Amp pairing with Tannoy Turnberry?

For solid state, a Pass, used, might be the ticket.

@mmcgill829

NAT audio single HPS v2 - this is at the very top end of what I could consider budget wise. I have heard this amp, but not with the tannoys. It sounds incredible to me

It is good that you’ve actually heard this amplifier. I do not doubt that it sounds “incredible “ based upon its design and execution. NAT Audio tends to fly under the radar but their products consistently receive very positive feedback and praise.

It appears to me that it’d be a terrific match for your Tannoy speakers. This amplifier offers a switch for either 50 watts or 30 watts pure class A power. I’m gung ho and say go for it. You might very well enjoy a solid-state amplifier. I doubt if you will find one that sounds like this GM 70 SET. It all depends on what sonic characteristics you are seeking.

Charles

NAT HPS is every bit interesting and I echo what @charles1dad said. It’s probably hard to find another amp with two of my all time favorite tubes. I once heard Shindo Labs GM70 - 20W monos and instantly fell in love with their seductive sound design. The possible pairing of HPS with Turnberry’s intrigues me but their power rating gives a slight pause. It appears HPS’s comfort zone would be around 30W and that may not be an ideal match for a 93db efficient speakers. Having said that, looks like audio gods are smiling upon you. Once you get your Tannoy’s, reach out to Mike Powell (NAT distributor) for in-home audition of HPS, he lives in ATL :-)

As an alternative to tubes, consider Accuphase Integrated, something like E-480 or E-650, both can be had for a good price on used market. I’m driving my Canterbury’s with E-650, a match made in heaven! In direct comparison with Luxman L-505, T+A PA3100 and darTZeel CTH-8550; I end up preferring the Accuphase gorgeous sound and synergy with Tannoy’s by a mile.

Good luck and keep us posted!

@lalitk

What I find very interesting about Tannoy speakers are the wide range of amplifiers used by their owners. From 300b SET to 300 watt solid state or class D. They all seem quite satisfied with their respective choices. Of course numerous variables will influence one’s preference.

That is why I said with regard to the OP, what type of sound is he seeking? I also know that even with the same speaker sensitivity, they all aren’t equally driven due to other factors. My speakers are 94db and just sing with 8 watt SET (Preferred over my 100watt PP tube amplifier). However, circumstances do vary among listeners.

The NAT Audio amplifiers have a reputation for exceptionally good power supply design and their own hand wired transformers. For my taste it’d be the NAT Single HPS. No doubt others would make different choices. Which is attested to by the diversity of amplifiers used among Tannoy owners. Many good options.

Charles

I liked the Luxman L550ax with my Turnberry SEs.  Though discontinued in the US you can pick them up used at a reasonable price.  I also had a Primaluna dialogue integrated at one point which I thought was a good pairing, but the Class A Luxman gives you the best of both worlds (tighter bass, airy highs, and great detail but still slightly warm) depending on your tastes and room, of course.

@charles1dad 

I agree with your assessment but like you said, there are lot of variables that can influence end user choices not to mention room acoustics which are often overlooked. I have driven my Canterbury’s with a 300B - 8W amp. Did I hear and enjoyed the mid-range magic 300B known far, you bet I did.  But beyond that, I felt they just couldn’t drive my Canterbury’s with authority. The 15” woofer kept begging for more power and control. IME, an amp with power to spare (headroom) is always a wise choice. 

NAT maybe exceptional due to its outboard power supply. We all know a well appointed power supply can be a biggest differentiator between a great sounding amp and a mediocre one. I am always open to learning from other Tannoy owners, there are so many options that I have yet to experience so my antenna goes up anytime Tannoy’s are in the conversation :-)

@lalitk 

I can see the GM 70 NAT amplifier being a more suitable choice compared to a 300b SET. 50 watts class A versus 8 watts certainly provides greater margin and reserves. The OP hasn’t listed his room size, usual listening levels or music genres listened to. I recognize that we are engaging in open forum speculation and “what ifs”. But it’s fun.😊

Charles

now for something completely different....I'm using the new Atma-Sphere class D monos with my Stirling GR's and think it could be something you might like.  My listening session last night was memorable I'm not sure anything could better it except other distortion flavors which might be preferable in some cases.  These amps have none that I can detect.  

Tannoys match very well with Zesto Audio amplification.  

