Anyone with Aric Audio experience?

Not sure why this thread devolved into the tired turf war between tubes and SS. Both can be great sounding; both can need repair: such is life.

And now back to the OP’s question. Nearly a year ago, I bought one of Aric’s Transcend Push-Pull amps with a few upgrades--Jupiter caps, Edcor transformers, a TDK volume pot rather than the stock Alps, cherry wood base. Aric even installed amber LEDs at my request and talked me out of other upgrades that would have raised the cost but not necessarily the sound quality. He’s a good guy and a straight-shooter.

The Transcend PP is really a terrific amp -- great sounding, quiet, beautiful, and extremely versatile. You can run EL34, KT88, KT120, or my preference, KT150 tubes; and you can switch between triode and ultralinear modes. This gives you power-range options between (IIRC) 35-65 watts, pure Class A. I think it sounds better than the VAC 300.1a I owned for 4 years, albeit with far less power, and has a palpable SET-like suppleness (even in UL) that is not often characteristic of push-pull tube amps, but without sacrificing top or bottom extension. For context, I also run a 2A3 SET, 300B SET, a couple of push-pull Class A/B amps, and a couple of high-grade Class A solid state amps with various speaker combinations. The Aric is less expensive than most of them but not outclassed by any. It’s a keeper.

@wrm57  A very nice writeup. Thanks!

I bought a high end preamp from him.  Excellent sonics.  Very solid dude.

I got to know Aric and his equipment upon doing a review of his excellent Transcend Amplifier.  My favorable opinion and musical results with his preamp and amp are discussed at great length using Quad 57s and 63s with having the amp in various settings of triode and ultra-linear and EL34 tubes or KT150 tubes. Although I did not need to buy the Transcend Amp since I own two other amps from Conrad Johnson (Premier 8A monoblocs) and the Art Audio Carissa Set 845 which cost multiple times more than the Aric, I was inspired by Aric's understanding of music and tube designs to proceed to commission and buy the Aric Motherlode XL preamplifier to use instead of an Ayon preamp that cost more than twice as much.  I am still using the Ayon CD35II as a transport/cd player and DAC for streaming.

I endorse reaching out to Aric for your musical pursuits and equipment choices.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1223/Aric_Audio_Transcend_Push_Pull_Amplifier_Review.htm?fbclid=IwAR1KEiuZp5DuChXxRBm5iULccupMM2aesySR3FE97t5cW3Aj2owEhIqw6oA

I know Aric. We've never met, but I feel like I know Aric. More importantly, I feel like Aric knows me -- his communication and customer service skills are on par with what comes off his bench. Across the last decade, I have purchased the following equipment from Aric Audio: Preamps (4) -- A pair of mirror image Linestage Preamps called The Twins, a Transcend Preamp, a C3M Linestage, and a Super 6SN7 Linestage; Amps (3) -- Transcend Push-Pull Mono Blocks, a Super KT 88 120 SE, and a Custom 300B PSET; Loudspeakers (2) -- a pair of Dynaltos, and a pair of Animus Loudspeakers. In every case the build quality has been excellent and the performance level, well, all punch well above their weight making them a steal at the prices he charges. He's a one man show so everything you see, he's crafted, built, soldered or stained it, and it didn't come off his bench until it had a dead black, ear-to-the-speaker background. When the SS vs tubes debate surfaces, relative to "serious listening", I just smile, but don't care to comment. I hope his business plan returns him to the familiar waters of building loudspeakers too, because both pairs that I bought from him further promote the idea that if it says "Aric Audio" on it, you're going to be very happy with it. He has my highest endorsement.