@hilde45 "I do like the tight, punch, crispness of solid state".
One other angle to throw at ya...MA252. It’s possible a hybrid tube/solid state integrated amplifier could ALSO be right up your alley vs. separates. It helps with other savings too. Disclaimer: While I’m not a McIntosh or Parsaound or Primaluna fan boy, it seems the latest generation of these integrated amps are sort of targeting what you are asking for, essentially. "Crisp", I don’t know, that’s your ears and taste to decide. Mc is not known for crisp, old or new. Might be too plush for ya yet. But, perhaps a closer look for a quick listen. While I’ve never heard one of THESE personally and have a few friends with Audio Note 300B amps and such, some of them like this MA252 unit for more round-the-clock use in alternate systems or den room systems. Makes good sense for a consolidated 1st system approach too. Heck who knows, a primary system winner for some!
Maybe test your ears again and go listen to one of these and see if it’s more (1/2 way) between where you want to be. You avoid the cost of costly interconnects, all in one, tube front end, solid state back end. It’s more than a trend developing, some value to it as well.
Example#1:
https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/integrated-amplifiers/MA252
MA252 Two-Channel Integrated Amplifier
- Hybrid design: vacuum tube preamp and solid state power amp
- 100 Watts into 8 Ohms
- 160 Watts into 4 Ohms
Quote:
"The McIntosh MA252 offers an alluring combination of tube romanticism and solid-state resolution and authority... The ability to connect the listener to the music makes this tube-solid state integrated a special component by any standard. I could happily listen to the MA252 for a long, long time." - PTA
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