Also, to help others who may read this thread later, I also have a Nelson Pass First Watt SIT-2, since First Watt was mentioned earlier (as it should be). I have the stereo version (not the SIT-1 monoblocks).
It is an excellent sounding amp in systems that can make the most of its low(er) power, and for someone who prefers solid state over a tubed amp. I bought it based on the recommendations of many, without the chance to demo it personally. It was a great experiment.
However, for me, it has never been a totally "convincing" solid state replacement for my PL HP, in my systems anyway. Here's why...while the micro-dynamics and detail are phenomenal, and the soundstage is so dead quiet and black to let all those details shine through (the best I've heard, in retrospect), to me there is a slight over-emphasis of the leading edges, and the decay seemed just the slightest bit short, and ultimately I found myself listening the details rather than hearing the music and the tone of the instruments, and ironically finding the whole sonic image to have less coherence and realism. The result was, again to me, just slightly less emotionally enjoyable, and even ultimately a little distracting. I later (much later) read similar comments from other owners, so I would recommend you demo one before you buy it. People also rave about the mono versions but at 2x the cost, it wasn't an experiment I was willing to try.
BTW, it smoked the 2 different Transcendent OTL tube amps I'd been using on my various vintage Altecs and three different sets of Zu speakers (all of which I still own in various systems)... a little in detail, but a lot in timing and immediacy (the OTLs both were relatively slow, in spite of sounding detailed and musical). So the SIT-2 is great at many things, but to me never ultimately beat the PL HP. That's how good I've found this PrimaLuna to be, at least with KT-150s.
The SIT-2 is one of a couple $5k-ish level amps I've kept around, hoping to find the right system for, but still waiting unfortunately.
It is an excellent sounding amp in systems that can make the most of its low(er) power, and for someone who prefers solid state over a tubed amp. I bought it based on the recommendations of many, without the chance to demo it personally. It was a great experiment.
However, for me, it has never been a totally "convincing" solid state replacement for my PL HP, in my systems anyway. Here's why...while the micro-dynamics and detail are phenomenal, and the soundstage is so dead quiet and black to let all those details shine through (the best I've heard, in retrospect), to me there is a slight over-emphasis of the leading edges, and the decay seemed just the slightest bit short, and ultimately I found myself listening the details rather than hearing the music and the tone of the instruments, and ironically finding the whole sonic image to have less coherence and realism. The result was, again to me, just slightly less emotionally enjoyable, and even ultimately a little distracting. I later (much later) read similar comments from other owners, so I would recommend you demo one before you buy it. People also rave about the mono versions but at 2x the cost, it wasn't an experiment I was willing to try.
BTW, it smoked the 2 different Transcendent OTL tube amps I'd been using on my various vintage Altecs and three different sets of Zu speakers (all of which I still own in various systems)... a little in detail, but a lot in timing and immediacy (the OTLs both were relatively slow, in spite of sounding detailed and musical). So the SIT-2 is great at many things, but to me never ultimately beat the PL HP. That's how good I've found this PrimaLuna to be, at least with KT-150s.
The SIT-2 is one of a couple $5k-ish level amps I've kept around, hoping to find the right system for, but still waiting unfortunately.