Is there a SS amp that can offer tube bliss?

The Sim audio w-5 is a amp that I think is just as smooth as tubes with resolution that is the best I've heard in my room.The soundtaging is soooo massive and the midrange is palapable and real, the highs are extremely clean and extendedwithout sounding splashy.The low end on this amp is very accurate and fast with good punch.My speakers are a cruel load at 87db, and when I drive this amp loud and hard there is no heat on the heat sinks.Well I also own a MFA D75 and have had 4000hours on the oem tubes kt90 and with no trouble at all.Maybe a different tube amp may be in order,I think a used w-5 is a very good bargain with no headaches (advil is helpful in this area also).If you can get both since there is no absolute sound -Dennis

I really don't think tubes are the pain that you make then sound like. My tubes amps sound so glllloooorrrrriously good that I simply don't worry about "how much better" they could sound. I've not been compelled to hunt for NOS tubes and even so, I'm a JJ tube fan--they sound close to the best NOS tubes, are very affordable, and readily available. The only bummer about tubes is waiting ten or fifteen minutes for them to warm up a little--but even that isn't such a big deal as I have incorporated it into my listening routine. Waiting for the tubes to warm is a great time to clean records, check VTF, or pur yourself a beer ;) Take it from me, my generation isn't supposed to have any patience ;)

But at any rate, check out the LFD Mistral integrateds. Tubes are tubes and no SS will sounds like them, and although I have not auditioned these in person, I have it on good authority from opinions I trust that these are fairly "tube-like" SS amps. They're also quite affordable, available with two different power amp sections, and either internal or external optional phono stage if you wish.

Good luck!

No, but if you want something natural and uncolored try Gamut D200 amp.

Ayre is the most musical amp I've heard, plus their customer service is without a doubt one of the best I've dealt with.

Tube is tube, and ss is ss.
I used to have the same worry on my tube amp, then I get rid of my worry and my tube amp has been singing ever since.