TUBE AMP LOVERS - What SS amp makes you smile???

Expecting SS amps to sound like tubes could be due to the incessant use of the term "tube like" in the hype chosen by many SS amp manufacturers…actual tube circuits just have that "tubey thing" which has been described frequently by tubers (like me, and the peanut family of plants), and having experienced tube hifi as far back as the mid 60s I can safely say SS has obviously made its place as a more powerful (generally) and reliable (sometimes) thing. I heard a First Watt amp in a friend's system and it did seem to have some sonic warmth that was appealing as Pass is clearly a great designer…and listener…but certainly if you want "Bang for the Hifi Buck" you can't go wrong with tubes…unless you don't want the hastle of tubes…in which case many thousands of brands of SS amps obviously can sound fine. Just not so tubey...

Bel Canto ref1000m, Bel Canto C5i integrated, Tube Audio Design 125 Hibachi.

I like the sound of many tube amps but not having to deal with tubes so I do not have any tube amps. These are models I own or have owned recently that have succeeded in keeping me off of tubes. I could see owning a SET someday to get a pure taste of tube amp sound with not many tubes.

I find I love good sound in general. What technology is used to make it matters to me in other ways, like TCO, amount of maintenance required, power consumption, etc. So no tube amps for me so far.

The C5i is a wonderful design and does it all simply and efficiently. Within its 60 w/ch limitations of course. Its a simple joy to both set up and use. Just add speakers and a digital or analog source or two and most people would be done for a long time.

Tim Paravicini (EAR-Yoshino) claims he can use either technology to achieve the same sound, but makes primarily tube products for marketing reasons (he does offer a few SS pieces). I don't know---it seems like he could sell a lot of tube-sounding solid state amps and pre-amps.

Well here are some things to ponder on this subject. Not all tube amps
sound like, well tube amps. What does a tube amp sound like? PP amp?
SET amp? DHT amp? parallel SET amp? No Negative feedback? Lots of
NF? Who designed it? What type of tubes does it use? Solid state or tube
rectified? Is it tube regulated? OTL amp? SS voltage regulated?

I think you get the point. They will all sound very different. SS amps also
come in near countless design forms. They all sound very different from
each other.

Also, we have to consider the fact that an amp makes no sound or music
on its own. To make music it must be part of a complete system. The amp
to speaker synergy plays a huge role. Preamp to amp synergy is also
important. The near countless combinations of these system pieces all
create differing sound. Certainly some complete system combinations
sound radically different then the very same amp would sound in another
system with a different set of accompanying components.

Oh my, I haven't even begun to unpack all the factors influencing the net
sound of a system and wether it sounds tube like or SS like........if one
thinks there is even such a thing. I am not sure there is based on my
experience with a host of amps over the years. I have certainly owned SS
amps and hybrid amps that sound very similar to some PP tube amps I
have owned. At least in the context of a static set of associated system
gear.

One final point. I recently became aware of wire that has incredibly
beautiful tone and a stunning 3D reach out and touch the performance
papability to it. I now use it as my speaker cable, internal speaker wire,
crossover wire and internal amp wire. To many on this thread that feel they
know and love the tube sound, this wire will make you smile big. Very big.
I am using it with a DHT 845 tube amp as well as a Lector Hybrid amp. I
can confidently tell you with the Lector amp in the system I am getting the
type of performance most would attribute to a full-on complete tube system.
However, the whole system only has two small signal tubes located in the
hybrid amp!

My point, wire also makes a difference in delivering the resulting sound and
wether it leans to a tube amp or SS sound for those who believe in such a
thing. The wire is Western Electric 16 gauge NOS stranded and tinned.
Only $1.49 a foot and so very special. Yeah, this wire has that DHT tube
sound. In my audio circles this wire is completely changing the way Aphiles
look at high end cabling. All have sold their high dollar wire and improved
their system's sound with this wire. Just a little tip to those open minded
enough to go there!

Most McCormack designs.

Coda amps.

Plinius SA-102.

Shakey