How big of a difference do amps make?

I was an amplifier nihilist until I went from SS to tubes after I bought my Zu Definitions. Then I went from an EAR 859 to a Yamamoto A-08 to a Deja Vu Audio 2a3 to an Ancient Audio 300b SET amp. Finally, I went from Shuguang Black Treasures to Sophia Royal Princes to Takatsuki 300b. Each change made a difference - some more than others, of course.

In the last 20 years, only encounter with "fireworks" was with a SS amplifier. Never with a tube amplifier.

F1a. . . as Charles1dad said, the Sophia Royal Princess 300b are excellent; and the people from Sophia Electric are great to deal with. . . they are local to DC where I live. I was very happy with the way that they sounded and agreed with the Positive-Feedback review by Jeff Day. However. . . the Takatsuki are simply better in every way. They are also 50% more expensive (even when sourced directly from Japan); and I doubt that you will find them discounted or used. And there are now several reviews that accurately describe their sound - HiFidelity of Poland (reprinted in 6Moons), Dagogo, and parttimeaudiophile. Both tubes are beautifully packaged. Both sound great. The Takastukis are simply better.