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

 

@helomech   Sooooo, If you have tinnitus, you are not qualified to judge any piece of equipment...and...you can't be an audiophile. HOGWASH

I had many tube and SS amps and I have narrowed down my choice to the Marantz 1182dc Integrated amp. These amps have the tube sound and have better quality parts verses the typical Marantz 2275 receivers which I have owned as well. These amps not only have that rare silver classic look, but they're can also be easily repaired at any local audio repair shop. The 1182dc have plenty of power to run any speaker and you can tailor the sound to your room. These amps are very well built and can be pass-down or sold with returned investment. The any of the 11XX integrated models are a winner. Low wattage Marantz amps are fine, but I have 50 watts per a channel threshold.

Some Marantz, some Sansui, some Luxman, and some others with the right synergy coupling may not be too far from tubes fluidity and holographic details... + many more other advantages over tubes amplification...

if what i wrote is false , except for my own personal ezxperience, why are they became mythical loved vintage ?

Because they sound as S.S. not well designed ?

Or the opposite ?

😊

To beat them it takes contemporary top design as the atma sphere class D amplification for example... I dont doubt thay they will better my Sansui alpha...But the last top acclaimed tube amplification for headphone i just bought and returned after one hour did not... 😁

I say that for people with no big budget who dream about audiophile experience... The others will probably mock my claim pretending that the Alpha is obsolete... But for some wallet there exist a ratio S.Q./price ... I am not envious of any system and mine all pieces together  cost me 700 bucks...It did not lack on any acoustic factor either... Synergy and optimization of the components are mandatory for sure...

 

I picked up a used Jolida 1000brc tube amp for $1200 and it sounds like a tube amp- just replaced the EL34’s the other day.

I think I have zeroed in on the Pass Lab 1st Watt. Now to decipher the differences in models, although I have read the actual tube sound of the SET may not actually be a tube sound, maybe just a similarity. I think I will decide on one of these models and compare it to my QS's and then decide.

There are just too many options out there, I need to plant my feet.

Ive started a new thread specifically on the 1st Watt series.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

 

T