What new amp for my Merlins

I had a chance to hear the Merlins (partially completed X upgrade) with the ARS and found it really nice. I then had the chance this past weekend to hear the fully X upgraded (same friend) with his VAC Phi 110 and Joule LA-150 pre(current make) and it was absolutely stunning, much richer mids, more lifelike low end, beautiful highs with a nice deep and wide stage and image, vocals were chillingly realistic...two cents based on a few hours of listening, not an a/b session...but there was some real magic to what I heard this past weekend...

Good to hear you loved a system with the Joule LA-150 for a pre. I ultimatley chose it after having has a CAT SL1, LAMM LL2, and Placette Active. I think it works fantastically well with the CAT/Merlin and I imagine with the VAC as well, which are very highly regarded. I just wonder if there is an SS option out there to be used with my Joule that will blow me away being that I usually listen to the CAT JL2. I'm not going to sell the CAT, but I would like to see what SS might do for my system and not completely dissappoint given what I'm used to.

I would take a look at Clayton, some of the best ss amps I've heard. Another I really liked quite a bit were the Cary 500 ss mono's.....

One more ss....Herron

Arthursmuck, did you hear the Clayton, Cary and/or Herron with the Merlins? What might be great with Thiel, may not be the Merlin's cup of tea.