Tube or SS for Vocals/Strings


I am wondering if I should pair a tube amp with my arro's if most of my listening is classical? I also like opera, baroque, romantic, etc. I am a cellist and so I listen to a lot of strings but I also like vocals. Yann Tiersen is my favorite artist/composer and so I want something that boosts all the arros' strengths and is completely musically involving. ideas?
baroque_lover
Ask a silly question, get a bunch of silly answers. You need to listen to both types of amps to decide which distortion your prefer, because that is what the "tube" sound is. Your particular speakers are a far more relevant determiner of the sound you will hear than differences among competent tube or solid state amps. Ignor the kneejerk go-tubes replies.

db
ok...

ImpedancE - 4 ohms
Sensitivity - 87 dB

Room size at the moment is really small, 10x12. I can only expect that the next room it will be in will be as small or a tad larger (15x12). Regardless these speakers will always be in a smaller room.
Given your room size, which is relatively small, and sticking with your Arro speakers, I'd look for a tube amp putting out about 35wpc, prefereably Triode. The choices then will be up to your budget. If you are not technically inclined, or don't want to hassle with adjustments, look for a self-biasing amp.

As far as "silly answers" and "knee-jerk reactions": I assumed, like most people asking questions here, that Baroque_lover was asking for OPINIONS from others who've had experience with both types of amplification. I would not assume that they, or anyone one else, would take the response to be anything more or less than that. By all means, use your own ears and choose your own tools. As far as distortion goes, as you can see by the overwhelming response here, and on many other similar threads, there are a huge number of Audiophiles and music lovers who overwhelmingly prefer the "distortion" of various modes of tube amplification (if you must isolate the qualities of the amp to that particular distinction). There are also those who prefer the qualities of SS. I've listened to and owned both in over 24 years in this hobby and it is my silly opinion that, for vocals and strings, there is no more rewarding form of amplification to give those sounds a more life-like presence than a well-selected tube system, especially a well assembled SET system. I currently own an SET rig as my main rig, and a SS rig as my secondary rig. I like both very much for their own qualities, but if you ask which I prefer to listen to vocals and strings on, well, you know what my answer would be. Whoops, there goes that damn knee again!

Marco
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