What SS amps match the characteristics of a tube amp?

mca · « **on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:24 pm »

I hear more and more that solid state amps are getting less clinical sounding and getting closer to the sound of a good tube amp. Anyone have any good examples of this?

I ask because I just got a chance to hear a pair of Rogue monoblocks. I loved the sound and really started thinking about going with tubes. Then I thought about it more and did not want to have to put up with having to turn the amps off, the heat they produce, replacing tubes and etc.

I would really like to be able to stay solid state, but get that great tube sound!

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:28 pm »

I think my Jeff Rowland 201's get pretty close.

These replaced Kora Cosmos Reference Mono Blocks (100 Watts of Class A Triode power per amp).

You give up a little in the midrange, but gained a lot at the extremes and the amps run cool!!!

George

mcgsxr · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:30 pm »

Some claim that the new Tripath or other digital amplification methods, sound like tubes - I have a tripath amp, but have never owned tubes, so I cannot jump in on that.

My older amp, a Sugden integrated, had great Class A sound that I have HEARD by others described as tubey. Again, never owned a tube amp myself.

mark

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:31 pm »

Plinius has a very tube like sound to my ears.

Michael

warnerwh · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:33 pm »

Do a search and you'll find I asked this same question. Best answer was going to a tube preamp. That will make the most significant improvement toward a tube sound. I finally tried a couple of tube pre's and found the end of the rainbow, at least for me.

J North · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:44 pm »

The H20Audio S250 is the closest SS I have heard to tubes, very good tubes that is. It is based on the IcePower digital amp, but is not digital sounding at all. Very Analog like, smooth, yet detailed at the same time. Highs are sweeet. Tonality is spot on. Needs a good pre and source to do its stuff.

Watch for their website in a month or so.

Hantra · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 11:50 pm »

Quote from: mcrespo71

Plinius has a very tube like sound to my ears.

Michael

Roger that. The most tube sounding SS amp I have ever heard.

The Butler hybrids are damned good too.

Make sure you listen to all these digital amps people are talking about before buying. To my ears, they are not really that tube-like. The Bel Canto is the closest in my opinion to tubes for a digital amp. But still nothing like Plinius IMO.

B

Lost81 · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 01:29 am »

Hugh Dean's AKSA amplifiers and Nelson Pass' Aleph series come to mind.

-Lost81

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 03:37 am »

The amp I just finished a demo audition of, sounded very much like a tube amp. Well balanced sound, very smooth. Might give it a listen...it was very good !!!.....the AKSA 100 Nirvana + ...(now on tour, check Aspen circle)

Chris_B · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 04:09 am »

Have you guys listened to Odyssey Stratos amps? I recently replace a tube integrated with them and enjoyed the change though I am using a tube preamp.

JoshK · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 04:11 am »

I have heard the Odyssey Stratos a couple times, it is a very nice amp, especially considering the price. I don't knock it, but I don't think it sounds anything close to the tube amps I have heard. That is neither a bad nor good comment, it is just different.

Chris_B · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 04:24 am »

Josh - You are right, the Odyssey Stratos is not a high priced SET by any means but I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to them, especially at their price point. Your VMPS's look fantastic BTW. I am trying to find a pair of RM30s to demo locally.

The easiest way to stay solid state and still get the tube magic is to use a tube preamp matched with a warm/tube like amp. I hear that Josh's Spectron Musician II amp is fantastic as an example. The other nice thing about staying solid state for the amps is that it gives you more options with speakers.

bubba966 · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 06:38 am »

Well, I was gonna mention looking into an AKSA 100, but I've been beat to the punch by a couple of people already...

orthobiz · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 01:22 pm »

A bit of nostalgia: anybody remember the 1980's? It was the Carver M-1.5t vs. a tube amplifier, 500 bucks v. 3000 dollars? I guess he fooled the Stereophile staff, or something.

(Not quite off topic, but definitely not likely to actually help anybody)

biz

John Casler · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 02:08 pm »

James Bongiorno claims his amps sound like "tubsistors"

tubsistors

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 04:16 pm »

Quote from: John Casler

James Bongiorno claims his amps sound like "tubsistors"

John, That's tubistors
Tub sisters are the Olsen twins in a bathtub! BTW, I've got nude pics, nudge nudge, wink wink.

jackman · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 05:22 pm »

I have to agree with Josh, the Odyssey is a solid amp but not one that I feel is "Tube-like". I found the Omegastar amp to sound tube-like. Also, I have heard SS amps from Primare that had some of the good qualities of tubes. You may wish to find some people in your area who will let you demo their amps or find a good audio store who will loan you one. It's always more fun and useful to try it on your system.

Good luck!

Jack

John Casler · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 06:06 pm »

Quote from: Tonto Yoder

Quote from: John Casler
James Bongiorno claims his amps sound like "tubsistors"

John, That's tubistors
Tub sisters are the Olsen twins in a bathtub! BTW, I've got nude pics, nudge nudge, wink wink.

How he got the Olsen twins in a tub with Ampzilla's son I'll never know!!

But it might lend itself to "cleaner" midrange

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 06:21 pm »

Quote from: orthobiz

A bit of nostalgia: anybody remember the 1980's? It was the Carver M-1.5t vs. a tube amplifier, 500 bucks v. 3000 dollars? I guess he fooled the Stereophile staff, or something.
(Not quite off topic, but definitely not likely to actually help anybody)
biz

IIRC, Carver MADE one tube amp---the Silver Seven. He claimed his SS amps replicated the "transfer function" of tube amps, indicated by the "t" in model numbers.

From a review of some Sunfire gear, "Bob Carver has made a nice career from creative solutions to seemingly irresoluble problems. In the 1970s, he gave us ultra-high-powered amps (relative to the time) from Phase Linear; finally, something could drive all those low-efficiency speakers. By the 1980s, as the owner of Carver Electronics, he was fooling golden-eared stereo-philes into believing he could make a solid-state amp sound like a tube amp. Then, when sound fanatics had written him off as just a fancy engineer, he blew everyone away with his $25,000 Carver Silver Seven tube amps. Harry Pearson of The Absolute Sound even named the Silver Seven the "amp of the decade.""

WEEZ · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Aug 2004, 07:14 pm »

I am told that the Musical Design D75B has a tube-like sound. Only wish I could hear one to find out...

WEEZ