Is there a SS amp that can offer tube bliss?

I've wondered the same thing, but I still have tubes... I'd probably start off looking at amps that have a lot of Class A bias. The Claytons caught my eye as well, and apparently Accuphase has some amps that would fill the bill. The ones I'm keeping my eye on at the moment, though, are the Parasound JC-1 and maybe some of the new digital amps like the Rowland 201. I've never heard either, but they'd be at the top of my list to investigsate if I were to get serious about jumping from SET to SS.

I currently run Wavelength amps with WE 300B's, and I think it would take a pretty remarkable SS amp to give me that kind of magic.

1. Probably not, though I love the sound of my c-j SS amp coupled with a c-j tube preamp. Best of both worlds?

2. You might get more or better responses on the amp forum. Most of us analog addicts just use a big horn mounted on top of the needle. ;)

The bel 1001 MKV. Beautiful smooth sounding amp with incredible detail, lots of bottom end and all the rest. 50 watts stereo, 200 watts monoblocked (8ohm)I don't know how the owners of 10+ tube monoblocks handle it. Darn I left the amps on over night. Oh well won't have to turn on the heat this morning. As well as those tube replacements can be fairly costly. Ahhhh the decisions and sacrifices.

Having recently auditioned a number of SS amps, I cam away with a very favorable impression of Theta's amps. In fact, I bought an Intrepid for multi-channel, and hope to land a pair of Enterprises for the main speakers. While I would not describe them (or any SS amp that I have heard) as tube-like, they did have a nice musical presentation that was slightly warm. The imaging, depth and width of soundstage, and definition of the Enterprises was most impressive. Granted, the day after I decided that the Theta Enterprises were the amp for me, they get reviewed in Stereophile by an apparent tube amp fan (who was not inclined to rush out and buy a pair, but who overall gave them what I would consider a very favorable review), but from what my ears tell me, Theta offers most of what is good about SS amps, and a certain degree of what is good about tube amps.

If you are considering the JC-1's, then I would strongly suggest that you also audition the Enterprise monoblocks.

Tom.

Some tube-o-philes have suggested that digital amps resemble the "tube sound". In particular the CarverPro ZR1600 (which I use) is priced so low ($840 for 600 wpc at 4 ohms) that you might take a flyer and give it a try.