Is solid state on the brink of extinction?


I am curious how many out there, like me, that have come to the conclusion the age of solid state, and perhaps tube gear, is closing.

In freeing needed cash from my high end audio recently, I was forced to look for a less expensive alternative. To my surprise, the alternative turned out to be an unexpected bonus.

I have notoriously inefficient speakers. I was sure I would have to sell them once I sold off my large solid state blocks.

Going on a tip from another amp killer speaker owner, I bought an Acoustic Reality eAR 2 MKII Class D amp. This tiny amp caused a revolution in sound benefits over my ss mono blocks.

My speakers gained in speed, depth, control, detail, range, clarity, and dynamics.

It didn't stop there. I also sold my front end, and bought a very cheap programmable digital DVD. It also proved to be better that my old disc player. My playback gained in detail, separation, depth, bass control, bass extension, and treble extension. The mids are just plain natural. Reverberation decay occurs evenly and naturally.

Has anyone else had a similar experience of moving from solid state or tubes to digital? What do you see as the future for solid state component producers? What of tube amps?
muralman1
Hey Khrys, would you be so kind as to post more detailed impressions of the class D and T amps you have heard? I'd love to hear them compared to the top notch SS stuff you have auditioned in your home, e.g. in terms of:
-frequency response at extremes
-midrange
-soundstaging
-dynamics
-subjective appeal/'musicality'
-or anything else
Khrys, I am the happy owner of a pair of "heils, ESS AMT 1 Towers, that I bought in the 70's. For a while I was "seeking" another pair, here and on ebay. But since ESS is still in business, I bought some speakers direct. I will also be purchasing a pair of their AMT's, so I can build a pair of speakers to bi-amp.
The guys at UHF magazine, after reviewing the Kithara, said that if they were going to build a cost no object speaker system, that they would build it around a heil.
I agree, and I'm going to try, within my budget. Hope this answers your query. Long live Oscar!
Sonny (not my real name either)
Calanctus, the Tripath Bel Cantos sounded bad on Quad 988s and Jadis Eurhythmies but not too bad on my W/P 7s. The HCA-2 and Spectron Musician II sounded very good on all transducers auditioned and startled me with their performance. For the money I don't think you can beat the Spectron. But for sheer musicality the Radia takes the cake, easily. But I must say that the Quad 988s powered by bridged-mono Hovland Sapphires lit my wick recently as well.
You haven't heard the Acoustic Reality amps yet. I have heard the Evo and the TacT. the TacT is better than the Canto with any music. The eAR betters the TacT in that it can drive any load, and sounds fluid.