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In Reply to: RE: I tried... posted by mkuller on November 26, 2014 at 10:42:02
On a smaller scale, I had the X150 and the X150.5. The X150.5 was more refined and smoother sounding. Coupled to the Cary SLP-05 tube linestage, it was a wonderful sounding setup.... with my Tannoy speakers. I tried with the Thiel CS2.4 and it was slightly under powered. The X250.5 or X350.5 would have been a better match.
However, I too have owned a pair of Manley Neo-Classic 250 amps and they were a match made in heaven with my Thiel speakers (the CS2.4 in my case). As you know, I tried to find a pair of solid-state amps to replace the Neo-Classic 250 and the closest I got were a pair of Ampzilla 2000 2nd Edition monoblocks. Very nice sounding amps!
I also tried W4S SX-500 Class D mono blocks which lasted about a month in my system before I sold them. Same for a pair of large Bryston 7BSST2 Class AB amps. These were a couple of the worse amps I've owned right up there with the Krell KSA-2250 in terms of being lean and sterile. The Brytons were smoother than the Krell though. That Krell was harsh!
To make a long story just a little longer... I found that the Rogue Cronus Magnum integrated tube amp does a great job for me especially now that I'm in a smaller listening room.
I tried too.... but I seem to end up favoring tube gear.
Follow Ups:
Abe, you said, "I also tried W4S SX-500 Class D mono blocks which lasted about a month in my system before I sold them. Same for a pair of large Bryston 7BSST2 Class AB amps. These were a couple of the worse amps I've owned right up there with the Krell KSA-2250 in terms of being lean and sterile. The Brytons were smoother than the Krell though. That Krell was harsh!"
The Krell is not even worth discussing.
But about those W4S amps, let me guess. Did they seem brittle, overly bright, in-your-face detail, forward soundstage? So unmusical that you couldn't wait to take them out of your system and put something, anything else in just for a little musical relief?
But about those W4S amps, let me guess. Did they seem brittle, overly bright, in-your-face detail, forward soundstage? So unmusical that you couldn't wait to take them out of your system and put something, anything else in just for a little musical relief?
No. Actually, I would take the W4S SX-500 Class D amps over the Krell KAV-2250 or Brystons any day! They weren't that bad sounding. They were OK but compared to other 'traditional' amps I've had whether solid-state or tube, the SX500 were lacking in bass detail. The bass was there, a little rounded, but also lacking definition. In other words, ever so slightly monotonic and noticeably inferior in their ability to separate the very lowest of bass notes.... as in the large upright bass instrument, as an example.
They were a little forward but nothing horrible and they couldn't match my tube amps in creating that almost holographic soundstage.
...having heard a lot of amps both tubed and ss, I have come to a conclusion.
Neither are completely accurate and both have distortion.
Some people (like me and maybe you) are more sensitive to the distortions of the ss amps and others are more sensitive to the tubed distortions.
Although matching with your speakers also plays a part, perhaps emphasizing some of the inherent distortion products.
about individual sensitivity to distortions.I believe anyone on the fence between tubes and SS must listen for themselves. Comments here, no matter how well intentioned, will not give the full story.
"You can’t know what the “best” is unless you have heard everything, and keep in mind that given individual tastes, there really isn’t any such thing." HP
Edits: 11/27/14
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