Also have to agree with EJLIF. I also owned a pair of JC-1's, and while they were the best solid state amps I have ever personally owned, they still did not offer that last degree of "there-ness" that I was able to get with ASL Hurricanes.
Really does depend on what your ultimately trying to achieve, what type of music you listen to, room, ancillaries, etc.
Having said that, I hate to generalize and oversimplify, but as you (Braro) said in your post that "I heard the VTL's and loved them.." I personally would stick in the tube camp, - OR - if you go with the JC-1's, at least incorprate a nice tube preamp with it.
Really does depend on what your ultimately trying to achieve, what type of music you listen to, room, ancillaries, etc.
Having said that, I hate to generalize and oversimplify, but as you (Braro) said in your post that "I heard the VTL's and loved them.." I personally would stick in the tube camp, - OR - if you go with the JC-1's, at least incorprate a nice tube preamp with it.