I’m using a Benchmark AHB2 with my Turnberries. Results with a Pass XA30.5 were not wonderful. McIntosh MC275 was OK. I think they need power, if you listen to orchestral, prog, etc. This is in a 20’x15’ room, on long wall, sitting about 12 feet away, toed in almost 45 degrees. No complaints with AHB2 (and HPA4). 

Having said that, looks like audio gods are smiling upon you. Once you get your Tannoy’s, reach out to Mike Powell (NAT distributor) for in-home audition of HPS, he lives in ATL :-)

As an alternative to tubes, consider Accuphase Integrated, something like E-480 or E-650, both can be had for a good price on used market. 

I do have Mike's website bookmarked, but unfortunately I live in the Dallas, TX area nowadays, so would probably be difficult to get an in-home audition with it, I'd think. Once I am ready to buy, I may discuss if he has a window of return if necessary if I decide to give that one a try. I was seriously impressed when I heard one before, but it was on Kensingtons and not Turnberry speakers, and I don't recall what phono pre they were using. 

I did read somewhere that the Accuphase E650 can be a good match to the speakers, so that could be a consideration as well. 

I suppose I neglected to mention some important details here in my initial post that many have touched on - notably, what I listen to and what kind of sound I like. 

I typically listen to primarily Jazz music on my system, but do mix it up with some different genres here and there - like classical, folk, or soul. Primarily, Jazz is the most important genre to get right for me, though.

I used to have a Primaluna integrated a few years ago and I enjoyed how the pairing of the Primaluna and Tannoys I had at the time sounded. However, the current price of the EVO 400 in particular puts it in the price range of so many other great amplifiers, so I didn't want to jump the gun and go right for that just because it was familiar, especially if upgrading to nicer speakers.

I am using a hybrid integrated now as a band aid (vincent sv237mk) that sounds pretty good for an off the shelf, low fuss amp, but does not have nearly the soundstage that the Primaluna had, which makes a big difference in how immersive the music is for me. It kind of floats in a weird middle ground for me - warmer than *some* pure solid states I've heard, but not as warm as an all tube setup. So I don't really love it for what I listen to.

I like vocals to be clear when present, without being grating. Sometimes I've heard various amp combos that do well with vocal clarity but get a little tiring to listen to after a bit. Or, I've heard systems where the vocals can sometimes feel like they are 'behind' the band instead of in front, which can be a little strange.

And thanks for all the recommendations and input so far!

One more note - at the very top end, I'm not looking to spend more than $8-9k for an integrated or preamp+monos. Will be difficult to stay within that budget for separates, which is why I've been looking at integrated options. Maybe sometime down the line in the future I may be at a place where I can consider separates, but that is not at this time. 😅

And the room measurements are 14' x 20' approximately, so it's not a huge space or anything. 

@mmcgill829

The additional details shared are really enlightening/insightful. I have to say that based on your music preferences, prior system /components experiences and room size, the NAT Single HPS is a superb option for you. It will bring your jazz recordings to life and provide much emotional involvement. I believe that this pairing will deeply connect you with your music listening. This is my humble opinion.

Best wishes,

Charles

I have Tannoy Turnberry GRs and am using a Primaluna Evo 400 power amp. It's a very good combo but you can probably do better. I think an Evo 300 would have been fine because the Tannoys have a sensitivity of 93bd.

A Dialogue Premium (4 tubes and 34 watts) had no problem throwing around my old 88db Salks.

@charles1dad 

Yes, I do think that is what I am leaning toward at the moment. It's at the upper limit of my budget, but willing to stretch a bit for the right one. I'm just not sure that a solid state will give me what I am looking for, at this price point at least. 

@sandthemall 

That's what I was thinking if I went with Primaluna. I wan't sure if the extra power was really worth the price jump in that case, especially if it wasn't necessary for the speakers.

I recently watched a review on YouTube that mentioned the Audio Note I Zero. People who heard it were astonished at the sound and it’s quite affordable. May be worth some research.

https://www.audionote.co.uk/i-zero

@mmcgill829

I’m just not sure that a solid state will give me what I am looking for, at this price point at least

I understand. Your budget range allows many fine options new or used.More than one path to an excellent amplifier for your Tannoys.

It’s just my deep suspicion (Gut feeling) that the NAT is uniquely special and you found it incredible sounding for a reason.

Charles

I have Tannoy Churchill’s and use a McIntosh MC 500. MAC pairs well with Tannoy ss or tube. My two pennys…..

