Tubelike solid state: Ayre Vs Aleph

Hi All,
Thanks for all of your inputs. My next immediate plan is to try adding a small, fast subwoofer to the system. I may also try to borrow a big amp from someone. The avanti's are the fastest speaker's I've heard, and go down clean to 30 hz. It's really tough to fit a subwoofer into a system like this. I have to wonder if adding a stronger amp will get me the bass that I want. I know that putting a 375w/4ohm mccormack on my virgo's completely changed their bass output. I tried a larger 12" sub, but it was much to slow for the ap's. Ap's sub costs 6 grand retail....

The low level detail and speed of this system is something to wonder at. It's about the only system I've heard that gets the actual pace of music right. I don't want to give that up. It really does remind me of a set tube amp but with higher resolution.

The Alephs don't have a high damping factor and will never deliver the slam of a big Krell or Bryston. Unfortuantely, I don't know of any amp with a big bass sound that matches the overall quality of the Alephs. They are truly great amplifiers. Adding a really good subwoofer (REL or AP) will help, but I'm not sure it will completely satisfy you. Alternatively, if you have a means of matching amp gain, you might try passive bi-amping the Avantis.

I listened to a pair of AP hooked to a Cary amp and fell in love with the sound of the AP's. I would hate to give that sound up too. It was also a little weak on the bass though. I have a V-3 that I have been dying to bring over to the AP dealer to see what it does. It certainly brings out the bass on my Magnepans with great surprise. If I do it in a relatively short time from now I will let you know what the differences are.

The recommendation of the new Pass XA-200 is a good one I would imagine. The only drawback I can see to that amp is the $28,000.00 price tag which puts them out of reach for most of us.

Now for something completely different. A pair of Wolcott 220Ms.