How big of a difference do amps make?

Fla,
The Polish review is the best description and accurate review of the Takatsui 300b.That group just nailed it.
Regards,

Hi Liz,
Maybe you had a bad encounter with a tube power amp I don`t know. I can tell in 20 plus years of using various tube amps they are simple and trouble free.

We all accept that the best amp choice depends on your speakers.Liz, in my experience tube amps have been more realistic and life-like then any SS amp I`ve heard in all these years.I understand your experiences are different from mine.

My current amp is the simplest,trouble free,reliable and by far the best sounding I`ve ever owned.IMO SS amps with odd and upper order distortion is more obviously 'colored' and wrong sounding than many tube amps that admittedly will have more even order distortion. YMMV is definitely true.
Regards,

Ngjockey,
When you purchase your audio components do you choose by how they sound or how you 'think' they sound?Who are the Kool Aid drinkers? why is liz`s viewpoint any better or worse just because she prefers SS amps,it`s simply an individual choice.I`d never say tubes are better for everyone, they just are for me so far.
Regards.

Hi Fla,
Like Gsm I`ve heard both in my amp. The Sophia RP is excellent and top tier,the Takatsuki is a step beyond that level.It`s outstanding.
Regards,

Mrmb,
Very nice post and well expressed thoughts.Nothing substitutes for actually listening and judging for your self.Our ears are such a vital gift if we would just trust them.I`ve heard the CAT power amplifier, I`m not surprised it replaced your M.Levinson amp.
Regards,

Hi Ngjockey,
No peer pressure here,just people expressing personal experiences. Liz`s statement about 'tube coloration'
is fine, just recognize that solid state has its own colorations also.
In fact name any audio component thay lacks coloration, there is`nt one.
Regards,

Listening to a live jazz quartet(alto sax,B3 Hammond,guitar and drums) last night there must have been a lot of 2nd and low order harmonics present in that club. Those instruments were quite warm,full tone and rich. One thing they were`nt was lean,thin, washed out or bright. So I guess the instruments were`nt producing those odd and higher order harmonics. If that`s the explanation.The tone of the alto and guitar were the antithesis of clinical,lean and bright last night.
Regards,

Well, based on your earlier explanation on how the 2 types differ,even order was clearly in charge of the show last night.
Regards,

Mrmb,
I`ve heard that happen with some systems also, it depends on the particular speaker being driven.I `d bet your tube amplifiers have very good quality transformers and a stout power supply. Numbers and specifications on a sheet of paper don`t tell the entire story.
Regards,