Debating between Mcintosh SS or tube monos.

1. inefficient speakers: tube preamp/ss amp. unknown future speakers: tube preamp/ss amp.

2. efficient speakers, tube/tube

I always recommend limiting speaker choices to efficient ones, the primary purpose is to be able to try/use tubes to start or eventually.

There is no way I would want a big powerful hot tube amp.

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Inefficent speakers: I used McIntosh SS C28 preamp with McIntosh SS MC2250 (250 wpc, tested by McIntosh accurate to 305 wpc).

Then I went back to my very efficient horn speakers, sold the SS set, and back to tube pre/tube amp.

over the years: 3 different tube setups: 30 wpc mono-blocks Fisher 80az; 35wpc receiver Fisher 500C; and now 45wpc Cayin A88T (wanted remote control).

Always Tube Preamp: McIntosh mx110z into whatever.

Don't let tube life be a big concern, they last quite a long time. 

I am like a broken record, repeating: if you get into tubes, get thee an inexpensive tube tester.

I have both. 601 model blocks and MC 275 take them out of blocks hands down over the tubes add higher volume levels and listening to the 601s have so much less distortion. I think that’s where they get that sweetness people talk about, but I only found that charming at lower levels. Hope that helps. You could always horizontal bi-amplify and you would get the best of both worlds.

For me the MC2301’s are some of the best sounding McIntosh amps ever built. I had MC601’s and thought the MC2301’s were far superior. Then I ended up going a different direction or would have likely ended up with 2301’s!

George