Summertime ss amp Question

Dennis the Menace! A Tripath digital amp like this is going to sound very different than a zero-feedback triode amplifier. I hope it is to your liking.

I would try a slightly different take on Rleff's suggestion and go with a Rowland Model 2. It's a better vintage of Rowland than the Model 5 (many argue that the Rowland 2/6/8/9 are the best Rowland amps ever made). It puts out 150 watts into 4 ohms, but what the amp really brings is refinement and build quality - both superb. Being fully differential balanced like your Atma-Sphere amp, it should substitute well for it with regard to cabling. It does not run particularly hot. Try to find one with the battery power supply - when run from batteries, there are only a small handful of solid-state amps that compete with it. PS - Like Rleff, I ran the monoblock version of this amp (Model 6's) and it was amazing how similar it sounded to my no-feedback triode tube amp.

Rleff:

I did, yes. Assuming your question goes to the differences between battery power and wall power, I had 20 amp dedicated lines and battery power was still the way to go. The batteries, even in a highly resolving system, brought no improvement at normal listening levels. It was only during very demanding orchestral passages that the batteries showed their worth - because they provide a very low-noise power supply, the crap/grunge that would normally find its way into the signal path, and which gets amplified very audibly at high volume, is largely absent. The effect is a sense of more natural dynamic range, even though the batteries actually lower available peak wattage. The benefit is also audible with cleanly recorded rock played back at high volume, but mostly, the batteries are for people who are very serious about the playback of orchestral music.

The Rowland Model 2 and 6, if run from batteries and run balanced (i.e., with fully differential balanced source components and preamp) in a well-assembled system, offer some of the very best performance available from solid-state. I sold my Model 6's several years ago (my current amps are a darTZeel solid-state amp and VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk. III triode tube amp), but have been running a Rowland Coherence II battery-powered preamp in my main system for seven years now.

Springbok10: In an attempt to get a better feel for your tastes for purposes of your question, I went back through some of your A-Gon posts. If you are still running an Atma-Sphere preamp (which is differential balanced), are intrigued by Jena cables (all my IC's and speaker cables are Jena Symphony), own a dachsund (we have short-hair and long-hair mini's), and judge equipment on how it does with orchestral music - :) - I have a feel for who you are and again mention the Rowland Model 2. The Model 5 went out of production in 1991 and is somewhat primitive compared to later Rowland vintages - it's very well built like all Rowland gear, but it's a bit too colored (molasses) and if it breaks, Jeff doesn't like to do repairs on his really old equipment. Take a look at the Stereophile Review of the Model 2 - it's pretty much spot-on.

It sounds like you really want a bit more power, however, and given your placement constraints and the need to find something that will really do justice to your preamp, the only thing that comes to mind is Model 6's (they can be had for less than $3k in this market). Jonathan Tinn likes Model 6's for customers who buy Evolution Acoustics speakers, yet can't afford to power them with a darTZeel.

Good luck with your search.