I don’t know your speakers but another thought might be a Rogers High Fidelity EHF 200 Mark II integrated amp. Rogers is selling directly a used one w/ their full lifetime warranty for $8500 or best offer. I own one & it’s substantially better than a Prima Luna in build & sound quality..His amps are hand made, all pint to pint wiring w/ top quality components. It’s pretty big, puts out some heat as if offers over 100 watts / side operating fully in class A running a total of KT - 150’s. Big, full rich sound w/great dynamics & bass & beautiful mid &top end. 
 

I believe in & like to support , smaller independent, American made products & Roger is a very smart guy who designs & build his products in North Adams, MA.. check out his videos on YouTube or on the website. 

@mmcgill829

Thanks for sharing your genre and sound preferences. Now that you mentioned, you’ve already heard HPS with Kensington and really liked the sound; that makes HPS an easy choice for Turnberry’s. Keep us posted on your journey.

If you’re ever step into my neck of woods (Houston), feel free to stop by for a taste of Accuphase/Tannoy sound. I stream most of the time so there won’t be any shortage of Jazz musicians :-)

I have the Turnberry speakers and the Primaluna amps (although not together) and I think the speakers are best used with warmer sounding types of tube amplification.  I am not a fan of Primaluna amps, but I've never heard the NAT amps so I cannot recommend then either.  The NAT design looks interesting, and if they are available in your price range, they might work out.

For warmer sounding amps (something that would complement the Turnberry), I would look for amps run will 6L6 or KT66 tubes.  I would tend to avoid KT88 amps because the tendency to have a "hard" or "brittle" sound might exaggerate the slight tendency toward sibilance of the Turnberry.  Of course a 300B pushpull or single-ended amp will have the right tonal qualities, but, the issue would be sufficient power.  I personally don't listen at very high volumes so my compromises would be in favor of low-powered alternatives, but, this is a personal decision.  

These days, not that many amps are made with KT66 or 6L6 tubes because they have a lower output than other similar tubes making it harder to sell in a market driven by output specification.  But, to me, they are the best sounding tubes of tetrode/pentode types.  I also like EL84 amps, which are often the tube of choice in lower cost amps, but can still deliver lievly and punchy sound without being thin tonally.

For a specific choice, I would suggest looking at a Synthesis A40 amp (KT66).  It not only sounds fantastic, it has a built in DAC that is no slouch.  

I correct what I said above.  I meant to say "I have heard the Turnberry speakers and Primaluna amps"  

For warmer sounding amps (something that would complement the Turnberry), I would look for amps run will 6L6 or KT66 tubes. I would tend to avoid KT88 amps because the tendency to have a "hard" or "brittle" sound might exaggerate the slight tendency toward sibilance of the Turnberry. Of course a 300B pushpull or single-ended amp will have the right tonal qualities, but, the issue would be sufficient power. I personally don’t listen at very high volumes so my compromises would be in favor of low-powered alternatives, but, this is a personal decision.

These days, not that many amps are made with KT66 or 6L6 tubes because they have a lower output than other similar tubes making it harder to sell in a market driven by output specification. But, to me, they are the best sounding tubes of tetrode/pentode types. I also like EL84 amps, which are often the tube of choice in lower cost amps, but can still deliver lievly and punchy sound without being thin tonally.

This is a very good point. The Tannoy horn tweeters can get a bit sharp up top, especially on some vintage pop / rock vinyl. The KT66 / 6L6GC has a sweet sound that is a good complement, but the current hifi amp market largely ignores these tube types. I often use KT88 / KT120 amps on my Tannoys, but sometimes wish for something a tad sweeter.

I wish it were more common to see really nice modern amps (auto-bias circuitry, large transformers, premium parts, no 12AU7’s) made with MULTIPLE push pull pairs of EL34/KT66/6L6GC to hit say ~ 100 Watts.

My experience with EL34/KT66/6L6GC is years ago on Kensington SE (93dB). I had a few vintage amps restored, which used these tubes. Good for 20 - 35 Watts per side. Really sweet sound, but at the end of the day that's not quite enough power for me. I listen loud. Sure 8 Watts can get loud on SOME material, but the dynamics will be softened/compressed and you'll start to hit hard clipping on more dynamic recordings. 

