Tubelike SS Power amp

In my system, Luxamn M800a amps sound extremely close to vac phi300.1 in many aspects including the sense of space. I used different preamps and results are similar. I tried Pass, Classe, ML, Rowland, Boulder and these have their own strength but none mimic the tube sound like the Luxman.

IMHO, some SS amps can sound close to modern sounding kt88 or 6550 type tube amps operating in ultralinear or pentode mode. When I had the Vac in triode mode, the delicacy improves further and pulls away slightly from the Luxman in inner detail.

I doubt there is a SS amp that sound similar to the best of SET or OTLs when driving suitable speakers.

Conrad Johnson pretty much invented the "tube" sound as many of us know it. The SS amps they make are amazing. If you're on a budget their sonographe line is amazing! enjoy enjoy!

McIntosh MC 402.

I highly recommend the B&K ST-202 amplifier. Sound is warm, very tube like and the power is 140wpc (DIN) into 8 ohms both channels.

I was lucky enough to pick up one of the old black with gold anodized handles versions from the early 1980s. The thing is a beast with the big external heatsinks in the back and it sounds very detailed and musical. Best part? You can find one used for around $400.

Read the reviews:
http://www.epinions.com/content_261998349956
http://www.audioreview.com/mfr/b-and-k-components/amplifiers/st-202/PRD_124825_1583crx.aspx

"The sound of the music when initially played to make a recording, is not the sound that you hear when played back"

It's probably not the sound those present for the recording hear either. For all that we know, the microphone might be a much more efficient transducer than our ears. Our eyes look at a symphony orchestra, and then a speaker, and our brain quite sensibly tells us that there's no way that those small circles in a box can reproduce the sonics coming from on stage. Well, maybe the box doesn't have to; what makes us think that, even at a live performance, we're hearing the sound that's emanating from those performers? And don't talk about measurements; measurements are designed to be relevant to our hearing capacity. If we're flawed, our measurements will be likewise. I guess what I'm saying in a nutshell, is that if current music reproduction technology is twenty percent efficient while our hearing is ten percent efficient, then real music reproduction might be possible.