Tubes vs Tubeless

The whole "zero negative feedback" design philosophy has always been interesting to me, and reading different designers and tech debate this for different reasons. "Distortion" vs "Musicality", etc. So what does it realy mean to different designers.

Seems Richard Vandersteen and Mike Sanders are on a similar page about this, and I read oup on it becasue way back during the early hears of the 2C speakers and onward there were a lot of Vandy speakers paired with QS amps out here in US-West.  

Looking up specs for some of Mike’s stuff I could only find a few with up to 10db feedback used in only 3 amps, like Horn Monos used with super efficient speakers. 

General Findings

"Quicksilver is known for minimalist, simple tube designs, they do not exclusively use zero-feedback circuits across their entire range."

• Zero Feedback Models: Several of their designs, particularly their headphone amplifiers and some monoblocks, are designed with zero feedback to improve musicality and reduce distortion artifacts 
• Variable Feedback Levels: Quicksilver amplifiers, designed by Mike Sanders, often use low levels of negative feedback rather than none at all to optimize performance.
• Specific Examples:
  • Horn Mono: Uses 10dB of feedback 
  • Mini Mono: Uses 20dB of feedback 
  • Headphone Amp: Explicitly designed with "no circuit boards or transistors" and implies a zero-feedback, simple circuit design 
• Design Philosophy: The amplifiers are designed to be "tube-like" with high reliability, aiming for a balance between low distortion and high musicality

How accurate this is I don’t know.  Interesting to read up on this more between different speaker and amp designers and what each of them believe. 

As some had said the best bet with those speakers would be a nice vintage SS amp with a good tube preamp.  I am bias towards Conrad Johnson. Even though they have tube amps to drive those speakers not sure if the maintenance and additional cost would be worth it compared to comparable SS amp with the proper tube preamp.

Sound advice. Thanks.

@bahston I am a Tube Power Amp' user since the early 90's and as a result of my keenness have ended up with a selection of Custom Built Tube Power Amp's to be used today. Until a few years past there was not a SS Power Amp' I had heard that was to make me rethink my usage of Valve Power Amp's. 

Also I have been a user of Tube, SS and Autoformer Pre's and to date, have not settled on One Design, I like what is able to be the influence from all designs.

Today I am having a Pre' design produced as a Custom Build that enables my enjoyment of different influences to be met all within one box.

Additional to this I am a user of Valves for Phonostages and a DAC.

I have owned a selection of SS Phon's and heard quite a range of SS DAC's. I have a Custom Built SS Phonostage waiting my pick up as I write and am actively seeking out a SS DAC.

Why SS?, This is to do with a not too long gone experience where I was introduced to Neurochrome Power Amplification. There is reports on this experience had and follow up ones, which are reasonably easy to be found on the Gon.

I believe the Neurochrome Power Amp's are more than adequate for my later in life system. I'm so confident about this that I have a Neurochrome Monoblock design on loan at present to see how it compares to my own Amp's within my System. Experience already has, leaves me assured there is to be a big surprise.

In todays money, the N'chrome Amp's are cheaper to purchase than the Bespoke Wound Output Transformers used on my 845 Monoblocks.

My very very strong suspicion is that my All Valve Amplification and DAC, will be easily challenged by the SS System to be created and A/B compared.

Valve Equipment adds up to Stupid Monies (Approx' £40K-50K+) spent across 30ish years. If the entirety of the Valve System was not all Custom Design and Built, going down the Retail Purchase route will easily be close to £150K + to get the idea the assembly was being competed with.

The SS System (Custom Built Phon' - DAC - Pre - Monoblock Power ) will cost in todays money close to £6K - £7K using N'chrome Amp's.

The SS System in total, is near the price of the Bespoke Wound Transformers for both Power Supply and Audio on 1x PP Monoblock 845.

Very Recently, I purchased replacement Valves ( Modern Design 845's and Vintage era Input Valves) for the 845's at £2K.

For myself Valve Purchases are as good as done in my life, SS equipment will at some stage supersede the Valve equipment.

The palette now has a few new mixes to increase options now the final picture is able to be created.        

I am not a big tube fan. I find I lose resolution, but the holographic sound of tubes is very nice.

I heard the Allnic line of DAC and preamps and I was floored because it has both great resolution and a holographic sound with the tubes. After some research I concluded that it was not the tubes on the Allnic that was making it great, it was the OTL/OCL output stage of the Allnic DACs and preamps.

Now I cannot afford Allnic gear at this time and I lucked into discovering the $500 Schiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL headphone amp / preamp. I am only listening to it as a preamp. It is not practical for most setup, single input, no remote.

If you are someone that is a bit disappointed in tubes because of the not-so-great resolution. Listen to an OTL/OCL design. I only know of Allnic and Schiit that have this.