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SS amp for Merlin VSMs?

Is there anyone who has found an SS amp that they prefer to tube amps with their Merlins? I have most recently owned CAT JL2, Atma-spehre M-60, Music Reference RM9 Special Edition and RM10MKII, Quicksilver V4s, and the Ars Sonum integrated (In each and everyone sound terrific with the Merlins). For SS, I did try Pass XA30.5 and First Watt Aleph J, but did not prefer them to my tube amps (I now use Music Reference RM10s - summer; and the Atma-spehere M60s the rest of the year).

So, any great SS sucess stories with the Merlins up against the kind of tube gear I have owned? Or is that just a elusive chase?
pubul57
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,199 posts
 
I'd like to hear the Tube Audio Design 125 Hibachi 2 amps with Merlin VSMs, if I had a pair.
thuan98's avatar
thuan98
117 posts
 
I'm second to TAD125 HibachiII - give them a try
Paul has the sale with steep discount. I bought 2 pairs :-)
I try with my VSM-MXe with great result. After all, you can't be beat with $500 a pair TAD125 :)
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,199 posts
 
In addition to Thuan, there is at least one other experienced A'goner I know that has reported very good results with the TAD125/MErlin pairing. And the cost cannot be beat as best I can tell. Plus, being SS, no tube maintenance concerns. What more could one want?

Oh yeah, actual tubes, I suppose.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,199 posts
 
I think I've read that there is actually a single long life tube used in the TAD 125's input stage, which might help account for some of it's positive tube like sound traits.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,199 posts
 
COrrection:

The tube in the TAD125 Hibachis is apparently used in the power supply for noise reduction purposes, not the input section.
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