Looking for high power warming sounding tube amps

• Check out his main system page: Audio Research Reference 6SE Preamp

@ghdprentice 

Most likely what you like about the X350 is the slap you get because of the really fast bass… the slam. You’re not going to get that with tubes. Also, that is not real. I spent over ten years going to hundreds of concerts and that bass slap doesn’t happen in the real world. I used to crave it as well… then realized that when you switch to a Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, or other high quality tube amp you get much more. You get highly detailed natural sounding bass and fully fleshed out midrange smoothly transitioning to bass. The very fast powerful solid state generated bass tends to be monolithic and accentuated by a leaner than real lower midrange/ upper bass. There are great detail

Terrific observation!

I do believe that the higher damping factor (DF) is appealing and its effect on bass is desirable for many. In my experience it adds a “tightness “ to bass frequencies that I just do not hear when listening to actual live acoustic lower range instruments. So I clearly understand your point. Nonetheless, the DF tightening is sought after.

Charles

@ghdprentice ya I am already convinced by tube amps thats why I am pursuing this. I am skeptical about ARC as i had a ref 5se (as you might remember from my other thread) that got beaten in many respects by my bottlehead moreplay pre. The ref5se had a ss sorta sound where the moreplay brought the warmth, colour and fullness and holographic depth the ARC just did not have.

CJ monoblocks also did the same thing. So I am trying to move in that direction.

re: X350

@charles1dad I do believe that the higher damping factor (DF) is appealing and its effect on bass is desirable for many. In my experience it adds a “tightness “ to bass frequencies that I just do not hear when listening to actual live acoustic lower range instruments.

Speaking of damping factor and comparing - quite a wide range with familiar amps many here listen to. Its kind of interesting studying damping factor in different type amp designs.

With Pass’ different designs and comparing, the older X350 and newer X30.8, both have a damping factor of 150.

The lower power Firstwatt SIT3 is a lower damping factor of 30, and Firstwatt F8 is 40. Then we compare to the venerable class A Pass XA-25 bounces up to damping factor of 500.

While I look for some of that lower midrange bloom and upper mid-bass bloom myself hoping for a more realistic sound,

Noting my own QS Mono 120s, have a damping factor of 15.

The latest Quicksilver KT Mono amps have a damping factor of 20.

The ARC 160S Reference Stereo amp has a damping factor of 14.

The Deware SE34I.5 into 8 ohms has a reported damping factor of about 5.7

Decware ZMA is probably about the best you'll find in "high power".

Jerry