Tell me if i got it wrong..

Chuck, this mostly have nothing to do with tubes or SS rather than in type of amplifier's operation (Class B amps as an example or push-pull, eliminates even harmonic distortion components).

Harmonic distortions aren't realy important if the're lower than 0.4%

The MOST important thing for the music reproduction is an ansable of your components with speakers. Carefull analysis and/or listening to every component is the way to acheive the most desirable music reproduction you aim.

Bringing up tubes to drive your speakers will be just only 2 cents

Hope you follow...?

Sorry, Mara..., try that again, please. And what is "ansable"?

Good post, onhwy. Totally agree. Tube amp output impedence/speaker load interactions that change frequency response are the greatest factor in ascribing tube amp tonal effects, no? Some of these can be grotesque, too, as when I tried a VAC Avatar on my Parsifal Encores. What a way to destroy a fine speaker! OTOH some systems need that soft-top, vivid-mid, bass-bump that can sometimes be acvieved benignly and therefore euphonically.
I prefer the transducers neat, however.

So is Class A SS (like Pass amps)the best of both worlds?

Also keep in mind that the ultimate tweak in tube amps is...CHANGING THE TUBES! It has been my experience that N.O.S. tubes will dramatically change the sound for the better over stock Russian tubes. Of course, multiple N.O.S. power tubes are pretty much cost prohibitive these days, but I have achieved these results with small signal tubes. And you don't need to go bonkers with pricy Mullards either!

Mara,

Lets see in your first post you say that SS has less Harmonic distortion than a tube amp. Now all of a sudden that has no value. Please make up your mind. Tube amps offer many advantages. Tubes are more linear devices than SS components. Tube equiment uses less complex circuitry (this comes from the school that simplier is better). Tubes "break up" more gracefully. Tubes need less negative feedback. Tubes also operate in a much higher voltage potential enabling them to swing more voltage, thus sound more powerful. SS amps on the other hand are "current amplifiers that swing current but need more negative feedback which takes away the musicality of the gear. SS amps are quieter due to no output transformer, but the more complex circuitry required for SS equipment can rob the amp of signal purity. One also must consider the Power supply of a tube amp. The higher working voltages present in tube amplifiers generally allows better voltage swing capability and better headroom. This higher working voltage yields higher audible energy storage with a lower value capacitor (audible energy storage is voltage squared divided by 2 multiplied by capacitance) Compare 600 working volts of tube amplifiers vs. 80 working volts of transistor amplifiers. This is most likely why many listeners feel that tubes sound more powerful.

...yes, I've ment ansamble(lake a band),Subaruguru. Class A is a picky issue in designing amplifiers. In the SS case it's very inefficient, although it is the way to get tube-like output. If you get Pass Aleph 6, you will be OK in the winter time without heater but what about summer? Besides for 60 output watts it consumes ~500watts from your power socket! To acheive a clear performance in the class A the active elements has to operate in small signal regime. Theoretically only small signal output characteristics of a transistor are linear. It means that Class A is good for a small input signal... That limits these amps in terms of dynamic performance.

If I would go for Pass I would take Pass X350 or higher power models. (in fact I wouldn't go for lower than 225W/ch SS amp)
There are Plinius models that can be a good match and more valuable financially.
Pass discondinued to produce class A amps and Pass X... line is already class A/B. (not "Stereophile class A")
Class A/B in my opinion is better since it's more music-independed.

Did I controverse myself previously? NO! The harmonic distortions of tube amps are solely from output transformers since the're not as lenear as tubes The higher output power tube amps used the higher amplitude of unwanted distortions will be produced. Also as I've mentioned before, these distortions are neglectable if placed next to number of advantages we gain from tubes.