Sophia Electric 91-01 and 91-5 300B


Hi,
I have been using a Tannoy Turnberry SE speakers for the last 1 year, I was driving it with Naim amplification and was happy with it. However I would like to add a good tube amp to drive the Tannoys. I have been listening to various amps. It is quite evident that SET based on directly heated triodes have a special magic about their presentation. However most DHT SETs are low powered, within 10 watts. Recently I read some very good things about Sophia Electric 300B amps, especially driving Tannoys. Jeff Day has given glowing review to it even replacing is reliable Leben 660P. But before I pull the trigger I am looking for some first hand comments from the community here which is expectedly more devoid of the reviewer's bias. Has anyone heard it ?

Moreover I am also looking for some views on the various models that Sophia offers, 91-01, 91-05 etc. Is it really worth going for their more expensive models like the 91-05 when the 91-01 already seems to be doing so well ? Has anyone heard the higher models ?
pani
Sophia electric amplifiers are Chinese junk. If you don't believe me, ask them for a photo of the insides of their amplifiers. They use cheap components, put together poorly. I auditioned several of their 300b models in their McLean, VA "factory", they were all thin sounding.
Pani,
There is also a very similar query recently posted on AA with more responses.
Isochronism, thats me on AA :-)

Martingren, thanks for that input. Could you please suggest a few 300B amps that you like ?
Charles, my experience with matching speakers/amps is actually quite limited, I tend to keep equipment for long periods of time, so not much turnover in amps.

I just read responses to Pani's thread on the same subject on Steve Hoffmann's forum, and I gather my HPD drivers are quite a different animal than the Turnberry.

I would tend to consider the information given there as much more credible than my mine, due to the differences in the nature of the drivers in question.

With the responses given here, and elsewhere, it seems a good choice can be made in an adequate SET.

Regards,
Dan