Tube Amps Watts vs SS amp

If you are starting with the premise that you need 400 wpc, and you have a somewhat tight budget restriction, most tube amps are not good candidates.  I think that even ultra expensive high powered tube amps don't sound very good and would stick with solid state for delivering that kind of power.

But, are you certain you really need that kind of power?  There are meters that can tell you how many watts are being delivered to your speakers.  If you use one of these meters while playing at typical volume levels and at the highest volume levels you play your system at, you will have a better idea of your power requirements.  If it turns out you do need more than 50 watts, it might best to just stick with solid state.

Oh no...

One of those SS watts threads!

Someone explain to the OP how he isn't even listening 20 watts of power.

You are better off using that speaker with solid state. It is not an easy speaker to use with tubes!
http://www.thevintageknob.org/acoustic_research-AR9.html

A 10x increase in power output will result in a 10dB increase in volume -sound twice as loud. Unless you are trying to deafen yourself, you don’t need all that power.
See these meters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EomDuIvsd3M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0fdmAp2CbM

First off yes, there is a difference between tube watts and ss watts. Tube watts seem subjectively to be about two to three times as powerful, authoritative, whatever you want to call it, as ss watts.

When it comes to driving "these high end speakers" its not the size or cost but the impedance of the speakers being matched to the amp that matters. Any fairly efficient easy to drive speaker, you won't need a lot of tube watts to be satisfied, volume-wise.

Which is why yogiboy is right. Although I would prefer, you are better off using different speakers with a tube amp.

There are lots of great tube integrateds that, matched up with some nice efficient easy to drive speakers, will easily outperform your current combo. 

Or if you are married to the vintage look then let the tubes go. A man's got to know his limitations.