Swapped the Manley Stingray into the system and did a couple of hours listening to three configurations driving the GE Triton One.Rs:
1. Stingray in Ultralinear (40 watts)
2. Stingray in Triode (20 watts)
3. Cary Audio SLP-98p Formula 1 mod with Pass Labs XA-60.5 monos, my normal set-up with the Tritons.
Listened to vinyl only. Initial impressions:
All 3 sounded excellent. Bass was identical in all 3 configs. 1 and 2 sounded slightly sweeter or more natural on voices, with 2 being slightly more pleasing.
In config 3, the sound was more evenly robust or full, but not quite as appealing/ natural on vocals.
Bottom line - low power tube amps can drive the Tritons easily, and quite nicely.
The sound quality differences, slight though they were, were probably due more to the character of tube/solid state vs the all tube integrated amp.
1. Stingray in Ultralinear (40 watts)
2. Stingray in Triode (20 watts)
3. Cary Audio SLP-98p Formula 1 mod with Pass Labs XA-60.5 monos, my normal set-up with the Tritons.
Listened to vinyl only. Initial impressions:
All 3 sounded excellent. Bass was identical in all 3 configs. 1 and 2 sounded slightly sweeter or more natural on voices, with 2 being slightly more pleasing.
In config 3, the sound was more evenly robust or full, but not quite as appealing/ natural on vocals.
Bottom line - low power tube amps can drive the Tritons easily, and quite nicely.
The sound quality differences, slight though they were, were probably due more to the character of tube/solid state vs the all tube integrated amp.