Acoustic Zen Crescendo

Mapman,
I don't know how I could have made that point any more clear. This whole endeavor is subjective. you listen and either you like it or you want something different in some particular manner . My choice of 8 watt amp is no more or less subjective than your choice of a 500 watt amp. We both have chosen what suits us best to satisfy our respective goals. 


This is why I seriously suggested to Bill he should try a high power SS/class D amplifier. Wig went this route with the Vitus amp but found the LM 508ia with 48 watts to be better sounding. However for Bill it is quite possible the Vitus or your 500 watt Bel Canto could be the better solution for his needs.


I don't believe my taste or ears are better than yours or anyone else, I just know what is the better option for me. So although I can relate to Wig choosing the 48 watt SET amp over the 400 watt solid state amp.  I acknowledge this wouldn't be the choice for others. In no way am I making any proclamation as to what is universally best, hardly.
Charles

Charles I know you're not.    We agree that individual personal tastes vary.

 

Exactly !
On interesting forum discussions such as this we as individuals can only contribute the results of our various listening experiences. I admittedly tend to happily share my perspective regarding tube and especially SET amplifiers based on my discovery and long ownership of them. the move toward them and away from previous solid state amps was a pivotal moment for me.

I've read many posts by you recounting your happiness and enthusiasm with class D amplifiers and  Ohm Walsh speakers. I understand this as it is clear they have had a very positive and impactful influence along your journey. This is logical as we tend to talk/write about what we have experienced with resulting good outcomes.
Charles

Charles I share my enthusiasm and whatever knowledge I might if someone is interested but I hesitate to recommend them just because I like them. I think we differ a bit there perhaps.

Reason being they are totally different than what most are used to hearing. A totally different flavor of sound that usually takes time to get used to before falling in love although with a lot of familiar and tasty ingrdients of good sound to offer right out of the gate.

Also those who use radial or omnidirectional speakers are a minority so they are clearly not for everyone otherwise the reverse would be true.

If one is game to try than I am all in. But I probably more often than not tend to recommend more mainstream options for most unless there is some good reason to encourage them to try something radically different, like a history of failure with another approach.

There is the in home audition period and guarantee as an insurance policy so that helps.

Whereas with amps, what I recommend will largely be determined by what speakers will be used. If one wants to start with an amp and build form there, that’s one perfectly fine way to go about it though I would argue start with speaker/room integration because that matters perhaps more than anything and one usually has limited ability to change the sound of their room. Different speaker design, no single one or type will tend to work best in different rooms. That’s pretty much a given. Also choice of amp will determine what speakers are a good match and some choices, like choosing a limited power amp, will likely limit speaker choices most.


My job is to deliver computer based solutions (not audio though I cut my teeth in and sold audio and home electronics for a brief period in college many years ago)) and that means being solution centric and largely technology agnostic and that’s pretty much the way I roll.

I think it started when I worked for Radio Shack first as a salesman and later briefly as a store manager.   We were taught that when someone walked in the store they had some problem (like a blown tube or fuse) or were looking for something (like a particular hifi) and our job was to figure out what and solve their problem and then make a sale.  Good advice!

Charles and mapman I have always appreciated both of your contributions to this site. Good stuff!

I enjoy more than one house sound as no speaker/amp combo does everything perfectly .... at least to my liking. There are always trade offs as we know. That is why I will always own at least one tube amp and one SS amp to run my speakers. I go back and forth and enjoy each for a season before switching.

I will always own a tube amp as I love them aesthetically, emotionally, and sonically. I love the SET tube sound, but in the end find them limiting on the speakers I have owned over the years. Not limiting in terms of musicality, emotion, or tone. However they don’t provide the same scale, foundation, and sense of utter ease and control at high volumes. At least not at the level of high quality SS watts. Trade offs and the reason I will always own two different amps. This is only my opinion and experience. No, I have not experienced enough combinations to say my current opinion is truth for all. Also, as you both have said there is no truth in this world of subjectivity.

I bet a 45-50 watt SET tube amp is in my future to enjoy!