Drubin- With your choice in speakers, ss could easily be a better match. However, (and this isn't intended as a slam against the CJ-11a, but ...) you need to try a much better tube amp (and possibly amp / different speaker combo) before you dismiss tubes as a clear alternative. There is a reason why there are so many ardent supporters of tube amplification. In a friends system, the Pass amp (the bigger brother to yours) was totally uninspiring, and I'm being kind, when compared to a 8 watt Air Tight SET or the 12 watt Viva SET or a 25 watt Graaf OTL. Certainly, the Pass could play loud, but with efficient speakers, it only reproduced a recording, never the illusion of music.
Yes, I've been at this long enough to have owned and listened to many good to great ss systems. It may be partially true that because I like to be more actively involved with my system, I have gravitated toward tube equipment. However, it is the illusion of a musical event, the transcending of time and place, which stirs us emotionally that is the holy grail of audio. The technology that allows each of us to best attain this goal should be clearly secondary. Audio isn't simply a competition between which technology has the lowest distortion figures or the highest SN ratio.
There are major system dependencies and personal preferences involved in building any great audio system. I just wish that everyone could get the chance to experience (live with) a great tube-based system. Of course, one might still opt for ss gear, that's obviously an indiviual choice. But at least you would have a true reference point by which to understand the tubaholic.
Just my misguided opinion.
Yes, I've been at this long enough to have owned and listened to many good to great ss systems. It may be partially true that because I like to be more actively involved with my system, I have gravitated toward tube equipment. However, it is the illusion of a musical event, the transcending of time and place, which stirs us emotionally that is the holy grail of audio. The technology that allows each of us to best attain this goal should be clearly secondary. Audio isn't simply a competition between which technology has the lowest distortion figures or the highest SN ratio.
There are major system dependencies and personal preferences involved in building any great audio system. I just wish that everyone could get the chance to experience (live with) a great tube-based system. Of course, one might still opt for ss gear, that's obviously an indiviual choice. But at least you would have a true reference point by which to understand the tubaholic.
Just my misguided opinion.