Warm, rich but detailed SS preamp (made you give up tubes)


Anyone come a cross a warm, rich but detailed solid state preamp that engaged you and gave you that spatiality of a good tube preamp?

I suppose im thinking of C900u or Accuphase?
smodtactical
My first stereo was nearly 60 years ago. About 10 years ago I dropped the ss vs. tubey thinkung. I have a Mark Levinson 526 which has a very nice sound. If there is a dealer around so that you can hear one......
Sutherland Director if you can find one. Rather similar to Ron’s earlier C-2000 which is also stunning. Works very well with the original $15 power cord which should be saved for any future replacement evaluation(s). RCA connectivity only. Oh yeah, it needs to be powered up for a long while to sound its best.
The answer is Sugden, a brand seldom mentioned here, for reasons beyond me....In particular, the Sugden A21se. It is a 30 watt pure class A single ended solid state integrated. Sugden IS the pioneer of the SS class A design. It possesses all the qualities you are looking for and when combined with say a tubed phono stage, sounds sublime. Yes, it will not play loudly with inefficient speakers, but get the pairing right and it will play loud enough, with great detail and warmth. I use mine with Tannoys and it’s the best sound I have heard. Go and read all the reviews of the A21se and you will come away with a better understanding of what this amp can do. It is all analog design, no dac, no digital inputs/outputs etc...just a pure class A design by a company that’s been doing it longer than anyone. Sort of like Tannoy, the oldest speaker company. Ironically, both made in the UK/Scottland...another legend comes to mind  the Linn Sondek. All 3 form a dream system, at least to me. 




Tannoy LtdIndustryAudio Electronics and SpeakersFounded1926, London, EnglandFounderGuy R. FountainHeadquartersCoatbridge, ScotlandArea servedWorldwide


Sugden Audio is an engineering company that manufactures hi-fi and audio equipment. Founded by James Edward Sugden in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire in 1967, the company is best known as the manufacturer of the Sugden A21 amplifier. 


I was going to post Sugden also, but audioguy above beat me to it.  It's a great choice for what you are looking for.

Riviera Audio Labs is another, but at a higher price point.

(Disclosure....I'm a dealer for both Sugden and Riviera).