The variable in the equation is the system. Just because it was a tube amp that does not mean much except how that particular unit works with that particular speaker. That is why you need to hear a particular component or speaker in your own home/system to evaluate. I have gone to a dealer and heard a particular speaker sound really bad and then gone back months later and really liked them on associated gear that was less expensive. It is all about the interaction between the gear. I have heard top of the line VAC gear on Nola speakers and personally I was not impressed at all. That means nothing to me until I hear the speakers in my system. It takes time to understand how to evaluate gear and understand the overall potential. Too many people in my opinion don't know how to do this or have a bias to what their system does so they don't hear the potential in something else. Also what may be important sonically to you, may not be sonically pleasing to another.
Years ago I heard the Sonus Faber Cermona floor standing speakers paired with an all Krell system. It floored me on how good the sound was. Go figure, but in reality they worked so well together. I recently heard a pair of Magico speakers ($40K) mated to low end (by price) PC into a SS DAC (probably under $3K). It did nothing for me but the owner loved the sound. He could not hear the deficiencies in the system. Even when we plugged in another component, he heard the differences for the better but he really could not evaluate the improvement the other component offered or the potential. He was more impressed with his expensive cables.
My best advise is to make sure you are getting the most potential out of your system before looking for something new or different. Listen, listen and listen some more until you get to really hear potential and differences. Try different gear in your system to see what the differences are and then understand why those differences occurred. Only then can you begin to understand how to evaluate and find what will work best in your system. Happy Listening.
Years ago I heard the Sonus Faber Cermona floor standing speakers paired with an all Krell system. It floored me on how good the sound was. Go figure, but in reality they worked so well together. I recently heard a pair of Magico speakers ($40K) mated to low end (by price) PC into a SS DAC (probably under $3K). It did nothing for me but the owner loved the sound. He could not hear the deficiencies in the system. Even when we plugged in another component, he heard the differences for the better but he really could not evaluate the improvement the other component offered or the potential. He was more impressed with his expensive cables.
My best advise is to make sure you are getting the most potential out of your system before looking for something new or different. Listen, listen and listen some more until you get to really hear potential and differences. Try different gear in your system to see what the differences are and then understand why those differences occurred. Only then can you begin to understand how to evaluate and find what will work best in your system. Happy Listening.