Is hybrid power amp the way to go ?


What are the advantages and disadvantages ? Ypsilon, Absolare and some other people think that the advantages outweigh or they would be working with tubes only. Lamm makes hybrids too in addition to all tube SETs.
inna
"the way to go where?". Good question. To the wonderland.
Sbank, yes, Lamm hybrids appear to be very versatile and not extremely expensive especially used.
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Well I'm partial to hybrids now that have to BHK 300 mono's. (Dealer alert!)

But JoInid who has owned many of the top amps both tube and SS just posted on ps audio's site - something to the effect that it's the best amp he has heard.  
@inna Yes, the Lamm hybrids I own use a 6922 in the driver stage. 

It always boils down to the right tool for the right job. Lamm's low powered SET amps are remarkable with horns and other high sensitivity speakers, while the hybrids are a perfect match with difficult loads like my vintage Sound Lab electrostatics.

Generally speaking, I'm inclined to prefer tube amps, but the Lamms do what many tube amps can't with difficult loads. They also beat my BAT VK150SE monos even when driving easier loss like Nolas. It's nice to have amps that are likely to work well with any speakers I might choose to purchase. Cheers,
Spencer
That's for sure, running direct from source to hybrid amp. Still, it puzzles me, and I am talking about brands where cost considerations are not priority in a usual sense. Besides, solid state amps like Gryphon or Swiss amps are just as expensive. Lamm claims in his interview that he overcame some but not all of the transistor's shortcomings, but he remains die hard tube man, even though his hybrid is basically solid state with one tube in the second stage, I think.
I think Hybrid amps may be a good path for those who wish to run direct from source, without a preamp.
For those who use tube preamps, I don't know that there is much to gain by using a hybrid amp.
Take a look at the Aesthetix Atlas. This hybrid amplifier sold me on the concept.
Makes sense when considering the power/price ratio and that many SS amps benefit in warmth and bloom from tube pre-amplification When budget is not a major consideration, then maybe not so much.

 
There are other tube designs that will drive many speakers, yet some top designers decided to make tubes and transistors work together. This is in fact quite unexpected for me, I thought that beyond certain level it makes little sense to use transistors from purely audiophile point of view unless you have a philosophy and music taste of someone like the Gryphon's designer Rasmussen.
Hybrid amps ’could’ be the way to go, depending on the speakers, room size, listening levels, and personal tastes.

Obviously, there is a very large speaker market out there that SET tube amps just cannot satisfy. Not that SET amps can’t sound wonderful with the right speakers, however, SET’s do limit your speaker choices.
Someone has to make the amps to drive the speakers that SET amps can’t drive.