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
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?
horchai
67 posts
 
I agree with mechans. Tube pre alone cannot give you the liquidity that a tube pre n tube power combination provides. It's like a teaser only and leaves you wanting more. Just like oliver twist said: sir may I have more????
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
Hi I had a similar need as yours...less heat (upstairs in texas get's hot fast)...but I always owned tube amps...ARC or BAT...A few years ago I bought a pair of Ayre MXRs.

Really happy. They get very warm to the touch...but don't really emit heat...like the shelf above them is just barely warm...

Not sure your price range...The new Ayre VX5 might be a great choice to...http://www.stereophile.com/content/ayre-vx-5
mitch2
3,691 posts
 
I agree with Mechan's post. Tubed amps do indeed make a difference that IME cannot be duplicated with a tubed preamp. However, it is my experience that really good SS gear can also sound like music. My Class A Clayton amps have a low bias switch so I can warm them up in anticipation of playing them hours later, or even play them at low bias if I am not seriously listening. They are very musical and fully balanced (as well as 300wpc all in Class A). I suspect there are at least a few other musical SS amps out there. One I always wanted to hear (but haven't) is the Jones audio amp, based on the review at the 10Audio site, although I don't believe they are balanced.
phaelon
1,038 posts
 
I agree with those above who think that, even with a tubed preamp, a tubed power amp makes a necessary contribution. That said, we don’t all hear, process and evaluate music the same. If the differences between SS and tubes aren’t discernible to you (which is fine - it doesn’t mean that you can’t hear, it just means that you don’t care) then by all means, unless you’re seeking a substitute for logs burning in a fireplace, buy SS. Get a relatively efficient A/AB design; but even then, your speaker’s demand for power will be a big factor, so choose an amplifier that easily provides for those demands.
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