Having used Tube based preamp(s) for years, and in general having avoided like the plague the notion of Tube based power Amplifier(s), I got a bit of an awakening recently.
My reason for avoiding Tube based power amps are all the standard reasons, maintenance, heat etc.etc.
A perfect storm recently occurred in my life and for whatever reason I decided to replace my ss monoblocks with tube based monoblocks.
I was literally shocked at the difference! I would never have guessed that in 2013 there could be this much variation between great SS and great Tube electronics.
Different strokes and all, so I'm not even going to enter into any kind of tube/vs ss and which is "best". suffice it to say I strongly prefer the tubes. Others could and I'm sure would prefer the SS.
Personally, I see NO downside whatsoever to the tube amps. (other than of course heat, but my old SS amps were high-bias, and they threw a fair amount of heat also) Bass, imaging, focus, balance, depth are all as good or better in the tube amp. And, there is simply as one would expect FAR more what I call "harmonic richness" to the music. Call it euphoric coloration or whatever you want, the tube amp simply adds and/or extracts more meat on the bones of the music. Violin is a perfect example, it's a different instrument all of a sudden.
The added tube "lushness" would I thought always come at the expense of some level of detail. Not in this case, These are razor sharp, with no added harshness.
Just my own personal 2cents worth, I only wish I'd have done this years ago!
My reason for avoiding Tube based power amps are all the standard reasons, maintenance, heat etc.etc.
A perfect storm recently occurred in my life and for whatever reason I decided to replace my ss monoblocks with tube based monoblocks.
I was literally shocked at the difference! I would never have guessed that in 2013 there could be this much variation between great SS and great Tube electronics.
Different strokes and all, so I'm not even going to enter into any kind of tube/vs ss and which is "best". suffice it to say I strongly prefer the tubes. Others could and I'm sure would prefer the SS.
Personally, I see NO downside whatsoever to the tube amps. (other than of course heat, but my old SS amps were high-bias, and they threw a fair amount of heat also) Bass, imaging, focus, balance, depth are all as good or better in the tube amp. And, there is simply as one would expect FAR more what I call "harmonic richness" to the music. Call it euphoric coloration or whatever you want, the tube amp simply adds and/or extracts more meat on the bones of the music. Violin is a perfect example, it's a different instrument all of a sudden.
The added tube "lushness" would I thought always come at the expense of some level of detail. Not in this case, These are razor sharp, with no added harshness.
Just my own personal 2cents worth, I only wish I'd have done this years ago!