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

Have been a SET guy for so long I have forgotten what a good SS amp even sounds like.
Just bought a pair of $33k speakers that will replace my current $16k speakers. Both are from the same designer and both are 92db and a flat 8 ohms. The new ones arrive in 4 days!
My 300B based amps well drive my current speakers even though I do use the system nightly as a 2 channel home theater. Especially considering the HT usage, I think I may enjoy a SS amp with many times the horsepower. The speaker designer suggests using a Leema Hydra II. I have written to Leema telling them of my 300B preference and they assure me that their amp does not have the destructive harmonics that make a SS amp bright. There must be other SS amps that can satisfy?
mglik
joeinid's avatar
joeinid
658 posts
 
@ag3__ 

I have not gone back to the F7 since the initial few days. We’ve had a storm pass through, no power for almost 3 days and with some frequent brown outs, have not had the stereo on much at all this past week.

While I’ve initially loved and love the F7, my main amp is and has been the SIT3 on my Avantgarde. I eventually need to put the F7 back in rotation, but my SIT3 has been just so wonderful for me, I’m getting a little lazy swapping out gear.
lula
213 posts
 
@joeinid 
How would you compare the SIT3 vs the Valvet E2-non SE? I owned the SIT3 and found it to be the best SS amp I've heard, but still slightly preferred my Aric Transcend amp in Triode with no NF....just a little bit more organic tubey presentation.
joeinid's avatar
joeinid
658 posts
 


@lula

Nothing will or can beat a good/great tube amp. My main goal for finding the perfect (for me) solid state amp (SIT3 is my choice with Luxman 590 AXII a close second) is because I play my system 12-18 hours a day when on. Tubes would worry me a little. I am not opposed to swapping around sometimes.

The Velvet E2 non SE is closer to the SIT3 than the SE version. Sometimes I wish I still had the non SE version for my Avantgarde. Only in comparison to the SE version, the non SE is not quite as clean on top but it’s a little sweeter/warmer and a little more "musical" at the expense of a little detail.
komi64
4 posts
 
Agree Pass xa.8 (or one of the First Watt amps). I have a Nagra 300i and sound wise they are damn close...
coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
805 posts
 
Brother, once tubes are in your system, nothing else satisfies like tubes. Your new 606’s sound like a dream! Is it me, or are these built upon a common open baffle theme? Take away the enclosed sub and what you have is an open baffle speaker. I previously owned open baffles with an AMT horn produced by the former Hawthorne audio company. The bass driver however was completely open like the upper drivers. Anyway, enjoy your 606’s, they appear truly beautiful!
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