2. amps-preamps
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Tubes/SS Power Amps?


I've only heard, auditioned, listened to top of the line tube amps; consequently, I don't know squat about top of the line SS power amps. My problem is "heat". If the SS gets hot, I might as well have tubes.

Reviews that I've read on top of the line SS amps, always mention the heat. Rather than have a SS furnace in my listening room, I'll go with tubes. By the way, I don't think there's much difference between tubes and SS amps when you have a tube pre; especially top of the line. I'm searching for an amp in the vicinity of 100 watts per channel with balanced inputs, preferably mono blocks. Cool running SS is what I'm looking for. Can you help?
orpheus10

Showing 1 response by vicdamone

vicdamone
850 posts
 
I'm sure you've heard about the generally different distortion characteristics between tube and solid state amplifiers. I find the difference quite dramatic and I'm driving my tube amplifiers with a solid state preamplifier.

If it's simply a matter of heat, Carver tube amplifiers power tubes actually run cool to the touch. My plasma display puts out much more heat than the Carvers.
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