The secret is to biamp your system. Use tubes for the upper drivers and solid state mega power for bass drivers.
This is a true reference system if done properly.
@emergingsoul
this will be a source of incoherence in a reference system, unless the signal for the solid state amp on the bottom octaves gets it’s signal from the speaker terminal of the higher octave speakers. the bass amp needs to be very neutral, and then mimic the presentation of the tube amp on top.
if you desire a reference system. in lesser systems, not critical. lots of people do this, of course. which does not change the reality of it's limitations.
BTW; this is exactly how my speakers work. my darTZeel amps are on my passive speaker towers, and my active bass towers get their signal from the speaker terminal of the passive towers. then if i use a tube amp, which i have done, the bass gets that character to sound ’of a piece’.
it all depends on your expectations for a seamless coherent presentation. when you push the system, every amp acts slightly differently. you need things to stay of a piece with appropriate balance and feel at all musical points.
the odds of happening to find a tube amp and solid state amp acting exactly the same no matter the SLP’s are very very remote. not saying impossible. improbable.
