I've got to second the Pass suggestion, which is a common one for its tube-like liquidity.
More interesting is that I tried to run my Parsifal Encores with a dealer-recommended Avatar a while back. The spectral trampolining it provided was so severe that none of us could believe it! I finally got out the old RS SPL and carefully measured upper bass and low-treble huge peaks, and a VERY rolled off top octave. Horns were unlistenable!
VAC simply responded that the EL84 (?) is commonly non-linear (even in a well-behaved load like the Verity's!), and that I should try their $9000 monos. I tried Acurus, Krell, NAD Silver, and other SS brittle crap (but at least they were linear!), and found nirvana with a pair of Aleph 2 monos (mono version of the 5 mentioned above: 100/160 8/4, 300w idle EACH!). And YES, there is magic with all Class A. I also use a small portable Class A mic preamp from GRACE that is astonishing in its purity and grace.
It's the Class A more than the tubes, IMO....
More interesting is that I tried to run my Parsifal Encores with a dealer-recommended Avatar a while back. The spectral trampolining it provided was so severe that none of us could believe it! I finally got out the old RS SPL and carefully measured upper bass and low-treble huge peaks, and a VERY rolled off top octave. Horns were unlistenable!
VAC simply responded that the EL84 (?) is commonly non-linear (even in a well-behaved load like the Verity's!), and that I should try their $9000 monos. I tried Acurus, Krell, NAD Silver, and other SS brittle crap (but at least they were linear!), and found nirvana with a pair of Aleph 2 monos (mono version of the 5 mentioned above: 100/160 8/4, 300w idle EACH!). And YES, there is magic with all Class A. I also use a small portable Class A mic preamp from GRACE that is astonishing in its purity and grace.
It's the Class A more than the tubes, IMO....