Thank you ALL for your thoughts and suggestions and especially the congrats on retirement (its going to be an adjustment). Lots of suggestions … i can enjoy the thrill of doing research on then going to listen to!
My JA Perspectives only have a sensitivity of ~84 dB, but do present a pretty stable 8 ohm load. I’m thinking my current 70 w/ch doesn't provide “sufficient headroom” for these speakers. @chenry I know there’s more to delivering dynamics and bass note attack/decay than watts, but I’m not sure a lower powered amp like the Sugden Signature, at 30 w/ch will provide the improvement I’m looking for.
@soix , I’m definitely open to and leaning towards the Hybrid integrated architecture to play to both their strengths.
@corelli to answer your question, maybe, with age, I’ve become sensitive to the upper register instruments. An alto sax is like fingers on a chalkboard. That was the same with my previous Vincent integrated. As a result, i avoid listening to music featuring them.
@ghdprentice I’ve read many of your posts over the years and because of that, have kept my eye on Audio Research products looking for deals on the used marketplaces. I’m definitely in the fiscal conservative stage of early retirement making AR out of reach even used and still would have tubes to replace.
@noromance I hear you on the cost of replacement tubes ($340 is a little on the low side for 8 power tubes though depending on the tube). As i mentioned, I’m also wanting to improve the SQ of my current all tube amp. If you’re suggesting I can achieve the SQ I described by merely switching just to a different pre-amp tube for the current 6 Primaluna label tubes then that is yet another path that I hadn’t considered.