@panzwagn,
" Good SS amps have power supplies and output stages that can handle complex loads, but 'watts per dollar' amps have to cut corners, and the easiest places to do so is in the output stage current handling and power supply."
Over the years, as I've increased from having 45 to 180 to 200 to now 450 wpc, all solid state, the more powerful amps are not only more powerful, they are also more expensive than the one's they replaced. With each step up I've found the result is "less constrained" sound quality. With my current setup, my 450 wpc amp is driving speakers that are rated at 91 db/watt, so the amp is hardly taxed at all.
One of the latest updates I've made was to swap out my solid state preamp for a tube model, then upgraded the tubes and the results were significant, especially with acoustic sounds.
" Good SS amps have power supplies and output stages that can handle complex loads, but 'watts per dollar' amps have to cut corners, and the easiest places to do so is in the output stage current handling and power supply."
Over the years, as I've increased from having 45 to 180 to 200 to now 450 wpc, all solid state, the more powerful amps are not only more powerful, they are also more expensive than the one's they replaced. With each step up I've found the result is "less constrained" sound quality. With my current setup, my 450 wpc amp is driving speakers that are rated at 91 db/watt, so the amp is hardly taxed at all.
One of the latest updates I've made was to swap out my solid state preamp for a tube model, then upgraded the tubes and the results were significant, especially with acoustic sounds.