2. amps-preamps
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Tubes/SS Power Amps?


I've only heard, auditioned, listened to top of the line tube amps; consequently, I don't know squat about top of the line SS power amps. My problem is "heat". If the SS gets hot, I might as well have tubes.

Reviews that I've read on top of the line SS amps, always mention the heat. Rather than have a SS furnace in my listening room, I'll go with tubes. By the way, I don't think there's much difference between tubes and SS amps when you have a tube pre; especially top of the line. I'm searching for an amp in the vicinity of 100 watts per channel with balanced inputs, preferably mono blocks. Cool running SS is what I'm looking for. Can you help?
orpheus10

Showing 1 response by mechans

mechans
3,048 posts
 
I also think your statement that a tube pre gives you the real tube sound and magic is wrong.Tube power amps make an enormous contribution to the character of the sound. I can't tell you how much it changed my system. I had tried using tube pre amps but they simply don't come close to what tube power sounds like.
There is this fantasy that a tube somewhere in the chain will give you tube sound. If that is true what about the converese, does SS anywhere in the system give you the SS sound? Will an SS pre and tube power sound like SS?
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