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Thinking of buying a solid state amp

I will be moving soon, my BAT 150SE might not work in the new environment due to hotter weather and smaller listening room. My speakers (Aerial 20T) requires lots of power so I can't go BAT 75SE route, I have not found other tube amps physically smaller to sound anywhere as good as BAT either.

So I have two options. Buy a good solid state and sell my BAT. Usual suspects are Pass 350.5, Bryston 14B-SST, McIntosh 501, etc. Question is will I be happy with anyone of them coming from BAT?

My second option is to buy some class D like Bel Canto or Nuforce and keep my BAT to use during cooler days.

I will rather have 1 (or 1 pair) amp than 2, but will any of the above (other suggestions welcome) make a tube guy happy? In my 20+ years of audio journey, I have owned 10+ solid state amps but they never lasted over a couple months.

Pre amp is an Einstein.
semi

Showing 1 response by axelwahl

axelwahl
788 posts
 
Semi,
you say:
>>> As for Pass X350.5 or XA.5, I am aware of the heat they generate but they are still cooler than BAT 150SE. <<<

That so?!
I got a 350.5 and it gets hot in the summer period that you can hardly touch it!
In fact that big mother heats it's environment (the room ~ 300 sq. foot) with doors open and passage with no door so I start getting close to heat exhaustion, not a joke!
If the 150SE is supposed to get any more hot, I'd say it's illegal, > 70 deg. Celsius is not legal any more (at least in Europe)
Cheers,
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