much more important than the power amp and you will get much more benefit from a good tube preamp . Of course the quality of the power amp is important, but in simplistic terms the power amp should deliver an amplied and ACCURATE version of the signal from the preamp, so accuracy is important, whether it is a tube or solid state power amp. Generally speaking, a solid state power amp is more accurate than a tube power amp, because they have lower output impedance and hence less coloration into the varying impedances of speakers.

This is particulary true of "difficult" loudspeakers like electrostatics, ribbons but it is also of consideration with most speakers these days, speakers with reasonably flat impedance loads are very rare. For accurate, dynamic sound it is hard to beat the combination of a good tube preamp (also rare) and a good solid state power amp.

This is probably strange advice coming from a tube audio manufacturer, but it is a fact and cant be denied.

However, if you are not solely focused on accuracy, and even prefer mid range bloom and perhaps a slightly boomy bass , what is often called "romantic" sound, and you have speakers that can operate with tubes ,then a tube power amp may suit you very well.

The main problem with many tube power amps these days is that in order to decrease the output

impedance , and hence increase drive capability, is that excessive amounts of negative feedback is used. There's nothing wrong with negative feedback , but when used excessively it kills dynamics and closes in the soundstage.

Supratek tube power amps use only a little negative feedback (or none at all- you choose) with adjustable positive feedback. The positive feedback decreases the output impedance, and hence gives much more drive without the sound destroying effect of negative feedback.

This amp then becomes much more accurate, but still has the virtues of tubes.

It will drive most of the speakers available today, except for very difficult speakers- most electrostatics, ribbons etc which really need the power and drive of very high power solid state amps.

Click on the power amp range to read more about the very advanced Supratek power amp range.