Plinius vs Sim Moon vs Ayre

You did not say what type of music you enjoy. Overall, the PLINIUS SA100 Mk3 is hard to beat. Now how much $$ do you have to spend on tubes ?? Tubes will give more lifelike mids and highs, but tubes won't punch you, shake your walls or rock you in the gut the way Plinius does. I have become sort of a tube person because I think the trade-off was worth it. Tubes won't work with H.T movies like Jurassic Park or The Fugative - movies with low, low notes. The BAT VK60 or the new VAC 70/70 are excellent choices for tubes, Plinius SA100 MK3 is the equivalent is SS.

I heard the Plinius driving NearField Pipedreams at Las Vegas show- one of the very best rooms! If you don't have a local dealer let us know, we may become a dealer. Go to www.audiotweakers.com

I heard the Sim at Hi-Fi '99 and it was the best sound I heard. I beleive it costs less than the Plinius. I recommend trying the Sim!!!

I have heard both the Plinius and the Sim Audio W5 (I have a Sim Audio Moon P5 pre) and I think they are both superior amps and among the best SS you can purchase regardless of price. Regarding tubes, I would only caution to make sure it is truly a balanced design. Just because a tube amp has a balanced connector does not mean it is truly a balanced amp. I assume when you say basement, the cable length is going to be quite long. I also like to see my tube amp in case a tube arcs. This is rare but it does happen. I would suggest (if you can) an audition of the Plinius and the Sim gear, as I stated earlier both are good, but ultimately (and especially when talking a kilobuck purchase) your own ears must be the judge. Best regards, Mike

The Sim W5 is a great amp. You could find one for about $2600 used, although there aren't many to be had. The W3 is 125 watts and may suit your needs. Email if you want to know of a dealer who will give you a good deal.

Check out the Levinson 331 (dual mono 100 watts) or the new version 334 (dual mono 125 watts). Definitely worth a listen. The 331 can be found used between $2500-$3,000. The 334 is substantialy more and lucky to find used. Good luck...

Now that this thread has been resurrected, let me inform you amp addicts that I found a wonderful BAT VK-200 at a very good price. The sound is silky, solid, airy, not much like SS. I see there are more of them for sale on this site, and I can't understand why. If you want a dependable 100W that sounds more like 200 (I sold my Aragon 8008BB to get the BAT, and it plays just as loud), try the BAT.