Living With A Class A Tube Amp

PS There’s an 88 on ebay. EBay takes 13% that a phone call will save you that and maybe more. 

Here’s one on Agone

@jrcotner 

1. Class A tube amps have desirable sonic qualities, but other current tube or solid state amps can produce equally good sound quality without the drawbacks listed above.

That came from @atmasphere and while I agree with the majority of his posts, and learn a lot from him, the point above is too subjective. I've heard him comparing the latest Class D amps to tubes and using the 'equally good sound quality' comment. I've yet to have that experience. (But I also haven't heard Atmasphere's own Class D amps.)

There's a couple ways that good tubes present themselves that I haven't heard from solid state/Class D. 

Amplifiers employing tubes often present a larger, deeper sound stage that some term ‘halographic.’ Tubes also have a distinctive distortion signature that I notice most with guitar treble. Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan solos sound like they’re playing different instruments when reproduced with transistor vs. tube amps. The transistors result in clearer, cleaner sounds; but the tubes sound like what I remember from the 70’s (in Jimi’s case). That reverberating, echoey sound can’t be reproduced by transistors, in my experience. 
 

I have both tube (Rogue Audio Stereo 100 Dark) and transistor (McIntosh MC252) amps fed by tip-of-the-line preamps of their respective lines. I find them to perform equally well, but they are not identical. Currently, I find myself leaning more toward the sound of the tubes, but it is so close; at least with the different speakers, each system seems offer its own unique contribution and I frequently run them both at the same time. 
 

Note: my response was prompted by @rooze ’s contribution, I didn’t intend to cop the thread at all. 

You most likely have either ultralinear or pentode

pentode being a purer circuit without all the feedback as in a Ultralinear circuit.

I always thought that ultralinear was synonymous with pentode, and that triode was the purer circuit. Was I mistaken?

@jrcotner I'm also an owner and purchased a Rogers KWM-88 two and a half years ago and I absolutely love it! Coincidentally, I also replaced a Prima Luna Dialogue, which I still have. I'm pushing a pair Focal Sopra 2s and the results are absolutely amazing!! I get the best of both worlds, power and dynamics and holographic imaging and deep soundstage. This will improve your SQ substantially and then your focus will be on improving your source and other components. 

I've been running the same two pair of KT88 and KT150s and I'm sure the 150s must have 3000 hrs and still going strong. Yes, I listen a lot, mostly because I can't pull myself away until the wee hours. 

I think your placement of the amp should be fine, the same as any other tube amp. It may run slightly warmer but not to the point of requiring anything special. 

You've received a lot of great information on this post from some of the best minds in the business but at the end of the day, we typically have one amp/system and we want that system to be engaging (when it all comes together).

Finally, as @wsrrsw mentioned, Rogers provides great support if ever needed. His amps really are built like a tank and will last generations. If you haven't already, check out some of his videos you'll get an idea of the quality, engineering and extensive  testing he puts into his product.

Good luck on your decision and enjoy the music.