will changing to solid-state make the bass in my wilson sophias better at low volume?


I've noticed that my sophias really shine when they're cranked up a bit, which is great, but I'm wondering if I can't get more of that, esp. the bass, at lower volumes. my tube amps (Cary Slam-100s in triode) are ~50w/ch, more than the 25w/ch minimum wilson recommends. it seems to me that I could either get a sub or try a solid-state power amp. it'd be easy enough to try either/both, but I'm curious what people have to say. thanks!
musicslug

Showing 1 response by gpgr4blu

Wilsons require high current amps to drive them properly. Also, triode is not the best mode for dynamics at any volume. Do you have an ultralinear mode on the amp that you can switch to?
In my Wilson travels (Sophia, WP7s, Sasha and now Alexia 2s), I have found that high current tube amps with 100 to 150 WPC are enough to push all of the above to satisfying dynamic levels. 250 WPC or more are even better. But at 75 WPC, it will depend on the manufacturer. Audio Research Ref 75 worked pretty well. Can’t say I know Cary well enough to render an opinion about the pairing that you’ve got.
I personally prefer Wilsons with all tube amplification. The bass is different than ss but sounds more live to me. But that’s just me.