Jeff Rowlands Amp and Dac vs. VAC amp and DAC

Don't underestimate the "work" necessary for tube power amplifiers!  Tube enthusiast will tell you it's no big deal, but it's similar to when motorheads tell you manual transmissions aren't any more demanding than auto trans.  Aging tubes, heat from tubes, matching and biasing tubes, tube rolling, turn on/off procedures, warm up times for optimum listening, etc.  Experienced audiophiles tend to downplay these issues.  I am not trying to discourage you, but you need to proceed with your eyes open.

You've been offered some really good advice in this thread and I suspect that whatever way you'll go, you'll be very happy.  Unfortunately, I think it will be the wrong decision.  Rather than decide between tubes and solid state you could simply choose both.  I've owned Rowland equipment for decades and think the company and products are first rate, but for the price of the Aeris and 625 you could buy a premium DAC, a solid state power amp and a tube power amp.  Whenever the mood strikes you could switch from one power amp to the other and enjoy their respective benefits.  To put some numbers to it, I'm talking about DACs in the $5k area and power amps in the $5-7k range.

onhwy61,

Please recommend a SS power amp in the $5-7K range

Yes, please say more re: SS amp and tube preamp. Would a tube preamp need less 'work'? Or are you saying that by not using it all the time it would be better and the sound experience similar. Any suggestions or combos? I am grateful to the thoughtful comments here — I am very appreciative. 

Rinpoche 5-15-2016
I am feeling bad though because I was reading a thread that totally trashes Wilson speakers. I think the Sabrinas are really perfect in so many ways. I had to save space so they fit in really nicely. But the thread I read makes it seem as if people who purchase Wilson’s have no soul. I am not sure why people disparage others for their choices, but in my mind they are really lovely.

While there are of course many high end audio products that tend to be controversial and polarizing, my perception over the years has been that Wilson speakers tend to be a bit more polarizing than average. But as you’ll see in many threads here and elsewhere there are a great many highly experienced audiophiles who use and love them, and whose comments are the exact opposite of those you referred to. And it would seem to say something that Wilson has been among the most successful of high end speaker manufacturers for something like 40 years now.

My suspicion is that significant contributing factors to that polarization of opinion are greater than average sensitivity of Wilson speakers to differences in ancillary equipment (especially the power amplifiers used to drive them), due to a combination of their impedance characteristics and their resolving power, and perhaps also greater than average sensitivity to room differences and setup.

So although it is understandably unsettling to see the kind of negative comments you referred to, they are best ignored. Partly because there are at least as many and probably many more strongly positive comments that can be found, but much more importantly because all that really matters to each of us is our own satisfaction with our own system.

Best regards,
-- Al

Your words are very helpful. I appreciate that. I am not really an audiophile. But I LOVE listening to music on a great sound system. I am not sure why more women are not passionate about it too. Anyway, it is not the 'gear' per se that draws me but the sound that the gear produces. I was reading on another thread about the Sabrinas and it just seemed to get so personal and a bit hostile. Anyway, thank you for saying that. I don't have enough experience with too many other speakers to really be knowledgeable enough. But I have really enjoying listening to them and now want to pair them with a really good amp. That is my goal. I am back to being nervous about tubes — vs. SS — where this thread started. I am not sure if I am up to it? Do you think that a SS amp with a tube preamp will give me the 'sound' I am looking for? Engaging, warm, and magical? I guess I have to hear it for myself. That is what I am taking away from this thread. Bottom line, I need to meditate on this.