solid state vs tubes

MrT, there was a time when planars ruled the roost when it comes to resolution. That time has passed- there are a good number of cone systems now that easily compete with the best planars.

However, my comments were more the point that if you had a 16 ohm planar, any amp that you have tried so far would sound better on such a speaker.

IMO, one of the most musical transistor amps that is also reasonably priced are the zero-feedback Pass amplifiers, particularly the First-Watt amps. The Ayre is another good choice. So far the best I have heard, better than most tube amps, is the Ridley Audio amplifier. Beyond that, most transistor amps that employ large amounts of feedback are going to sound a lot more like each other than they will like anything else, including tubes.

I should point out though that the 3 amps I listed also are known for making heat, as the simple fact of the matter is that class A operation is part of how these amps manage to sound right. In fact, the Ridley employs a heater to raise and regulate the heat of the output devices. So other than occasional tube replacement, IMO you might as well have a tube amp, if quality sound like real music is your goal...

LOL, Atmasphere, I've got hand it to you, you do know what you like. The Ridley runs hot and hardly increases power much at all into lower impedances. Just like yours.

Unsound the zeros have a 60 day trial period so you can try them on your own system with no risk.

"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 don't think anybody can tell what you will or will not be able to detect. Only you know what you hear and like.

All I can add and then I'll check out is that good sound is good sound, regardless of the technology used to achieve it. And only you know what good sound means to you. So don't be hung up on it must sound like this technology or that. Just do your homework, try some good SS amps and hear for yourself. If you really want to ditch the tube amps bad enough, I am certain you will. Otherwise just live with the tubes for better and for worse.

MrT, I have one word for you...Spectron! Or even better for your planars two words...mono Spectrons!