Just ordered the Jungson 88D Luxury Edition.

Tube pre is without a doubt, in my mind, the best way to go with a ss amp.
At least with a tube pre some tube swapping can be done.
With solid state what you get is what you got.

Speedball, another consideration is the noise floor of the amp. Although the Jungson is dead quiet hooked to my speaker with 90 dB efficiency, it may not be hooked up to a speaker with 102 dB. The BFS reviewer states, although the Jungson is quiet for a SS amp, it is not the quietest the reviewer has heard. So you may have to use the balanced connection on the Jungson to gain that extra 3-5 dB reduced noise floor. Or go for another amp more suited for your speakers, but I doubt you can get a SET amp of high quality anywhere near the price of the Jungson. I think you can get the stereo amp version of the 88D for under 1K which is really an absolute bargain. But this is all conjecture as I have not heard the Jungson through a speaker that efficient. Good luck.

The tube Pre is something I have certainly thought about even if it's with a class A S.S. amp. Some tube integrateds out there are looking pretty good too.

Really I was wondering if class A is a big difference in sound versue A/B. I've never heard it before and the Jungson being class A is what caught my attention.

Right now There is a guy offering me an old Musical Fidelity (Dr.Thomas Edition) for 400 bucks in excellent condition. It has 120 watts and the first 30 watts or so is class A. The price is right and I could still use a tube Pre with it eventually. What I'm concerned is, will I be able to hear a difference that 30 watts of class A makes versus A/B.

On the other hand I can keep filling the piggy bank and drop fifteen hundred or so on something in the future.

Sheeesh, decisions, decisions....lol.

In general, class A amps will sound smoother, more refined, more natural than their class AB counterparts. I would advise against getting a class AB amp for highly efficient horn speakers, unless it has been shown to mate well with horns.

I guess your talking about Sekei? If so its in Columbus. About 70 miles north of where I live and about 30 south of Indy.

I know I hauled my entire system up to Sekei to audition the Jungson. Its definitly worth the effort to pack at least the speakers if you get a chance to audition the Jungson.

You could also look at the Jungson 99C power amp. Suppose to be the same power section as the 88D but this would allow you to use a tube or SS pre.

BW Maxx