@mmcgill829 We have a number of customers using Tannoy loudspeakers. From what they report, its apparent that you benefit from more power on that speaker- 60 Watts being a good minimum, unless you have a smaller room! One of our Tannoy customers has run both our tube amps and our class D amp on his Westminsters and reported good results with both, so apparently the speaker is friendly to both tubes and solid state as long as the solid state amp does not exhibit harshness.

Due to the efficiency of your speakers, unless you have a smaller room I would avoid SETs in particular. If you do get talked into one, here's something that you should know: To really hear the SET at its best, the speaker should have enough efficiency to avoid using more than about 20% of full power of the amp. Above that power level the higher ordered harmonics show up on transients, causing the amp to sound 'dynamic'. But its really distortion masquerading as such due to how the higher orders interact with the human ear. Dynamics should only come from the signal and not the amp! Larger SETs also make less bandwidth entirely on account of the output transformer; its very difficult to make an output transformer for an SET that has 'hifi' bandwidth and handles more than about 7 Watts!

There’s no shortage of very good amplifier choices as the numerous posts confirm.  One significant factor for @mmcgill829 is he has actually heard the NAT amplifier driving the Tannoy speakers. This is a major factor as it eliminates much speculative talk. 
For sure he’s fortunate to have lots of fine options. Could they be “incredible “ as his listening encounter with Tannoy and NAT? Maybe, maybe not.

Charles

@jonwolfpell 

I don’t know your speakers but another thought might be a Rogers High Fidelity EHF 200 Mark II integrated amp. Rogers is selling directly a used one w/ their full lifetime warranty for $8500 or best offer. I own one & it’s substantially better than a Prima Luna in build & sound quality..His amps are hand made, all pint to pint wiring w/ top quality components. It’s pretty big, puts out some heat as if offers over 100 watts / side operating fully in class A running a total of KT - 150’s. Big, full rich sound w/great dynamics & bass & beautiful mid &top end. 
 

I believe in & like to support , smaller independent, American made products & Roger is a very smart guy who designs & build his products in North Adams, MA.. check out his videos on YouTube or on the website. 

Interesting! I have never heard of or heard this brand at all. This amp does have quite a lot of power in comparison to the NAT, though even on sale it's slightly over what I'd be comfortable paying. Would be hard to pull the trigger without trying it first, and it appears that they only do at home trial periods for new items from what I can gather. I'll do some research on this as an option, however. It does have more power than the NAT, which may be beneficial, but could have all the power in the world and not matter if I don't like the sound 😛

@lalitk 

Thanks for sharing your genre and sound preferences. Now that you mentioned, you’ve already heard HPS with Kensington and really liked the sound; that makes HPS an easy choice for Turnberry’s. Keep us posted on your journey.

If you’re ever step into my neck of woods (Houston), feel free to stop by for a taste of Accuphase/Tannoy sound. I stream most of the time so there won’t be any shortage of Jazz musicians :-)

I will keep that in mind if I am ever down there! Thank you for the offer! While my experience with higher end speakers is a bit limited, I've always loved the Tannoy sound. 

@larryi 

I have the Turnberry speakers and the Primaluna amps (although not together) and I think the speakers are best used with warmer sounding types of tube amplification.  I am not a fan of Primaluna amps, but I've never heard the NAT amps so I cannot recommend then either.  The NAT design looks interesting, and if they are available in your price range, they might work out.

For warmer sounding amps (something that would complement the Turnberry), I would look for amps run will 6L6 or KT66 tubes.  I would tend to avoid KT88 amps because the tendency to have a "hard" or "brittle" sound might exaggerate the slight tendency toward sibilance of the Turnberry.  Of course a 300B pushpull or single-ended amp will have the right tonal qualities, but, the issue would be sufficient power.  I personally don't listen at very high volumes so my compromises would be in favor of low-powered alternatives, but, this is a personal decision.  

Interesting point. I have only ever heard the tubes on the NAT (GM70) on that particular amp, so outside of that one experience, I am not sure if I can really judge their sound signature. From what I've read, they tend to be sweet, dynamic, and detailed, which tracks what I heard from the amp, at least. When I had my Primaluna before, I swapped the tubes out for....(I think) EL34s and found it much nicer with those, but this was quite a while ago now.

@atmasphere 

Due to the efficiency of your speakers, unless you have a smaller room I would avoid SETs in particular. 

