Any SS class A experience to share?

I'm looking to upgrade from my beloved VAC Avatar SE only because I'd like tighter bass. Depth is fine, but I also want "slam". I'm thinking: Tube preamp with a Class A Solid State amp.

Just a question. Where is the hall-mark of quality that only class "A" can give you all of this and "AB" class can not?
Do you think that "AB" class isn't up to the task?

This is just my opinion, but you can loose a lot more than you can gain if you switch without auditioning with your speakers. I think mini utopias are too 'lean' sounding, for my taste, to match them with equaly lean amps. I do not think that ss amp exists, yet, that sounds like a tube amp. But unfortunately there is a plenty of companies that succesfuly made their amps sound like SS (ARC, SF...etc) There is no such a thing as a sure thing, but i would look into Jadis Orchestra integrated amp or any other harmonicaly rich sounding amp. Again, just my opinion!

Plinius sa 100 NO DOUBT, TUBE LIKE SOUND.

Spectral DMA-200, class A up to its rating of 200 watts @
8 ohms, 380 watts @ 4 ohms. Does not need MIT cables, but
I recommend them, at least the MI-750 series, low impedance.
It idles at 800 watts, so it uses alot of juice from the
wall to get that 200 watts. The fans can be noisy, so replace if necessary, no heat sinks. Lots of circuit protection and is impervious to short or open circuits, will
only have to replace fuses (mostly). Cost is around $1500
for a used one in 7/8 out of 10. There were a few on A'gon
last month. Superior sound at a fraction cost of new. The
best bargain on the market for a very special amp that is so liquid with very taut bass. I have two and would not part with them for love nor money.

The Forte' model 1A might be an option if you want to keep the price way down and don't need the wattage. This is a Nelson Pass design (50w/ch pure class A). I ran this into Thiel CS1.2's when I got out of college and it worked very well. It certainly isn't anywhere near the quality of a VAC, but it is a very liquid sounding amp for the price.