Sacrilege Going from Tubes back to Solid State

10-27-06: Phd
TVAD, you being a tube guy I am not at all surprised by your response and many will agree.

It's interesting to me that I have been an Audiogon member for 3 1/2 years, and I have owned solid state amplification for nearly half that time, yet I am considered a tube guy. I presently own a SS/tube hybrid amplifier, so perhaps I am a hybrid guy, but thankfully the hybrid amp has he realism that tubes bring. It's true that I prefer the sound of tubes at this moment, but I have experimented with solid state and chip amps during the entire time I have owned tube amplification. So, consider me a tube guy with an open mind to other possibilities, which I have proven with the purchase of the 401HR amplifier.

When it comes to what creates something approaching the sound of real music in my system, tubes do it.

TVAD, I came to that conclusion based on some of your past responses and now stand corrected. Well my friend it is good you have an open mind.

I think there needs to be some distinctions made here. "Tubes" and "SS" cover a very large range of amps and some are very similar and some are not. In my experience thus far, SET tube amps have a special quality that I have not found in any SS amps yet. Not sure what to call it but you guys know. At least Tvad does.

And then there are some SS amps that are very good at coming close to tube sound. It is all relative and I find that the speaker being used plays a big role with how the amp will sound. Some push-pull tube amps are not that distant from the average SS. Much closer than the SET crowd gets for instance, but even within push-pulls there are big differences.

At one point, I was using a CJ MV55 tube amp. Nearly everyone will tell you it is the quintessential tube sound. Well, I have yet to find another tube amp that sounded like it! In my system, matched up with my Audio Aero Prima and my Triangle Cometes, it had a clinical resolution, well damped bass and a slightly dry character, with a lack of developed timbral color. Putting in my MC240 gave me smooth resolution and coherence, somewhat soft bass, a liquid midrange, and much improved timbral accuracy.

And yet, my McIntosh MC202 gave me pretty much what my MC240 gives me but with slightly better transparency and tighter bass. The CJ was not like either of them! You will just have to experiement with your own system and see what you find out.

Well I like the Mcintosh stuff, but the Odyssey extreme is an incredible amp for better money..And I see above some people already pointed you toward the Odyssey Stratos, the extreme is another version of it, super smooth, rock bottom bass, neutral flavor... And it does not heat up at all like most solid state or Tubes... Very good pricing, and you can find thousands of reviews in specific on this amp that are all favoring it the best you can get for the purpose, but again it will not just like any amp be perfect with all speakers.. so some research is involved.

Undertow, I noticed your system posted on Audiogon that you have the Odyssey Extreme with the new red boards. I too have a Stratos with the new red board. I am curious if you know what technical differences these new boards entail? I talked to Klaus on the phone and he said the red boards have some new circuit improvements but did not give specifics. After playing my newer Stratos I was not able to hear any sonic differences but was strictly going by memory in reference to the slightly older Stratos I use to own. But more time spent with it and break-in could reveal something.