Class A watts vs Class A/B watts

I have a fully dual mono, pure class A SS boutique amp that puts 200 watts per channel into 4 ohms. By design, it gets so hot you can't leave your hand on it for 5 seconds--on idle! I also have Mac MC501 monoblocks that put 500 watts into 4 ohms. You can play 'em all day and they're barely warm. Montana EPS2 speakers at 92 db with 3 ohm min. The class A amp is ultra-transparent and sweet and delicate. It's magical, as you say--a great amp. It also supplies very little bass foundation. The Macs aren't as transparent and delicate but they create a phenomenal bass foundation, even at low volume, and control the speakers far better. Their midrange bloom is also better--piano notes just hang there with all harmonics intact--and they're more organic and coherent from top to bottom. Great detail, too, if not as completely resolving and present as the class A amp (which is remarkably good in this regard, like SETs). The class A amp, which retailed for $11K in 1999 when I bought it, now sits in its crate. There's something about Mac SS amps that's just incredibly satisfying in the right system, even for a hyper-critical listener like me. And until I bought them, I was convinced that pure class A was the only way to do SS amps.

I tend to agree with Pubu57 in that it may be system dependent and you need to try for yourself.

I recently changed from a Mac MC402/C46 combo to a Luxman L590a II integrated, 30 watts Class A, and very much prefer it to the Mac combo, with my speakers. My speakers are relatively easy to drive, the Luxman drives them effortlessly, it seems much more powerful than the 30 watt rating; also, the bass is better with the Luxman.

We A/Bed the E550 and the MA7000 in the same system, the same day. There was no contest for us: the McIntosh had way more soundstaging, flow and rhythm. It made music. The E550 was dry and closed-in by comparison. It did seem more detailed but that came at a very steep cost in a variety of aspects. This was on Avalon Ascendants.

But it may well have been the E550 didn't have enough power for the Avalons, rather than it just being a lean-sounding amp. The dealer seemed to think it had plenty of power but it sure didn't sound at ease to us. Likewise, I think your speakers need more power than 30W. Amplifier headroom is key to good sound IMO and IME. Good luck.

Arthur

You want everything ? Look at this:
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1283637910&/Symphonic-Line-Kraft-250-Dual-

For many audiophiles they are the last amp.

If it is in the price range, that Symphonic Line would be very sweet indeed. The longer I think about this, the more I really do get the sense the Accuphase might get pushed to hard with your speaker.