Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

I have owned the Lamm ML1.1 dual mono 90W amps for the last 2 months and they have been by far the best amps I have owned. My most recent were Wavelength SET amps (Rest of my system is Wadia 861, Wilson Watt 7, Shunyata Hydra8/Python, Harmonic Tech cables). I also went back and forth between SS and tube amps. I have always wanted to go with solid state due to less maint/worry over tubes, but have come back to tubes as the best sound. In the past I have owned some of the better if not best solid state amps from Ayre, Rowland and Krell and also had CJ MV50s a while back. My current Lamm amps have been a revelation in terms of detail retreival without the stidency and more etched/sterile sound of SS amps. microdynamics and transparency/ability to present a clear view into the music. As good as the SS amps have gotten, heard most recently Spectral Mono amps, which are argueably the best or near best SS amp, the best tube amps offer a sound much closer the sound of live music played. Not sure if 90 watts is enough for your system but if you can swing the cost of the Lamm amps, they may be the "last" amp purchase.

Thanks Kejser and Rawawjakaj. At the moment, Gryphon, Wavac are high on my list. So are Lamm and Berning. I need to find a place in London, UK that actually carries Lamm. Should be auditioning this month! thanks again and happy new year.

Lloyd

"SF Strads (4ohms, 92db sensitivity though impedence does dip to 2.5ohms)"

FWIW, I think a tube amp on a speaker with a dip to 2.5 ohms will have some shortcomings. Personally, I would want at least 300 watts of power, with the ability to double into higher impedences.

Not saying that you might find a worthy tube amp. It's going to be a challenge, though.

Have lived with the Strads for more than 2yrs. During which time amps used were alternating between my Jadis JA200, ARC REF600mkIII and FM Acoustics 611 (with either ARC REF3 or VTL REF7.5).

Did not post sooner because because you initially seem to be going for tube varieties as tittle of thread suggest, and whereas best result I got was with the SS FMA.

Now that you have opened up to SS (ie.Gryphon), I would heartily recommend you put FMAs in your 'must' audition list too. And if by any chance you ended up investing your money in them, I believe most likely they will also be the last amp you will ever want to own--SS or tubes.

However a thing of concern is that your CJ ACTII has not got any balanced out--am I right? The FMA amps got only balanced-in unfortunately.

Hi Rtn1 and Bvdiman,

Thanks. As you can see, my thinking has evolved towards Class A sound SS while still including some high powered tubes. i have heard great things about FM Acoustics, in large part due to the many A'philes who have praised them on this site. Yes, the CJ is RCA only...Gryphon provides their own adaptors into their balanced inputs. I will try to find a place to hear FMA's if i can...expensive, but so is Gryphon, Lamm, Wavac... perhaps second-hand/demo which is what this website is all about.

Given how many tubes one needs to have (and to replace!) for 300watt tubes, and given that i have a tube DAC and tube pre, i am starting to lean towards SS. i just have to audition carefully myself and decide. thanks for the advice!