I will look at the Octave it could be a good choice. From what I have learned about the Diablo 120 the build and parts are quite equal to the Diablo 300 but the 300 is a brute. I am sure the transformer is beefier but both have the same house sound.
Switching to solid state amp?
I have had tube amps for the past 20+ years and have totally enjoyed their sound in my system. I am thinking of trying a solid state amp. Pass Labs comes to mind but would be open to anyone who made the switch, was happy and what brand worked for you. Btw I will still be using a tube preamp. Who has been happy with the switch?
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I agree with some comments above that matching your amp and preamp is still the most important factor and the only sure way about this is of course to listen to it. Athough I obviously not tried all the combinaisons suggested above, my personal experience is pointing towards YBA with their classic series. YBA1, YBA2, and if you are ok with only 50W YBA3. The company's founder Yves Bernard André brought two distinct technologies that make solid state sound very tubelike: -) double C transformer that is exclusive to YBA. This transformer besides producing very low noise is also slow, that might look like a disadvantage but that slow reaction is a major part of making these amps soud very much tubelike. -) he also got his own amplification class, the "alpha class" with is prety much a lower heat A class. In all the solid state amp I've tried YBA is the closes to tubes |
One of the very best low-power solid state amps available can be built for well under $1000, See: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=138229.0 If you are not comfortable slinging solder and drilling faceplates you can hire a builder; Radu Tarta of CT builds a lot of SE tube amps yet is impressed with this little SS build. His site is https://simplepleasuretubeamps.wordpress.com/ I have two and they are absolutely amazing; just as enjoyable as my old Audio Note Kit One 300B amp. |
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