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Help What Say You - Amp choices

I have been pulling my hair out the last few weeks listening to amps at different stores. My final three choices are the Rogue Audio M150, McIntosh MC352 (used from a friend) and the McCormack DNA-225. All are well built. No problem there. All presented a great warm sound. My dilemma is that I keep hearing about how tubes don't have the same weight, authority or control of bass as solid state. And I can't honestly say that I heard a difference going from stereo to monoblocks. Granted, I can't hear them all at the same time due to different audio stores, but I don't feel like the Rogues were lacking in the bass area, yet neither the McCormack or the McIntosh seemed overwhelmingly powerful in comparison to the Rogue. Any help, suggestions, medication (LOL) you can recommend is greatly appreciated.
hawk28
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
The Nola Viper, if I remember correctly (I owned their predecessor under the Alon badge), are very tube friendly and would likely work very well with Rogue. I think the tube bass issue is one of proper matching with the right speakers. Although I would say my CAT and Music Reference amps produce great bass on almost any speaker. I've never noticed much difference between a well made stereo and monoblock topologies, but that's me. Although you can run very short speaker wire with monos, and I suppose that is a theoretical advantage.
jeff_jones
418 posts
 
For what it is worth, if you go with the Nola's you might want to ask some very specific questions about long term parts availability & parts pricing. I bought some Alon's on agon that were damaged by DHL and poor packaging. When I went to do repair I was amazed that some parts weren't even available, some were remarkably high priced, & build quality once you took things apart was really very cheesy, particularly for a 6500 list speaker.
hawk28 OP
121 posts
 
Wow Jeff, that's pretty shocking for the prices that they charge. Thanks for the heads up.
glenfihi
525 posts
 
Either cast a wider net searhing for something that blows you away,which I think would be doubtful with the level you are looking at. Or make your choice on "pride of ownership", which unit would you like to have even if you were just walking by it and not listening at the time. What makes you smile. May not make a whole lot of sense, but that comes into the equation at times.
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,375 posts
 
I might add that if you are equally happy with all three amps, the solid state one will be less hassel to deal with for sure. You can leave it on all the time and it will always be warm and ready when you want to listen and in my opinion will have more authority in the bass with better dynamics. Tubes are nice, I've owned a lot, but for me the convenience as well as superior dynamics of good solid state makes it the better choice.
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