ARC SS amp vs tube - bass question

I have never made a head-to-head comparision of ARC SS to tube, so I can't answer your question directly, but I have always thought that ARC SS has been underrated, especially as a used buy in today's resale market. I ascribe this to the company having really last persued SS during a time when the big craze in SS sound was ultra-detail, and their brand of pleasantly listenable and quietly competent SS sonics didn't cut it anymore with the slam'n'transparency crowd in the 90's - besides of course being overshadowed, as ever, by their tube designs. So some of those amps are bargains for the money now, but I can't rate them against today's latest mid-priced SS competition or the newer entry-level ARC tubes.

I agree with Zaikesman. When I bought my ARC 100.2 amp I compared it to the VT100 mk2 tube amp. I prefered the 100.2 ss amp. It has a very liquid midrange and great bass. I felt that you got the benifits of the ARC tube amp without the excessive heat of the tubes, warm up time required with tubes, and expense of retubing. ARC ss amps are overlooked because they are known for their tube amps. The 100.2 is a real sleeper and they are not found on the used market very often. That is because the few people that discover them, love them!

I haven't heard the 100.2, but I have had extensive experience with the VT-100 MKII. The ARC does unbelievable bass -- much better than most tube amps that can be had for remotely near its price. Hard to believe you will find its bass performance unacceptable.

I have a ARC VT60 and an VTL ST-150 The ARC has good bass but the VTL Will blow you away in the Bass region. Overall the ARC is a hair more liquid and "real" than the VTL. But the ST-150 can Get the Led out! My choice (I hope to get ) is the VTL Signature 450. As long as your speakers aren't pigs the VT 100 is awesome. I use a Powered sub NHT Sub TWO with the VT-60 so I can play at near concert levels. I would suggest you step up to higher power or a powered sub if you are looking for "Who are you" concerts (PS get the MObile fidelity remaster Who are you) Solid state rocks too but it doesen't get you as close to the performer. BTW The Krell 350 Monos are one of the nicest SS Amps I have ever heard effortless !

Slowhand - I don't think so. Search the forums, and almost everyone agrees that the VT-100 is in another league from the 100.2. You can't compare apples with oranges.

Kevziek, check to see how many VT-100's are for sale compared to 100.2's. I will admit that there are more VT100's sold, but there are also many for sale. Ask owners of 100.2's if they would sell their's. I'll bet not many would. I stand behind my statment that this is a wonderful sounding amp without the drawbacks of tube amps.

How many VT-100s are for sale means nothing. How many PS Audio HCA-2s are for sale, and this is a brand new amp with rave reviews & comments. The 100.2 has been discontinued -- if it sounds that fantastic, why?

Furthermore, when I asked 3 different people at ARC, they all say, "no comparison," in favor of the VT-100. And these people had no vested interest, since I told them I was looking at used ARC amps, and asked their opinion. I'm not knocking the 100.2, but Slowhand's opinion that it sounds better than the VT-100 rubs opposite to almost every opinion out there.

We all have our opinions, I respect yours, but I have listened to both of these amps in the same system and prefer the 100.2. Sorry I don't agree with the majority, but I call em as I hear em. I know of people at ARC that own the 100.2. All that says is that some prefer the 100.2, some prefer the VT100. Good listening!

Slowhand, I don't doubt the 100.2 is a nice sounding amplifier, & I am glad you are happy with it. The people I talked to at ARC simply don't believe it provides the sonics that a tube amp can. Yes, ARC also told me that some of their staff own 100.2s, but for the reason that these same employees didn't want to deal with tubes & their maintenance. Additionally, the 100.2 might have been a better match in the system you listened to it in.

thanks for the responses

perhaps the preamp(LS16?) (or even the ARC CD-3) were more
responsible for generating the impressive bass that I heard
in the 100.2 system I heard-I assumed it was the amp
but that may be an error on my part. I didn't have the
opportunity to swap in/out components to see what made the most impact. At any rate I came away thinking that the
audio research stuff generates music that rocks the way I like to hear it. I was just afraid that the speakers I;ve been looking at will need more than 100 watts of solid state amp to drive them (based on other info I have received). It may be that the tube amp (VT 100) will not be any more capable of driving the load (response 3.8) than the 100.2 and I will need the VT200.