Tubes generally have less power (about half) than comparably priced ss units, because the parts for a tube amp just cost so much more. Transistors are superior in performance for less money under most circumstances. I'm not a tube fan for the most part, but with Theil's I'd just get a nice SS regardless of where one sits on the tube/ss issue. The 1.6's are more efficient than most of the Theils have been historically and don't have quite as brutal an impedence curve-90db sensitivity and 3ohm minimum-but they still aren't a super tube friendly load. 10 watts will get you to 100db, 50 watts will get you to 105db, 100 watts will get you to 110db with those 1.6's. So a nice quality 50 to 80 watt amp would be the ticket. It all depends technically on how loud you want to listen.
wattage difference between SS and Tube
i'm considering to buy a tube integrated amp. however, as this is the first time looking into it, i do not know why so many tube amps have such lower wattage output than SS.i'm looking into Jolida JD 302b and it only outputs 50W per channel. does this mean that i have to crank up the volume control in order to hear the music at all? please help! i need to be educated. thanks.
p.s. i have a pair of thiel cs1.6s if that helps.
p.s. i have a pair of thiel cs1.6s if that helps.