When to go solid state vs. vacuum?

If you want to try a tube amp PrimaLuna is an easy way to go. They sell integrateds which have 4 preamp tubes and 4 power tubes, not too complex but it still allows for trying different tube combinations (known as tube rolling).

The power tubes are continuously autobiased. The biggest problem with tubes for the beginner is biasing power tubes. With a PrimaLuna, and some others, you don't have to do it, the integrated does it for you. This also keeps it sounding its best, reduces wear on tubes, allows you to use different types of power tubes (e.g. EL 34s or KT 88s) and makes matching power tubes less important.

PrimaLuna has received tons of awards and great reviews, just google them. They are built to last and are not expensive.

PrimaLuna is a great place to start with tubes. Once you become a little knowledgable about tubes you may want to try something more esoteric or expensive. That's my 2 cents.

Solid state has come a long way. Tubes are tubes. The best will quickly reveal itself. They can and will be amazing.

This was posted by Atmasphere on 4/19/12 :

"Matching amps and speakers is important!

Take a look at this link:
http://www.atma-sphere.com/Resources/Paradigms_in_Amplifier_Design.php

The B&W 802 is designed to work on an amplifier that can double its power when the load is cut in half. Specifically, it has an 8 ohm midrange and tweeter, but the woofers are in parallel and so are 4 ohms. Not only that, but the woofers are 3 db less efficient than the mid and tweeter. To correct this, its expected that the amplifier will double its power into the lower impedance.

No tube amp can do this and so on this speaker, tube amps will have less punch in the bass. Now if you had a speaker that did not expect that of the amplifier, then you could get more punch out of a tube amp than a transistor amp...

Its all in the match. Of course its my opinion that tubes offer more music much easier than transistors do (I know of one transistor amp that is really musical but it retails for over $100,000...).

Another issue with 4 ohms is that the speaker cable is more critical and also that any amplifier driving 4 ohms (tube or transistor) will not sound as good as it does driving higher impedances. So if you are seeking musicality, you may want to consider replacing the speaker as well."

It depends on the speakers. Some speakers sound better with tubes and other speakers sound better with solid state. Choose your speakers according to the type of amplification you intend on using. To me tubes are for music. Who wants to burn up expensive tubes watching a movie?