Is there a Solid State amp that can satisfy a SET guy?

austinstereo
As a result of being in sales and service of audio gear for a very long time, we have yet to encounter a solid state amp that can match a tube amp in terms of warmth and space. Just as true, we have yet to encounter a tube amp that has the tautness and attack of a solid state amp. A push pull tube unit is a bit more of a happy medium between the two extremes.

>>>>>You might consider widening your search as a good tube amp will meet your requirements for tautness and attack, obviously the usual audiophile protocols must be followed, you know, room treatments, EMI/RFI treatments, vibration isolation, etc. as a large part of the sound ultimately is a function of “system engineering.” “Plug and play” only gets you so far. 

Listen to a zero-feedback design. Close, if not quite matching, SET sound but also with advantages in bass control. Ayre and Aesthetix are in this category (altho the Aesthetix is a hybrid).

Depends on the Pass amps. Their amps cover a wide range of musical likes.
Those rolled off highs and bloated bass would be speaker dependent as well.

techno__dude247 posts06-15-2020 12:01pmYou can try Pass Labs. Some rolled off highs and bloated bass, just like a SET amp...

austinstereo,

"As a result of being in sales and service of audio gear for a very long time, we have yet to encounter a solid state amp that can match a tube amp in terms of warmth and space. Just as true, we have yet to encounter a tube amp that has the tautness and attack of a solid state amp. A push pull tube unit is a bit more of a happy medium between the two extremes."


...we have yet to encounter a solid state amp that can match a tube amp in terms of warmth and space. Just as true, we have yet to encounter a tube amp that has the tautness and attack of a solid state amp.


Thanks. 

It does seems logical that the added distortion of tubes could be likened to the mildly loosening effect of a sonic screwdriver, giving the soundstage the gentlest lack of focus that many find delightful but which will inevitably also lead to a lessening of impact.
 
Particularly obvious with those loudspeakers presenting more of a challenge in regards to efficiency and impedance.

SET and high efficiency or high efficiency and SET, is where many decide to finally disembark off the upgrade train journey.

Ironically enough, close to the point where many others started, decades ago.

I have not observed that zero feedback necessarily sounds like SET in my limited experience with those technologies.