Tubes vs Solid State

The meters on my Squeezebox tell the input level balance in an obvious visual format, and it might be possible to correlate this to amp output if I cared about that. I do understand there are some who tinker with SS amp innards, but for instant gratification fans tube rolling is hard to beat.

Schubert, you only need to care about what an amp is doing on average. So the meter doesn't have to be fast, just accurate. However, my position that you must do final adjustments while listening doesn't cease to be valid, for other reasons. But bridged monos are a whole other ball game. Here you have no choice but to rely on your instruments until you finally 'hit' it. I've tried using just right channels on both amps in stereo, matching them, and then matching left to right in each amp. That doesn't work because bias is thermally influenced and the unused left channel runs cool initially, influencing the overall temp of the amp differently than when it's being matched to it's respective right channel. These temperatures are critical and no two identical amps behave identically, just as no two identical channels of a stereo amp behave identically.

Csontos, I can't tell you how many people I've seen spend thousand on wire, carts etc to get rid of "harsh" high end on Symphonic music, when a 2 minute listen made it clear their amp was clipping.
IMHO , you can't have too much power on a speaker under 94db, if you never heard the clarity of more than enough you will take the average as adequate.

Schubert, testify!! Eliminate clipping first then tweak if needed. Its the only road to happiness.

Sorry, I was speaking on a different issue. Almarg has made it abundantly clear many times over that you simply can't have too much power, period. People are not aware just how taxing the music really is. I think Al may even be a bit conservative in his estimations regarding run of the mill compressed recordings.