I've found the discussion here regarding linear amps very interesting. I
owned an ALPHA 374 Linear Amplifier that used 8874 ceramic tubes and could
be tuned either manually, or alternatively, it could be switched to
broadband tuning. It put out the maximum legal power level, and with my TH-5
tri-bander, I could pretty easily work any station I could hear. 

I'm making two points: 1. Since nobody, that I recall, ever mentioned the
Alpha among the top amps, I thought I would add it to the list of one of the
best ever amps on the market, and 2. There is no reason to invest $10,000 to
$20,000 or more in an amp running way over the legal limit to work stations.
It is illegal, in opposition to good operating procedures, and foolishly
decadent in my opinion.

Ron, K8HSY