solid state vs tubes

"i will repeat, i am not looking for tube-like per se, but rather to be unable to detect the difference between a ss and tube amp, driving a pair of planar speakers."

I don't think anybody can tell what you will or will not be able to detect. Only you know what you hear and like.

All I can add and then I'll check out is that good sound is good sound, regardless of the technology used to achieve it. And only you know what good sound means to you. So don't be hung up on it must sound like this technology or that. Just do your homework, try some good SS amps and hear for yourself. If you really want to ditch the tube amps bad enough, I am certain you will. Otherwise just live with the tubes for better and for worse.

MrT, I have one word for you...Spectron! Or even better for your planars two words...mono Spectrons!

MrT, I recently auditioned the First Watt M2 on my 98dB, 8 ohm, Audio Note loudspeakers. I found the highs to be a little soft in comparison to other solid state amps I have owned or demoed.

If this amp can sufficiently drive your loudspeakers, it might be worth investigating.

Spectron or better mono's?

I finally heard these (mono's with all options) in another members system paired up with Analysis Audio Amphitryon panels who has been raving about his sound for a while now in other threads so I was very anxious to hear, well I did and I did not think much of the set-up, I actuatly felt sorry for the guy. Now before the bullets start flying it could have been something else within the chain but it was very disappointing and I couldn't find anything to comment positive on. A good friend went over to this members place at another time because he really wanted to hear these Greek speakers as they have been raved about and having a conversations afterwards also had nothing positive to say except he felt it could not be due to the speakers themselves but someting else farther up the chain.

How do you tell someone who is so convinced their system is all that when by far it isn't?

Dev,

There is a profound lack of criticism in audio, which is even more extra-ordinary considering the prices. I will not comment on Spectron, not having heard it, and not having an interest in hearing it.

Of course, your perception is not valid because of issues related to burn-in, cabling, speaker matching, component matching, music selection, or speaker positioning. Take your pick. And even if you went through all these items, in your own home, for every piece in the world and decided you didn't like it... Still, someone, somewhere, in some system might find it heavenly. Ergo, any piece of audio, once constructed, is infallible.

I wish people would come out sometimes and say, "It sucks". That would make this hobby much more simple.