Pre Amp / Amp for Klipsch KLF-10

Update...I should start a new thread about the Aegir amp, but weirdly this whole thing was sidetracked by a faulty amp. It never got very hot like it's supposed to, and when I "gave it the beans" (phrase borrowed from "Top Gear") its protection circuit shut it off, leading to me having to check every damn thing that I thought could have caused that. Bummer. However, in a sterling demonstration of superb customer service, Schiit sent me a new one immediately and I received it yesterday. Already it displays a much better sound than the flawed "Amp 1,"  (Schiit's customer service guy wrote, "seems like you got a dud.") and gets somewhat hotter (like it should) but not alarmingly so, and I can crank it up (although really, it can play way louder than I need it to with Heresy IIIs) and it takes it...no shutoff, no problemo, and man...it sounds astonishingly good already. What a great friggin' amp...whew...

I've owned some great SS amps, and I think they all were Class A biased for the first few watts...most recently a fine sounding Forte Model 55 (the last of this brand and made without the IGBT transistors, using  bipolars instead)  that actually ran hotter than the Aegir...my single ended tube amp remains my reference, so there's a high bar to better that thing although I will settle for "different but great sounding." I won't be leaving the Aegir on all the time, but it's gonna be on a lot...more to come...

My "I didn't actually NEED this thing" Schiit Aegir arrived yesterday and my initial opinion is that it's a sweet little amp. I'll wait a while before opining at length about it as I imagine it's going to be breaking-in a bit, but I can say it's dead quiet with none of the transformer hum reported by others (although it is plugged into a PS Audio Humbuster III)...the tone so far is sweet with no SS grain and a really refined midrange, and it reaches into the highs and lows with aplomb. Clear as a bell...anyone with high efficiency speakers should try one of these things. Another thing, with these speakers anyway, you could not describe the Aegir as running hot...a little warm...but no biggie...maybe my Heresy IIIs require so little juice to get going its not being taxed so much, but I've had other SS amps that run hotter and aren't "Class A" biased. So far so good.

I have an original version Freya that is simply a joy to use...and sounds great along with all that joy. My Dennis Had Inspire Single Ended tube Firebottle HO with 12wpc or so is plenty of power for my 99db Heresy IIIs, but curiosity and the recent "Class A" promotion (the amp, not me) has compelled me to order an Aegir...it's coming...I can feel it...my "11 to 14" (!) backorder period is almost over...right around the corner...(note that while writing this I just received an email that the Aegir has shipped!) I'll come back with my special and real important review. If it sounds anything like the Had amp I'll be pleasantly surprised (or if it sounds simply real good), and if it doesn't prove itself during the 15 day trial period I won't be shy about sending it back.