All I can say is you have owned the wrong tube gear if that is your take on reliability. I have been a tube guy for 25 years with very few issues. And my view is the polar opposite of yours. SS is good for casual listening, but tubes are a must to get to the heart of it.
Anyone with Aric Audio experience?
Over the past 2.5 years I have been updating my system which I originally started building in the late 1990's to early 2000's. (My system is in my profile) Two of the last pieces of that era in the system is the VAC CLA1 Mk III Preamp which has been serviced twice these past 1.5 years, once for an upgrade to Mk III and once to replace resister's, I also have a VAC Renaissance 70/70 amp which was updated to a Signature 1 year ago but this past week I lost the left channel output so it's going back to Florida with me from Michigan to get repaired while i am down there. (I just re tubed it too) I think that although these are both great sounding to this day I may want to keep them as spares for the future or as Kevin refers to them as Museum Pieces.
I don't think I would be happy long term with solid state as I can run my speakers internally amped and the Wavelet as the pre, which I have tried and it's just not for me. Even with the amp down when i just run the VAC preamp and the speakers self powered I prefer it that way. But immediately sensed something missing once the amp was taken out of the chain to be boxed for repair. I just prefer tubes. Well unfortunately I cannot afford to replace with up to date VAC components due to my restricted retired income and the cost. I don't want to take a chance on sourcing used units as I really just want to be done here and enjoy without risk.
I've researched Aric Audio and this looks like a pairing I can integrate into my rig and be happy long term. Seems that I get the impression that those that have his stuff are happy from what I have gleaned on these forums. I am in communication with Aric via email to find the right Amp and Preamp to suit my speakers. Since I already have a 300B based amp was looking for something else he makes. Maybe with 20-50 WPC. My speakers require at least 10 and i am currently at 65 with the VAC.
So if anyone has bought anything from Aric how happy are you with them and have they been reliable and satisfying to your ears? This is going to take me quite a while to save for so I will just use what I have until i can buy their replacements. The good news is the speakers can be self powered and the Wavelet can be a preamp if needed. That was my contingency plan for "spares"
Thank you for any insight.
Happy New Year!
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I have had tube gear for over 4 decades and now feel good solid stste amps can do more much depends to on your speakers efficiency SS amps much better defined and for sure slam in the Bass . much depends on your budget ,Coda 8 amp , which were Engineer's with Nelson Pass, or Pass Labs , Gryphon, Aavik,Ayre Boulder ,and many others, many too use a quality Tube preamp with SS gear that is the most popular combo many Loudspeakers need ample current to get them singing . then the tubes and quality of most power tubes from China and Russia leave a lot to be desired from when I grew up in the early 70-80s now even small quality NOS tubes are very expensive and hard to get with goodSS gear the key is the quality of your digital setup , for a great example the T+A 200 dac+ descreet class A preamp is a excellent combo can be bought under $7k new and is next on my list exceptional performance ,the digital alone meets or exceeds dacs at $15k do some research and see reviews on you tube your sourse dictates how your music sounds from the start ,like a turntable. No weak links in the chain quality power cords ,Cables ,Ethernet hum ,and streamer $12-14k total is a solid average which too is on par to a respectable turntable , with much more flexibility and sonically superior in several areas and library at your disposal on Tidal,QObuz.
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Silverfoxvtx1800: "I am a tube guy also, going through the ups and downs with tubes,you never know what’s going on when you turn the tube amp on..For playing around, tubes can be fun but for serious music listening solid state is the way to go. You don’t have to replace tubes and SS goes for decades…if you want a solid state that sounds close to a tube amp the First Watt amps made by Nelson Pass is the way to go…you will never have a problem… tubes are for fun,solid state for serious listening!"
My experience is different as well. My Aric Super KT amps replaced Pass Labs XA60.8 amps and before that, X260.8 amps. As much as I liked the Pass amps, the Aric amps have resulted in a new level of emotional connection to the music especially for serious listening. Plus, they are just as dynamic than the solid-state amps I have owned. But of course, all of this is speaker & system dependent. |
I have Primaluna,Decware,and Dennis Had amps,they all have a nice sound but tubes do go bad and get noisy….when I heard the First Watt Sit-3 that was it for me and still is…..I put my tube amps on at times but always end up with the First Watt..especially with my Klipsch speakers…don’t have to worry about tubes loosing there grunt…I went down that NOS tube rabbit hole it’s nice to be done with that… |
+1 @ozzy62 I've never had a tube go bad in the 30+ years I've been using them.Yes it happens occasionally I'm sure but never to me.I stick with reputable vendors and never buy from random eBay sellers. It's personal preference not that one is inferior to the other. |
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