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Affordable SS that sound like Tubes

I was a 100% vinyl guy for many years. Due to maintenance cost and aggravation I switched to DSD after a lot of research and I have no regrets.

 

I am looking for suggestions on affordable SS that sounds as good as Tubes. 

 

Here's the rub. My Mid Monos were less than $2,000 brand new and they sound incredible. As does my Pre that costed me less than $1,000.

Integrated suggestions are welcomed.

And I would like to hear from people that had fine tube equipment and switched to fine SS equipment.

And please, no mention of "Tubes have Higher Distortion." LOL

T

128x128tonydennison
kota1
2,706 posts
 

Call Van Alstine and you will likely get what you need. I think the Set 120 is what you need but the owner, Frank, will be able to be more specific once you speak with him:

 

https://avahifi.com/collections/power-amplifiers

tonydennison's avatar
tonydennison OP
408 posts
 

@soix 

""Here's the rub. My Mid Monos were less than $2,000 brand new and they sound incredible. As does my Pre that costed me less than $1,000.

Integrated suggestions are welcomed""

tonydennison's avatar
tonydennison OP
408 posts
 

@newbee  LOL Very true

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,192 posts
 

To answer about S.S. versus tubes...

And going on with my Sansui Story:

One of the best designer of tube transformer in the world till today is Hashimoto which is a company which was created by Sansui and which is Sansui legacy in tubes amplifier...

Read this :

http://www.tube-amps.net/Hashimoto_Background.htm

Read this :

 

The Secret of the Hashimoto Sound

 

THE HASHIMOTO SOUND - THE NEO-SANSUI SOUND

I had a great opportunity to personally get know of an ex-Sansui manager Mr. Ichirou Ohshima who was responsible for all ultra-high-end Sansui amps from the mid 1980’s to 1999. During this period, he managed the Sansui high-end amp department for all high-end models, such as the B-2301, the C-2301, the AU-X111 MOS Vintage, the AU-X1111 MOS Vintage, the AU-Alpha Series, the Vintage Series, the MOS Series, the Limited Series, until the reproduction of the integrated vacuum tube amp AU-111 in 1999.

The vacuum tube integrated amplifier, Sansui AU-111 has the significant meaning for Sansui as well as Mr. Ohshima. The AU-111 established the ground for the future Sansui sound, and then a young engineer, Mr. Ohshima wished to create amplifiers which could sound as good as the combination of the AU-111 and JBL speakers.

http://www.tube-amps.net/Hashimoto_Sound.htm

 

I guess that one of the reason all S.S. amplifier sound as "tube amplifier" is because they inherited from the first Sansui tube amplification design and especially from their recognized world wide expertise in transformer design... hashimoto is born from Sansui , it is Sansui under another name...

 

Then it is a safe bet to say the Sansui amplifier S.S. design at his peak is very well known for his perfect balance of S. S. qualities and tube like sound ...

 

Buy a vintage Sansui and judge as i did by yourself...

I will never part from my Sansui alpha and he win easily the contest compared to the 2 tube amplifiers i listened to by far...

 
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,897 posts
 

@newbee +10

Mike

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