Tubes/SS Power Amps?

Orpheus, I must jump in to disabuse you for writing that "I don't think there's much difference between tubes and SS amps when you have a tube pre; especially top of the line."

There are dozens of threads on the Forum which speak to the issue of amp/speaker electrical compatibility. I suggest that you read Ralph Atmasphere) Karsten's White Paper that discusses the so called Voltage and Power Paradigms. Search ther Forum archives to find it.

Here's another great site that also explains why some speakers are tube friendly and others not:

dhtrob.com/overige/tubefriendly_lsp_en.php

If one is a serious audiophile, IME/IMO, I think the issue of amp type and heat pales when considering amp/speaker electrical compatibility.

Cheers,

BIF

Compared to the tube amps that I've owned, ALL SS amps run cooler, even the Class A amps. :)

I also think your statement that a tube pre gives you the real tube sound and magic is wrong.Tube power amps make an enormous contribution to the character of the sound. I can't tell you how much it changed my system. I had tried using tube pre amps but they simply don't come close to what tube power sounds like.
There is this fantasy that a tube somewhere in the chain will give you tube sound. If that is true what about the converese, does SS anywhere in the system give you the SS sound? Will an SS pre and tube power sound like SS?

I agree with mechans. Tube pre alone cannot give you the liquidity that a tube pre n tube power combination provides. It's like a teaser only and leaves you wanting more. Just like oliver twist said: sir may I have more????

Hi I had a similar need as yours...less heat (upstairs in texas get's hot fast)...but I always owned tube amps...ARC or BAT...A few years ago I bought a pair of Ayre MXRs.

Really happy. They get very warm to the touch...but don't really emit heat...like the shelf above them is just barely warm...

Not sure your price range...The new Ayre VX5 might be a great choice to...http://www.stereophile.com/content/ayre-vx-5