With this particular amp that I am looking at - the NAT - the room it was in was larger than my room, was driving Kensingtons and sounded wonderful. As much as I'd love to consider mono blocks + pre-amp separates, realistically they are out of my budget for the time being, at least at the level I would prefer them to be if I went that route. I would likely have to get very, very lucky on the used market to put together 2 excellent mono block amps and a great preamp for $8k. A goal for the future!

“I've always loved the Tannoy sound.”

Likewise! I know it will take a very special speaker to surpass my wonderful Canterbury’s. Next month, I am visiting my dealer and looking forward to auditioning Horning, Wolf Langa and Cessaro speakers. Should be a fun trip! 

mmcgil: You can call Roger Gibonni & speak w/ him directly about a trial. I think he may agreeable to that. I couldn't put the Prima Luna back in it's box & return it to a friend fast enough when I put the Rogers in my system. They're not in the same league in any way. I'm not into tube rolling or playing around w/ the amp like some & just want reliable, consistently excellent performance. You can switch between ultra linear & triode modes for fun. It also has a good headphone amp & home theater pass through. The build quality is as rock solid as the sound. It does need room to breathe as its gets pretty warm. Best of luck!

I like that it includes a ground terminal. Anyone know what it grounds? The absolute best is to ground the speaker's frame plus the front and rear plates.

@pedroeb 

Tannoy includes ground terminal to further optimize performance by way of reducing RFI. The intent is to keep RFI away from the voice coils. There are several ways to ‘ground’ …I’ve tried both mechanical and mineral based grounding. In my system, I found mineral (ores) based grounding to be most effective in further enhancing the performance. 

After connecting a pair of Entreq boxes to Tannoy’s dedicated ground yielded a new order of magnitude in sonic improvement - the bleeding of RFI noise to grounding box allowed me to hear nuances more clearly. The detail retrieval is further improved whilst remaining natural and organic in presentation.

If I were OP I’d be tempted to try the Manley Snappers for sale at TMR (probably listed here too). 100 Watts of sweet EL34, and Ms Manley herself is a lifelong Tannoy aficionado.

For what it’s worth I agree Tannoys can thrive with either tubes or SS. I’m still in love with what the Phison A2.120SE bring to the table for my Canterburys.

I’m shocked Noone has suggested Sugden! My Tannoys just love my Sugden class A. Only 30 watts and my Tannoys sing. I think it's a match made in heaven. A lifelong pairing, at least for me.

@lalitk I just heard the Wolf Von Langa's at CAF you're in for a treat I heard Canterbury's at that same show to me a not great pairing with ARC gear. But was happy to hear a Tannoy Reference speaker finally! The WVL's were paired with the amazing sounding Tron 300B integrated.

To the OP if you don't end up going with the NAT amp the 6L6/KT66 is a very good one and some very good amps out there using those tubes.

@jond 
I have had the pleasure to hear Tron Audio amplifiers on a number of occasions and they’re excellent across the board. You must have heard their Atlantis 300b. I’ve not heard that but have heard their 211 based amplifier. Very high quality components.

Charles

@jond 

Having owned ARC gear in the past, I can relate and agree with your sentiment. ARC wouldn’t be a good match for Tannoy’s. I’m looking forward to my audition, lots of great gear including Tron. 

Tannoy DCs sound best with amplifiers with medium output impedance /damping factor.That generally means push pull valve amps of more than 15 watts.

There is also a few SS amps that will suit them-Bakoon,Dartzeel NHB 108 and Sugden A21  as they have medium output impedance.Nearly all SS and Class D amps have low output impedance.

Don’t worry. Fine amp with good Thd+N will drive them perfect, you can pair with accuphase for warm sound, more bass; mcintosh for clean sound, mid and treble but not too much bass. Audiolab 6000a for economy solution. 

Nice sounds good @lalitk  and @charles1dad it was my first time hearing Tron gear but it sounded amazing, helped of course by the great WVL field coil speakers.

I have a westminster diy using hpd 12 inch classic tannoy drivers.  I've found the McIntosh mc275 with a tube pre amp and tube phono pre works perfectly.

Aric Audio has some interesting offerings.

I've been using a Line Magnetic LM805ia for my Tannoy Arden's for a few months now and I'm not sold on the pairing, it's almost too warm and not dynamic enough.

I just tried a Rogue Audio RP-7 with a Digital Audio Co Cherry Class D amp and I think that like others have said, they need more power than the efficiency ratings tell.  I'm sold now on a tube preamp and SS or Class D amplification.  

