"To me, these are tube amps with an SS heart."
Well Sean I don't know if I would put it like that. How about "A tube amp with the soul of tubes and the top to bottom extension and dynamics of ss." I don't get heart from ss, it misses too much low level information and MOST lack the immediacy of the better tube gear which brings music to a sense of being with you in the room. I DO try to be objective in these observations but in fact have to live up to my moniker :)
I agree that most tube gear is too rolled off at the frequency extremes with the exceptions being the OTL and top eschelon transformer coupled amps. Great transformers cost a lot but it can be done right, er close to right with the proper load. And then there is the Berning. I would love you to hear that one Sean, if you haven't already. It seems quite evident that the problem with tubes isn't the tube itself this seems what is right, better than the transistor. The problem is the transformer. How about a transistor device with the "soul" of tubes, anyone?
Well Sean I don't know if I would put it like that. How about "A tube amp with the soul of tubes and the top to bottom extension and dynamics of ss." I don't get heart from ss, it misses too much low level information and MOST lack the immediacy of the better tube gear which brings music to a sense of being with you in the room. I DO try to be objective in these observations but in fact have to live up to my moniker :)
I agree that most tube gear is too rolled off at the frequency extremes with the exceptions being the OTL and top eschelon transformer coupled amps. Great transformers cost a lot but it can be done right, er close to right with the proper load. And then there is the Berning. I would love you to hear that one Sean, if you haven't already. It seems quite evident that the problem with tubes isn't the tube itself this seems what is right, better than the transistor. The problem is the transformer. How about a transistor device with the "soul" of tubes, anyone?