Tubelike SS Power amp

I agree with Mechans.

Tube magic = tube amp + tube friendly speakers.

A tube preamp used with a solid state amp will not produce the same magic.

06-14-09: Redwoodgarden
Nelson Pass makes a great sounding pure class A amplifier series with the prefix of "XA" that sounds exactly like the best tube amplifiers, but are actually solid state.

I own Pass XA-.5 amps, and I have owned half a dozen tube amps. The XA-.5 amps have some similar characteristics of the tube amps (grain free clarity, liquidity), but they do not sound like tube amps, IMO.

First and foremost, the solid state amps lack the three dimensionality of the tube amps I have owned.

That's how I hear the differences in my system anyway.

06-14-09: Redwoodgarden
Why did you switch from tube amps with their three dimensionality to the Pass XA.5 amp?

Because I could not find a tube amp that would produce satisfactory balanced frequency response on my speakers. The Pass Labs do the job.

I have owned and liked VAC Phi 110/110, VAC Musicbloc 160 and Atma Sphere M-60.

A good friend used George Wright AU-15 amps with his K-Horns. He claimed the AU-15 were the best amps he had ever heard.

Jafox, I'll answer your questions that were directed toward my comments.

06-16-09: Jafox
A tube preamp used with a solid state amp will not produce the same magic.

As what, a solid state preamp with a tube amp?

I general, yes. In my opinion, a tube amplifier has a greater influence on three
dimensional sound than does a tube preamp. This is based on my experience
using a few tube preamps with several different amplifiers (four solid state,
one hybrid and three tube). The tube amps, closely followed by the hybrid
amp, provided the most three dimensional sound.

I have owned or auditioned a couple of tube preamps that sounded as flat as
any solid state preamp. So, a tube preamp cannot guarantee three
dimensional sound, even if used with a tube amp.

First and foremost, the solid state amps lack the three
dimensionality of the tube amps I have owned.

I would not argue with this, but who cares unless you have a top-performing
tube line stage in the system as well.

I own an SMc Audio VRE-1 preamp. I would gladly and without hesitation
match it with a tube amplifier and expect the three dimensional magic to
remain.

There are always exceptions. I do not disagree that many tube preamps will
provide a more three dimensional presentation than most solid state
preamps.

I absolutely agree that a tube regulated power supply highly desirable.

I wish on some days I didn't live in Hawaii because it would be great to hear a much broader range of equipment and go to true high end shops.
Joekapahulu (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

I live in Los Angeles. I'll trade you Hawaii for California.

Let me know...