depending on your wattage requirements, klaus at odyssey audio builds amazing amps at great prices. i recently took delivery of a kismet and am just loving the sound. powerful, detailed, beautiful bloom - not overwhelming amounts. overall, love it more than my ayon spirit 3.
Switching to solid state amp?
I have had tube amps for the past 20+ years and have totally enjoyed their sound in my system. I am thinking of trying a solid state amp. Pass Labs comes to mind but would be open to anyone who made the switch, was happy and what brand worked for you. Btw I will still be using a tube preamp. Who has been happy with the switch?
- ...
- 77 posts total
I agree with some comments above that matching your amp and preamp is still the most important factor and the only sure way about this is of course to listen to it. Athough I obviously not tried all the combinaisons suggested above, my personal experience is pointing towards YBA with their classic series. YBA1, YBA2, and if you are ok with only 50W YBA3. The company's founder Yves Bernard André brought two distinct technologies that make solid state sound very tubelike: -) double C transformer that is exclusive to YBA. This transformer besides producing very low noise is also slow, that might look like a disadvantage but that slow reaction is a major part of making these amps soud very much tubelike. -) he also got his own amplification class, the "alpha class" with is prety much a lower heat A class. In all the solid state amp I've tried YBA is the closes to tubes |
One of the very best low-power solid state amps available can be built for well under $1000, See: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=138229.0 If you are not comfortable slinging solder and drilling faceplates you can hire a builder; Radu Tarta of CT builds a lot of SE tube amps yet is impressed with this little SS build. His site is https://simplepleasuretubeamps.wordpress.com/ I have two and they are absolutely amazing; just as enjoyable as my old Audio Note Kit One 300B amp. |
Speaking in very general terms, I have found that tubes often have a "rightness" in the treble that I often, but not always have found lacking in solid state. I would almost call it a "phasey" character that keeps cymbal taps and bells from sounding clear and open. In my experience single ended and class A push pull amps often do not suffer this. Ralph, maybe you could expand on this as your amps seem to excel in this area. Bruce |
After a bunch of years of tube, I gulped and bought a Hegel H160. First solid state ever other than a few Rega that were place holders. I like it. A lot. My phono is still tube, but the sound is shimmery and clear. You our also may be interested in an LSA Statement hybrid dual-mono integrated. Beautiful sound. |
- 77 posts total