Gopher, I wonder what it is about Tektons that would account for a better mating with a SS amp? Voicing perhaps in some way?
First Watt amps are a special case in my mind in that they are designed around being lower power. That means high efficiency speakers for best results no doubt. Most SS amps are not designed to care much about speaker efficiency. The better, more expensive ones tend to be higher power as well opening up more options for less efficient speakers. WIth tube amps, power tends to be lower and more expensive to own per watt I would say and high efficiency speakers are of course then their natural mates.
It does not make much sense to me to consider what well designed amp A sounds like compared to well designed amp B. There is no sound without adding speakers (and source as well). Only then can results be judged. That's like trying to judge two different chicken soup recipes without including all the other seasonings that go into it.
I would say though that a flat impedance curve is appealing on paper at least in order to start out with a level playing field. Of course, one will still not know what really works or sounds best to them until they try different things, so maybe not much practical advantage or difference there for most.
With speakers that require higher power solid state amps, the strategy that has been re-affirmed repeatedly for me over the years to work best is to not risk cutting corners in terms of power rating of amps used. In most cases like this for most owners of "audiophile" grade speakers in most rooms, I do not think anyone should regret using 200w/ch or more amps as an insurance policy against clipping or other distortion artifacts that might be introduced when an amp is not 100% + up to the task being asked. Newer higher efficiency solid state amp designs are the ticket here IMHO. In terms of overall efficiency, and ability to deliver better sound, higher efficiency amps help equal the playing field for less efficient speakers to be able to keep up with their more efficient cousins. Throwing a 250w/ch Class D amp at a pair of inefficient speakers that might benefit from it is not a big stretch these days for most "audiophiles". Its one way that advances in technology continue to change the playing field IMHO.
First Watt amps are a special case in my mind in that they are designed around being lower power. That means high efficiency speakers for best results no doubt. Most SS amps are not designed to care much about speaker efficiency. The better, more expensive ones tend to be higher power as well opening up more options for less efficient speakers. WIth tube amps, power tends to be lower and more expensive to own per watt I would say and high efficiency speakers are of course then their natural mates.
It does not make much sense to me to consider what well designed amp A sounds like compared to well designed amp B. There is no sound without adding speakers (and source as well). Only then can results be judged. That's like trying to judge two different chicken soup recipes without including all the other seasonings that go into it.
I would say though that a flat impedance curve is appealing on paper at least in order to start out with a level playing field. Of course, one will still not know what really works or sounds best to them until they try different things, so maybe not much practical advantage or difference there for most.
With speakers that require higher power solid state amps, the strategy that has been re-affirmed repeatedly for me over the years to work best is to not risk cutting corners in terms of power rating of amps used. In most cases like this for most owners of "audiophile" grade speakers in most rooms, I do not think anyone should regret using 200w/ch or more amps as an insurance policy against clipping or other distortion artifacts that might be introduced when an amp is not 100% + up to the task being asked. Newer higher efficiency solid state amp designs are the ticket here IMHO. In terms of overall efficiency, and ability to deliver better sound, higher efficiency amps help equal the playing field for less efficient speakers to be able to keep up with their more efficient cousins. Throwing a 250w/ch Class D amp at a pair of inefficient speakers that might benefit from it is not a big stretch these days for most "audiophiles". Its one way that advances in technology continue to change the playing field IMHO.