Anyone has a reference system where amplification is SS ?

?

I dunno.

My main components are pretty old, but were pretty well reviewed back in the day. How's it sound compared to today's finer SS amps/preamps? Probably holds it's own without embarrassing itself.

Works fine for me.

Now, if you compared that to a system with Dan D'Agostino amplification and a DCS source, I would expect it to get smoked, but since I don't have that....I'm cool with calling it a "reference system".

I can hear a difference when I change a source, a cable, a plug, whatever, so....good enough for me.

Mike, I see. Large scale music in a big room, that's when one might want top SS. Probably also particular speakers. I wonder how, say, JM Labs Grand Utopia, would do with both DartZeel and VAC. Or Classic Audio speakers. I envy your Ampex decks, anyway.

I always thought of a reference system as just that, a reference. In other words, something you can compare other hardware to in order to make a judgement as to whether a change makes a difference, good, bad or indifferent, to your ears.

All systems are reference.

OK,Let's  think step by step,

What is the reference system? It is the  advanced system, right ? 

so OP want to ask

Which is the advanced system,Tube or SS,   right ?

However, a lot of people use tube system,  while a lot of people use SS system. When you listen more and more, you can  simply figure out it is not advanced or not,  not high or low.

The sound come from tube is different from the sound coming from SS.

When you think one of them  gotten be more advanced than the other,there is endless argue about it. When you think they just different, choose what you like , there is not argue. 

and will have peace of mind and  just turn yourself in the music.

@