Slam possible with Tubes instead of SS ??

Rleff, Isn't it true electrostatics typically sound best with tubes?

My Soundlab A1 speakers seem to really open up with a very powerful SS amp. I am currently using a Sunfire Signature 600 x 2 amp that is amazing on this speaker. I know some will think no way a Carver amp can sound this amazing with SL speakers, but it does! 600 watts per channel into 8 ohms and all the way up to 4000 watts into 1 ohm!

By far the best amp I have had on my Soundlab's. OTL amps like Atmasphere also work nice as I have tried an Atmasphere MA1. An MA2 is really needed to drive this speaker to louder levels (over 92 db with a good amount of remaining headroom) based on my experience. The Sunfire amp just opens up this speaker and runs them unlike anything else I have tried. Bass is outstanding and the mids and highs are open and so rich and warm. Quite special really.

Point is careful matching and trial may be needed for the best speaker and amp match. I have found tube amps have slam in spades when matched with the right speaker only! Typically this should be speakers with higher efficiency and minimum impedance not below 6 ohms.

I read once that Soundlab speakers do bass well with SS amps that are designed with a large number of output devices per channel. The Sunfire Signature does and my past SS amps have not had near as many output devices. Perhaps this is why the Sunfire SS amp mates so wonderfully with Soundlab speakers.

This is a good example of what I was talking about with regards to Sound Lab- if you are going to use transistors you need something that has a lot of power. 600 watts is about the minimum.

Now if you do your math, one thing that becomes apparent right away is that a speaker that needs 600 watts must be really inefficient. But that is not the case here- you need that power because in a transistor amplifier they won't be able to make nearly that power into the lower frequencies.

Rrog personally I believe it is but notice that Ralph from Atmasphere is qualifying the use of a solid state on electrostatics as well.

Atmasphere is 100% correct. I tried 200 and 300 watt SS amps on my Soundlabs and needed more power! My other SS amps rated up to 300 watts per side started to sound tilted up in the highs and a little bass shy as I turned up the volume over 80db or so.

The wonderful Atmasphere MA1 drove my Soundlab speakers with very deep and powerful bass. The problem was in the highs where the SL's can dip as low as 2 ohms! To listen at sound levels above 90 db with ease I needed more OTL power. I would have loved to try the MA2's, but they were a bit to expensive for me with two in college :-)

In terms of sound the Atmasphere amps were clearly better and more nuanced then my current Sunfire Signature amp. However, the power of the Sunfire really worked nice with the A1's. This is why I am sure the larger MA2 amps would have been heaven. Maybe someday