Switching to solid state amp?

Out of curiosity, what is your reasoning for switching from tube to SS? Is it heat, cost of tubes or something else.

You can say I went back to Pass after owning Threshold more than 40 years ago.  In between I've owned many different SS and Tube amps.  The switch back to Pass was originally intended to downsize somewhat from tube separates.  I had the Int 30 first and now have the Int 60.  To these old ears, nothing has sounded as good as the Pass.

Hi,

Which SS amp depends on ones preffs and speakers. … and budget.

I’m guessing the big conversion would be my preffs first. Its tuff IMO to get all SS power train that is obviously compelling and involving with out spending well into the upper middle or top o line amps.

BAT SS is a good thought. Plinius is another. One of the best combos I owned was a BAT vk500 & Thor line stage pre with Silverline Sonata IIIs 93DB @ 8.

If it is all about acquiring those things SS readily delivers and a tube pre is in the mix for sure, Krell, or some ‘as’ dynamic and very well extended amp seems in order.

I’ve thought of Vitas as an option but in higher Wattage iterations, which likely is not the need here unless speakers to are being swapped. Haegle is another option. Gryphon. Halo. Bryston is always a pretty safe pick.

A very good pr of monos if used gear is not an issue would be the Bel Canto 1000 mk IIs. I’ve heard these a lot and they are IMO a great choice especially now at lower pricing. The BC 500 half the power mono versions are similar but with a much much warmer presentation. Both are very very nice sounding amps. Examining various PC with these amps is going to have obvious outcomes as both are quite receptive . to changes there.

Nagra is making a reputedly sweet sounding SS amp now. D’agostino Classic might be just the ticket too. Modright has a well received amp out there now. As does Wells Audio.

Good hunting

From Cary I switched to Ayre, which is supposed to be pretty sweet-sounding, but here I am back with Rogue.  YMMV.

Kalali,  good question.  My current amps have been malfuncting for the past year with various problems so a simplistic maintainence plan which SS can represent is very attractive to me right now.  But the question can I live long term with a SA amp?