Bigger Amp?

Dburdick: what's the rest of the system?

To add to others' posts, don't fret too much yet; keep in mind that our ears are not very sensitive to lows & (very) highs at low volume levels (remember those "loudness" controls? They added low mids & mid-highs to compensate for this)...

Maybe a component other than your amp -- which performs to yr satisfaction at higher levels, as you say -- could be upgraded. Speaker placement, equip support and pre-power combos are important here.

My system is:
Theta Miles (Balanced but using SE)
HT Pro Silway II
DNA-125
AP Oval 9
Spark III
Absolute PC's
PowerWedge 114

I've spent a lot of time on speaker placement and tried a couple of other amps (Classe, Bryston) but preferred the McCormack, even though it doesn't have the balanced inputs.
Craigklomparens, I agree, the ability to deliver an abritrary amount of current instantaneously is probably the biggest factor, and as you stated this may or may not be true with a "more powerful" amp. I guess this is what we call a "faster" amp? It looks like you have answered my question... thanks again.

The Spark is rather a lean speaker to begin with. Maybe you should look at a sub woofer.

as far as ss amps the amp you have is about as warm as ss gets. conrad johnson owns them now.[ great company] as far as tube mantinence, they are not hard to keep running if well built. if a ss amp wears out its outputs thats not cheap. if a tube amp wears out tubes just pop in some new tubes. most tubes will last a long time though. just buy a good tube amp and never look back. i am sure you can trade that ss in on one, are someone might do some trading with you. i might even take it towards some tubes i have.

A second thought on the never ending shuffle of equipment. You say you don't want tubes but me thinks its going to haunt you. You sound like me a few years back! (no insult intended and I apologize in advance.) I have found that the best soft dynamics I have ever heard have always been with well designed horn speakers. Oh Oh,- there goes the whole system! There is a discussion about this at audioasylum.com in the effecient speaker forum (dated 12-15-01) called "Higher effeciency=Better dynamic impact?". I think I agree with the general drift of the discussion there. Check it out and keep listening to some good high effecient horn speakers with tubes. God Damn the Pusher!
CK