"I still own a tube amp, linear solid state, and two switching amps. and I'm sorry none of them sound like the other contrary to all the, "sounds like a tube amp," statements one reads."
Exactly.
Most all gear sounds different, especially when radically different technologies and design approaches are applied.
And that's why it is not a sound approach to swap in a piece of gear into a system you already think sounds right and then lament that it is not as good when it sounds different. If you want to get back to that original sound, there will be more changes required to do it.
My gut tells me that in general Icepower and ribbon tweeters may not be a good combo in that both tend to lean towards a non fatiguing (not "hot") top end. Too much of a good thing in combo perhaps? Whereas Class A A/B amps may deliver a relatively "hotter" top end in comparison and have a nice synergy with ribbon tweeters for many.
I can say I have found the BEl Canto ref1000m IcePower monoblocks do have a nice synergy with my Dynaudio monitors (isotar tweeter I think) which can tend to be a tad hot on the top end compared to some other monitors in general.
Same with the soft dome tweeters used in the OHM Series 3 CLS drivers used in the Walsh 100 and 5 series 3, more full range, speakers, which are a notch less hot on the top end relative to the Dyn monitors, I find.
My Dyns and OHMs can be both run concurrently in adjacent rooms of my system. I have had many opportunities to hear both with several radically different amps in my system over the last few years, so that is largely the basis for what I relate.
Exactly.
Most all gear sounds different, especially when radically different technologies and design approaches are applied.
And that's why it is not a sound approach to swap in a piece of gear into a system you already think sounds right and then lament that it is not as good when it sounds different. If you want to get back to that original sound, there will be more changes required to do it.
My gut tells me that in general Icepower and ribbon tweeters may not be a good combo in that both tend to lean towards a non fatiguing (not "hot") top end. Too much of a good thing in combo perhaps? Whereas Class A A/B amps may deliver a relatively "hotter" top end in comparison and have a nice synergy with ribbon tweeters for many.
I can say I have found the BEl Canto ref1000m IcePower monoblocks do have a nice synergy with my Dynaudio monitors (isotar tweeter I think) which can tend to be a tad hot on the top end compared to some other monitors in general.
Same with the soft dome tweeters used in the OHM Series 3 CLS drivers used in the Walsh 100 and 5 series 3, more full range, speakers, which are a notch less hot on the top end relative to the Dyn monitors, I find.
My Dyns and OHMs can be both run concurrently in adjacent rooms of my system. I have had many opportunities to hear both with several radically different amps in my system over the last few years, so that is largely the basis for what I relate.