Jim, I think state of the art sound is very expensive in either format.
An audiophile friend recently purchased a well known tube integrated amp made in China that sells for a very reasonable price. He thought he was getting pretty good sound until one day he decided to hookup his old 1977 Kenwood 40 watt integrated. With his efficient speakers the Kenwood blew away the tube amp.
Dynaco Stereo 70 amplifiers are popular yet they only sound slightly better than a Japanese receiver. So, maybe it is a matter of taste.
But if you are looking for the latest and greatest in solid state from Levinson or Pass or tubes from Audio Research, VTL, Atma-Sphere, Canary, etc. you can expect the price to be high on either.
An audiophile friend recently purchased a well known tube integrated amp made in China that sells for a very reasonable price. He thought he was getting pretty good sound until one day he decided to hookup his old 1977 Kenwood 40 watt integrated. With his efficient speakers the Kenwood blew away the tube amp.
Dynaco Stereo 70 amplifiers are popular yet they only sound slightly better than a Japanese receiver. So, maybe it is a matter of taste.
But if you are looking for the latest and greatest in solid state from Levinson or Pass or tubes from Audio Research, VTL, Atma-Sphere, Canary, etc. you can expect the price to be high on either.