Advice Moving from Tube Integrated


Greetings,

I'm currently using a tube integrated, which I recently bought new, to power my custom loudspeakers that are based on the Altec 604 driver. Benign impedance, and high efficiency are earmarks of this driver.

I sold my Parasound Halo power amplifer, and Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 preamp to buy the tube integrated, and now I'm very sorry, to say the least. While 250/wpc was overkill for this system, there was an ease and lack of strain, which I attributed to the headroom available with the amplifier.

I believe that integrateds have made their way up the chain to where they compete with separates, so I'm looking for a solid state integrated in the 100/wpc range, and in the $1,800 - $2,000 price category.

By the way, is anyone familiar with the "ICE" amplifiers? I understand they can be quite good when matched with the right speakers.

Thanks in advance!
seadweller
the altec is a lightning quick and extremely bright , but a great ss amp in the price range for them is a non understood amp cheap, used, excellent new,,,panache by portal, but if that is too far out there and want a more recognized manufact. , then by all means by a musical fidelity, conrad johnson makes a great s.s. and so does cary, also, look at bryston, unison...
Second Musical Fidelity as they are committed to building quality integrated amplifiers. New or used they all get great reviews.
I would try a Plinius 9200. Plenty of power and a very fluid sound. I just sold mine to buy a set of JC1s but I have Magnepans and they like a lot of power. The Plinius did a nice job on the 3.5s.