TUBE AMP LOVERS - What SS amp makes you smile???

First: I think Minorl's comments are spot on.

Now, to my recent experience. For many years I've been running an all-tube system using upgraded MFA electronics. For those who are familiar with MFA, you know what I'm talking about.

The other day, on a whim, I purchased an NAD C272 power amp. In my system, mated with the Lumi preamp, the NAD is shockingly good. In some ways it's a better match with the Magnepan MMG's than my mono tube amps. Bass is cleaner and more articulate, and the speakers sound more "detailed". No, the NAD is not as 3-D nor "sweet" as the tube amps, but I'm blown away at how good it sounds. I was running a pair of small subs with the tube amps and disconnected them with the NAD because of the dramatic improvement in the bass.

And, FIY, both of the mono amps have been completely re-tubed recently.

In short, for just a few hundred bux, far less than a complete set of NOS amp tubes, the NAD has put a broad smile on my face.

Tubegroover wrote:
"Ps your example with the NAD underscores Minorl's point of accurately driving the speakers. My bet is that the NAD is more electrically compatible with the MMGs than your tube amps. One can often be surprised by results that are totally unexpected. I'm not at all surprised by that result with Magenapan speakers UNLESS you are using high powered tube monoblocks."

Yes, this seems to be the case. The modest NAD amp is indeed a better match with the MMGs. A very pleasant surprise!

The MFA amps are rated @120 WPC into 8 ohms and I run 4 KT-88's Rubys in each. The Rubys are not as "punchy" as the last power tubes I used in the amps, Genalex Gold Lions, so perhaps the Gennies would be significantly better than the Rubys w/ the MMGs, but I sort of doubt it.

The tube amps sound glorious with my Sonus Faber Liuto monitors. I've yet to run the SF off the NAD because I'm enjoying the MMG's so much. If I had the budget, I'd love to try the MMG's with, say, a pair of Odyssey Stratos monos, for example. :) But it's highly unlikely I would ever sell my tube amps to finance that sort of move.

At any rate, I don't want to derail this thread, but clearly there is room in this tube lover's home for an SS amp, especially one that mates well with my Lumi preamp.