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Selling off Tubes for Solid State, A Cooler Love Story?

I've always sought out Primaluna gear as my end all be all gear. I started with an integrated, then went to separates and have been very, very happy. What has given me such good sound, is also causing the room temperature to be somewhat annoying. Being in a little shoe box room of 10x15, I've had to result to opening a window, which is becoming tiresome. 

The heat from just the KT88's is causing me to considering going solid state, which will be in preparation for the Summer in my tiny upstairs room. I'd like to possibly get a second amp for the summer months, but am not sure where to start with solid state amps. Do I pick up a BHK? Do I go all in on a used Ypsilon or Dartzeel? What did you look for in a solid state amp and where should I look? I BHK I could test drive at home, but a used Ypsilon I wouldn't able able to try and would just have to pull the trigger. Any advice or guidance is appreciated. 

128x128j-wall
unsound
7,329 posts
 

Budget?:

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knighttodd's avatar
knighttodd
202 posts
 

Im in my basement. 14x24x8.Ls28se pre, Pl Evo 400 and A21+ splitting duties on the speakers. Mechanical room is just on the other side. Only heat i feel is my wife saying I don't need any new gear. 

luisranger
2 posts
 

I know what my friend,if you love how sound your system with tubes,keep it because solid state amps the majority it’s sounds stident and dynamic but the only solid state amps can sound similar is First Watt but it’s you have a eficient speakers and neutral sound,the only solid state vintage amp can sound like a tube is BK,and Pass Aleph class A but it’s very difficult to get and the prices it’s up the ceiling plus consume a vast of current, my humble opinion keep in tubes or hybrid amps.

arch2
308 posts
 

I did the exact same thing j-wall. I have a Primaluna dialogue premium hp amplifier with 8 kt150 tubes and also found my 13 by 17 upstairs listening room getting very warm during the summer. After an hour or two the temperature rise in the room was noticeable. I bought a PS Audio BHK 250 several months ago and while the amp does run a little warm it’s nothing like the PL. As much as I enjoyed the Primaluna the BHK is on a whole different level. Bass grip is positively phenomenal. 

dynamiclinearity
258 posts
 

One of the main factors in tube sound is low damping factor which very few solid state amps have. A high quality exception to this is Pass amps. They don't use full loop feedback which is why solid state has a high damping factor. So Pass amps interact with a speaker load similarly to tube amps.

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