Any SS class A experience to share?

'53, nice post (I'm 1952!).
I've been leaving my Aleph 2 monos (600w idle total) on all this week (it's 10F outside!), and am starting to agree that these thirsty non-PC hounds DO sound clearer ion the top octaves after at least 2 days.
I too routinely provided an hour or two warm-up, as clarity, slam, and extension improvements were easily noticed. After having decided to sell my Discovery essence XLR and keep my newish SPM instead, even though I feared the SPM was a little TOO revealing of junk up top, I now notice that the presentation after LONG warmup is astonishingly good with the SPM. NO top octaves slight edge that required the Essence previously. It's too bad that the SPM requires that I continue to pay for its performance by warming the big guns all the time. Strange synergies and parasitic relationships pop up in this noble hobby of ours, eh?

Hi Dud,

Last month, I auditioned many solid state amps in an effort to replace my ARC CA50. My purpose was to simplify ergonomics and lowering maintenance without sacrifice to sound quality.

I narrowed down to two amps, Aleph 3 and Gaincard. Currently, I am favoring the Gaincard. With the Aleph, I am using a digital preamp between the transport and dac.

Speakers I am using are KEF 103/4, Tannoy DMT10 and a pair of Silverline is on the way.

Hey Viggen, I recall that thread...are you still messin' round?! Which Silverlines are you getting? I recently got an Aleph 5 for my work system and am pretty amazed at how tube-like the sound is. It's not tubes, but it has its own nice qualities that makes up for what it is lacking. Still, when I get home to those SET's I am back in heaven! I must say the Aleph is really impressing me though! Never heard SS sound so good. I'm running it through Silverline SR-17's and that combination is like liquid butter! I'd like a bit more efficiency from the speakers if I were in a larger space though. For small spaces I couldn't ask for more.

Viggen, Do the Aleph 3 and Gaincard sound similar?

Hey Jax,

What front ends and cables are you using in your work system? I got the SR 11 to match with the Gaincard actually. I am really leaning towards the Gaincard and thought to tinker with the rest of my system around it. But, good thing I didn't sell the Aleph yet, as you seem to like the aleph/sr combo very much.

But, I do think the Gaincard is superior to the Aleph in every conceivable way. And, I do believe the Gaincard can be even improved with better front end, whereas, the Aleph isn't as dependent in terms of what components are upstream. The Aleph will throw similarly wide soundstage with mellow midrange with any cd player. This answers your question, Bud?

I read in Audioasylum that the gaincard is a mix between a Naim and a SET amp. I've never heard either. But, from what I read about Naim and SET, I would have to disagree. I think the gaincard is like a Naim and SET low/hi-biwired.
Catch my drift?