SS amp or receiver that sounds like Tube Amp


I picked up an Onkyo TX-2500 MKII that sounded like my tube amp. I was actually stunned. Any other and hopefully newer SS gear sounds like a quality tube amp? Tube amps usually have a natural sound and lots of detail with high clarity.

jimbennet

This is a very complex issue.  All amps sound a bit different so it is hard to say which pair of solid state and tube amp sound alike.  Among very high end amplifiers, I tend to find that solid state amps sound quite similar to each other while tube amps tend to vary much more in sound.  Overall, I like low-powered tube amps the most and have not found any solid state amp that I prefer over a number of such tube amps.  The good low-powered tube amps have a very natural sound -- rich in harmonics, realistic attack and decay of notes, enveloping soundfield, very lively and engaging sound at low volume levels.  Even very good solid state gear tends to be a touch lifeless sounding at lower volume levels.  Solid state does deliver very tight and impactful bass.  I don't like many high-powered tube amps because of a brittle or harsh quality to the sound.  Thus, it is really hard to say what, if any, two amps, one solid state the other tube sound alike.  

At best, I can say that I like some solid state amps regardless of whether they sound like any particular tube amp.  While I haven't heard their newer models, I liked older Ayre solid state electronics.  I also liked a couple of First Watt amps I heard.  I heard a SIT-3 in a friend's system and I had a J-2 First Watt amp in my system for a couple of weeks.  They are both lively sounding amps that don't suffer from being lifeless at lower volume levels.

In vintage SS amps I find the ones that use capacitor couple output stages sound more tube like then the later SS designs. 

This Belles Aria. There are many on line reviews that you can check out. BTW, I have owned the Belles and it was an outstanding performer!

Aria Integrated

The new Audio Research S100 and S200 sound like tube amps. Warm / natural and musical with lots of power.