Where are you today?

I have gone thru various iterations using different systems, simultaneously but none lavish and none really expensive I generally have 3 systems function ready to play at present the main rig's power amp is tube.
I would like to comment that a tube preamp or a tube in the window of a an integrated SS power amp. Does not yeild a tube sound. I struggled for 6 years to find the synergy Sanhar is evidentily speaking of. The same thing happened to me. I always liked tubes but thought that I liked power even moreso.
This led to constantly using an SS power amp by many manufacturers of different ages etc. only to hear the same flaws in my system and it was at times brutal.
I also had a 40 watt integrated all tube for the WAF system. I prerred it at times to my big rig . The problem was it never quite managed to power the dedicated lisiening and audio equipment storage room even though my speakers were and are ( all 10+ pairs) fairly high sensitivity. So I used at least 100 watt amps which in a tube amp can be stratopherically priced. I added a tube pre an ARC believing that would be all that was needed. It was an older but well respected unit confirming an old friend's thoughts. The change was slight and not the key element.
Finally I had an opportunity to buy new tube Monoblocks rated at 78 wpc Opera/Consonce Cyber series 800s with 4 6CA7s a side and the requisite tonnage in the trannies. That changed the sound completely. Every time I listen to its off to Nirvana.
I do have the fix with what isn't broken gene habit, albeit not as fully expressed as TVAD and after 8 Mo. I have changed the system replacing the older ARC with a smaller inexpensive used AE-3 pre with all of 2 6SN7s but I have many to spare and the best by reputation.
Now that did it I have been utterly satisfied, to my own amazement thinking I would never find the answer. BTW it was a banner year the WAF system with the 40 watt integrated is now graced with a Jadis DA-60 using Gold lion reissue KT-88s (X 8 talk about spending.) Any way I have to get some of the accumulated amps up for sale.

I guess the biggest switch was passive to active speakers - before this I used monster power amps to handle woofer and tweeter requirements as one. I can't understand why it took me so long to realize the obvious: that driving a tiny sensitive tweeter and a large power hungry woofer together with the same engine is a compromise that only adds IMD - room pounding woofer requirements simply mess up delicate midrange and tweeter sound.

Of course you have to experience this first hand to believe it, as the conventional traditional wisdom is to go monster power amp and passive speakers.

have both, but mosfets rule

Switched from an SS amp to a tube amp almost a year ago to match my tube preamp - great synergy with new speakers and cabling, so I am completely happy.(translation: - it will be at least 4 months before I start monkeying with things again!)

Although tighter economy hasn't affected my purchases, it does seem to be affecting my sale of used components, as most of my responses are coming from outside North America.

Have always stayed with tubes here - preamp and power amp. I've never found the correct rendering of the timbre and harmonic overtones of acoustic instruments any other way. From what I keep hearing in other systems, I don't expect to change from tube gear and vinyl.

Monoblocks and separates have kept us happy for 35+ years, and it would take some severe space constraints in our living quarters to cause us to move to an integrated. (That's where we started in the early '70s and were pleased to be at the time: a late '50s vintage tube integrated by Fisher.)

At this point, we're fortunate that the economy is not affecting our decisions, but we don't change out gear very frequently and don't anticipate replacing anything in the foreseeable future. We've always preferred to fine tune to get the most out of whatever we have before moving infrequently to something else that will make a very material improvement. Just added a Walker Audio Velocitor and High Definition Links to get another step up in performance out of the system and considering some manufacturer's upgrades to a couple of components, but no changes in components.
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