Kana813, I also sell audio products so I would take anything I say with a grain of salt as well! Manufacturers normally only like their own gear so I am way too partial, but have used the Rockports now for a decade and know what they like in terms of power and control....I use solid state gear as I use my system to voice products and it must sound the same from day to day....I also own tube gear I use to keep a handle on where we are and where we are going.....You can get down the road with either technology and no it isn't necessary to spend a fortune on amps for the Rockports as used a borrowed Quad 405 Mk II here for a month or so it took to get a broken CTC amp put back together a few years ago and it wasn't just a horrible ride, just a little slow and a bit bright......Music still played 24/7 here.....