I have never heard the two in a head-to-head situation, but my memory of them separately is that you should spend the extra $1200 and get the Power 3s if you can afford them. In particular, the SFM-160 is on the soft and soggy side - that old tube sound. The Power 3s are a whole new ball game and deliver the current much more effectively. It sounds like you are concerned about what you will be giving up when you move away from a 250W solid state amp. If so, the Power 3s are definitely the better bet
? Sonic Frontiers? SFM-160's or Power 3
Iam going to to Glass Heaven (so they say) Iam looking into buying some tube amps. I have a choice between the Power 3 or the SFM-160's From Sonic Frontiers. My speakers are very Watt hungry. they run at 84db @ 8ohm, I have two questions (1) Will the SFM-160's be enuff to paly the speakers as if they were on a 250watt S/S amp and was there a big sonic difference in the two amps. I guess iam trying to find out if spending the xtra $1200.00 to go to the Power 3's are worth it. I read somewhere on a review where the power 3's would phase in and out of Bias, due to Voltage change's from your electrical source. they were talking within a 5 volt +/- spread..Thanks for your help all you Tubeies