solid state vs tubes

Mr T.

That's fine I think you need to state the question as might your speakers sound tube like with a ss amp. Nothing else really matters if that is what you seek.

I personally think it is possible with some SS amps, maybe even the better Class Ds. You might want to through some tube gear up front in the pre-amp or source in order to keep things leaning more towards the pure tube sound, but I'd be willing to bet you can do it with a SS pre-amp and maybe no tubes at all.

I would not hesitate to suggest trying the Carver m4.0t that I used with mg1cs for years with no real tubes. A used one would only cost a few hundred. Or maybe even a m1.0T which is the amp that was voiced to sound like the CJ reference amp. My only reservation with this combo was that a sub was needed for the low end to be competitive with truly top notch systems in that regard.

Atmasphere, silly me, I forgot about the Macs. I was referring to the Pass M2.

Interesting read with lots of opinions but there is more to it than just the amp and in the end just that opinions and really no right or wrong.

That being said I replaced my CAT JL3 Sig. MKII mono blocks $40K with the new Bryston Squared 28's less than half the list price and I'm very pleased, I have not found any other amps no matter what price and/or design and I have had allot of world class pces making me want to change, my speakers are MBL 101E's. I'm after getting the most out of my speakers.

I know of others whom have been trying these amps and have been pleasently surprised also so you might want to try. My preference is haveing solid state paired up with a tube pre, I'm currently using a VAC Sig. MK2a and truely enjoying.

Another member said this;

09-26-10: Bryceeboy

The first time I ever got what the SET group was raving about was when I inserted the 28B Squared into my system. I am a tube guy through and through but when I placed these in my system nothing had come close in the past. I own Soundlab A-1's which are a bear to drive but these things can make them growl or purr like a kitty. Great amps IMHO! Good luck.

Dev,

In your case those mbls would pretty much dictate SS amplification.

BTW you are a lucky guy. Nothing does 3-d imaging of large scale classical recordings as holographically as the larger mbls I have heard.

i will repeat, i am not looking for tube-like per se, but rather to be unable to detect the difference between a ss and tube amp, driving a pair of planar speakers.

i might be able to find a ss amp which exhibits tube like characteristics, yet it may also exhibit ss aspects. that is not my goal.

i'll give a crude analogy.

suppose i have an apple. i like to find another fruit that tastes like an apple that is not an apple.

from what i have read so far it is virtually impossible.