ESL/Planar/SS v Dynamic /horns/tube...

Put as much as possible in the source.This is your most important commponent.many may disagre but the source will impart the most difference.Garbage in is garbage out.The better the speaker the worse the garbage in will sound when it comes out.SS VS Tubes is really a personal preference.I would never go back to SS.Had it for 20 years.I was going to purchase a Sim Audio I5 Integrated and went for a final listen.When i got there the sales guy set it up and i listened for about a half hour.I was very impressed.Out of curiosity i asked hom if he had a Tube Integrated in the same price range.He set up a Cary SLI 75 Integrated.I could not belive the difference.The room opened up became bigger the sound more foucoused.It just sounded outright better.Go tubes with whatever speaker you think sounds good with them.let your ears do the picking.

What types of music do you listen to...and, at what levels in what size of room? If you listen to to more natural, acoustic music...ie; Jazz, clasical..well recorded voices and musicians....then you have many options. At reasonable levels...in smaller rooms..say 25 X 16 or less, you will not have much trouble getting good sound levels with most speakers with any type of good amplifier. Listen to various speakers...decide what fits your tastes best, and then buy electronics that work well with them...in your room..with what you like to listen to. I have heard Magnepan MG-20 sound superb with as little as 30 watts (VAC 30-30 and Pass Aleph 3) and Horns sound fine with higher power transistor gear. For what it is worth,,,for us 2 channel people...just excellent sound can be had from the current generation of integrateds with more money put into better source components and wire...and the speakers you like. After listening to systems in the 50K up range, I was impressed by how much pleasure can be had from something like the Magnepan 1.6 or 3.6 driven with the VAC Avatar, Magnum MD-208 or various integrateds from Plinius, Classe..etc. It frees one up to pursue better source products. Good luck with your listening and purchasing.

I think, this post is about two "schools" of sound? One,ESL+SS "Sterile","Razor-edged" "pragmatic" VS other, Tubed(probably SE)+horns,and other, with not so "clean line" but more "emotional" not so "obvious"? Something like two different style in painting: "Photo-realistic" vs "Impressionist". One "speaks" the "thruth" to the primal senses..other "communicates" pure "feeling"! I like first one as a quick "fix". Other, probably ont he long run!

Since many (but not all) ESL people prefer tubes to solid state, why limit the opinions to one or the other. I would have a hard time choosing between screens and solid state or horns with tubes. Now give me a choice of solid state on either OR tubes on either, I will take tubes first, and THEN choose screens over horns. Favorite screens, Soundlab and Quad, also think Maggies are wonderful.