Mrtennis-
what you are reporting vis a vie the 3.6R/Wolcott presentation has not been my experience. the Wolcott P220 sounds nothing like a solid state amp. While it is true that the amp can control planars and electrostats like a solid state amp, it's resolving power and nueance rivals the best tubes have to offer. I have lived with the combination everyday for over two years, and have had many sets of ears through my listening room, and many comments have been to the effect that the combination produces some of the best music they have heard from Magnepans. There is a reason that many users of Magnepans, Soundlabs, and Martin-Logan use Wolcott amps. The only other tube amp that I have heard with Magnepans that would cause me to change is the remarkable Atma-Sphere MAII, also 220 watts, an OTL but enough to drive difficult loads with all the finesse and power one could desire. This of course at more than 2X the cost of the Wolcotts.
what you are reporting vis a vie the 3.6R/Wolcott presentation has not been my experience. the Wolcott P220 sounds nothing like a solid state amp. While it is true that the amp can control planars and electrostats like a solid state amp, it's resolving power and nueance rivals the best tubes have to offer. I have lived with the combination everyday for over two years, and have had many sets of ears through my listening room, and many comments have been to the effect that the combination produces some of the best music they have heard from Magnepans. There is a reason that many users of Magnepans, Soundlabs, and Martin-Logan use Wolcott amps. The only other tube amp that I have heard with Magnepans that would cause me to change is the remarkable Atma-Sphere MAII, also 220 watts, an OTL but enough to drive difficult loads with all the finesse and power one could desire. This of course at more than 2X the cost of the Wolcotts.