Tube Amps Watts vs SS amp

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.

I too have heard the claim that tube watts are subjectively more powerful than solid state watts, and I have sort of felt that way myself.  I actually think that good tube amps, coupled with appropriate speakers, sound much more lively and engaging than solid state amps playing at the same volume; you have to crank a solid state rig up to a higher volume to get the same sense of liveliness, hence, the impression that tube amps sound more powerful than their rating. 

The actual numbers would suggest otherwise.  The published tube amp output is typically where the tube is actually distorting quite a bit, and a more comparable wattage rating to where solid state is rated would actually be MUCH lower.  Arguably, a tube watt is less than a solid state watt, but the subjective impression is quite the opposite.

The AR 9 is somewhat of a beast to drive (87 db/w @ 4 ohm nominal impedance).  While it is possible to use a small tube amp successfully, it would mean accepting modest sound levels, a smaller room, etc.  I think solid state is more likely to be the best choice, but, you never know unless you audition some tube gear in your system.

Yeah- measures worse, sounds better. That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

With larger power supply, tube amplifiers tend to play louder than SS with same watt spec.

20 years ago I had Jadis 500(350Watt) which played louder than Krell KSA 150(350Watts at 4 ohm).

Rogue Cronus Magnum II (kt120 100Watt) play much louder than most 100 watt SS amp.

Thomas

I find it interesting that so many audiophiles, particularly those who favor high-powered amps, measure quality by how loud an amp will play.  For me, the measure is just the opposite--how soft can an amp play and still deliver satisfying sound.