Not sold on the Rogue, wouldn't mind a bit more "tube like sound" with the high power.  

jtgofish

“Tannoy DCs sound best with amplifiers with medium output impedance /damping factor.That generally means push pull valve amps of more than 15 watts”

Although Tannoys usually rate in the 93-94 db rage, they don’t respond well to lower power SET amps. Heck my 15 watt Quad ii are anemic with the Tannoys. My Frankenstein 300b are good for background music an not much else. My ASL845 amps are the starting level where the it started to sound very good, and it controlled the woofer well. In the end, my Churchill’s benefit from more power still. My Luxman 509x delivers a very warm sound without any horn brightness. And my Atma-sphere M60 is the sweet spot with enough power, and being OTL, by removing the output tranny rivals the magic of SET.

For me there is more magic in the Atmosphere / Tannoy combo than my 94db Coincident Total Eclipse (TE) and 300b Frankenstein, which was a formidable combination in its own right where the 300b is more than enough to drive the TE speakers which present a much easier load at 10+ ohms.

To the OP mmcgill, if you like the purity of SET, and your down the the two choices only, I think the GM70 in the NAT audio single HPS v2 has got the minimum current and can drive the Tannoy to sing well, and will really sound sweet. As usual it about personal preference, synergy, and your room. You need to find what works best for you. Buy used, and if you don’t like it, you can swap it own without any relative loss.

I’ve also had PassXA25, ASL Hurricanes, Coincident Dragons PP211, and the Atma-sphere was the best combo for my Tannoy situation.YMMV

All the best in finding your utopia, and enjoy the ride!

@ianderson

To the OP mmcgill, if you like the purity of SET, and your down the the two choices only, I think the GM70 in the NAT audio single HPS v2 has got the minimum current and can drive the Tannoy to sing well, and will really sound sweet. As usual it about personal preference, synergy, and your room. You need to find what works best for you.

Good comments and suggestions. That NAT has enough quality power I believe for these Tannoys. And, the OP has heard this NAT with Tannoys and found this pairing sounds "incredible". I can see where the Atma-sphere M60s would be a very good option, no doubt. I also agree that an 8 watt 300b SET would not be the best choice with these speakers. 

Charles

The Almarro 318B can drive Tannoys quite well and that is a SET of about 15 watts.

It is a bit unusual for a SET however because it uses a fair bit of negative feedback.Most SETs use zero negative feedback.The 6C33C valves can also supply a lot more current than say a 300B.

Tannoy Stirling GR owner here I just acquired a new custom build Dynaco ST-70 by Chris Keller in NC and it's an amazing piece.  I've owned a bunch of tube amps over the years and this is really fantastic and an amazing value.  My last tube amp was a  Music Reference RM 10 MkII and my alternate full-time amps are Atma-Sphere class D monos.  It's here to stay.

I just wanted to confirm the comments that KT66 amps are stellar for the Tannoy Turnberry. I use a Line Magnetic 126 which is a KT66 amp and the Turnberry GR’s simply sing. Also, this is a 15 watt, class A amp that weighs 105 lbs so there’s no shortage of current and the speakers are well driven. Highly recommend the pairing. 
 

@miesdavis 

That's one serious looking amplifier and I suspect very well executed. I have no doubts that your Tannoys truly sing driven by this amplifier.

Charles

Revisiting this topic a bit as I’ve been doing some more thinking...

I don’t necessarily NEED an integrated amplifier or a preamplifier beyond my phono preamp. It’s just convenient since I do stream music occasionally for things with no vinyl available, but that’s easy enough to just switch the plugs out on those fairly rare occasions. So, I suppose this could open up a few other options, such as mono blocks or just a stereo amplifier w/no preamp.

I can always add a pre-amp separate at a later date if I absolutely must have.

From doing some further reading and input from some other owners, just common responses have been:

1. for more detail, studio-sharp dynamics - go SS
2. for a more relaxed, emotional experience - go SET

That’s not a revelation at all though, and has been my experience with the whole tube vs SS thing in general. While detail is nice, I definitely enjoy the more ’emotional’ tube sound, even if it’s a bit colored. After all, the whole point of all this is the music. 😛 I have a SS/Tube hybrid amp now and miss my tube amp every day. My current amp doesn’t sound bad by any means, but it’s just lacking that warmth I grew to really love, which is why I hesitate with SS.

A brand I have also seen mentioned is Air Tight, which might be something to consider used in my price range, though I have no experience with them at all.