solid state vs tubes--with a twist

Have you reviewed any of Nelson Pass' First Watt offerings? I think you would be pleasantly surprised of the sound of several of the First Watt amplifiers. Specifically, the First Watt F3 and M2 are soild-state designs that IMHO sound the closest to the classic tube sound. The First Watt amps don't quite have the classic tube sound because they are low distortion and do not have the high amount of second harmonic distortion that many tube designs possess. For the past 11 years I have owned horn loudspeakers and have owned/demoed many tube and solid-state amplifiers. The First Watt offerings are my favorite solid-state designs.

Tubegroover, I think your confusing the N.E.W. 20.1 with the amp that Orpheus and I are talking about. The N.E.W. DCA-33 amp is battery powered and are NOT little boxes and they retailed at about $2000.00, the N.E.W 20.1 retailed for about $700.00 and I think that is the model that you remember. If you get a chance to hear one I think you would be pleasantly surprised!
Tish

If you go back about 10 years or more I would say yes. But now it seems like the trend is to get more resolution and detail-everything just seems to be getting brighter. To me this is a negative. For tube like sound I think the CJ solid state amps are a good bet. Some of the older integrated amps from England have a warm sound. The Creek 4330, Audio innovations Alto, and Magnum Audio are good examples. You can always go for a 1970's receiver.

cont.. Many of these companies have gone under and the ones that are still around have also become much brighter sounding to my ears like the newer Creek amps. I heard the "Heed" from the country of Hungary sounds sounds warmish. Maybe the Audio Analogue stuff from Italy too. You can give them a try. There sadly is not much new solid state gear out there these days that sound warm and/or tube like. Either the amp designers are getting older and are losing their hearing or too many people are going to too many loud rock concerts. :) I hope this changes in the future. Someone please design a warm sounding, analogue sounding solid state amp.

Thanks for the clarification Magfan, it seems I was playing a little loose with all the facts in this case. The further result was that Carver did develop an all out tube design that was highly regarded. I still take issue with any classic sounding tube gear and ss of any variety I've heard sounding similar in the way that it seems Mr. Tennis is looking for. I am quite familiar with 2 out of those 3 amps the MV75 and MV 125, owned a few cj pre-amps from that era and was in love with that sound myself at the time and I have NEVER heard any ss amp that sounds similar. That was a real signature sound for Conrad-Johnson. I can't say I am familiar with their new offerings and where they have gone.

Yes Racamudi, it was the N.E.W. 20.1 but weren't they battery powered as well? In any case I was quite impressed actually very impressed. I saw them at an audio show back in the early 90's and there were several demos using that amp.