Amp/Preamp Asylum

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RE: Some advice? Left Naim, tubes aren't working and McIntosh is a dissapointment

Posted by PAR on August 10, 2016 at 02:38:36:
I think that it might help if we knew exactly what he didn't like about each of the three amps. Currently we have someone who has not liked the sound of three amplifiers of markedly different sound signatures. In fact so different are they that I could reasonably conclude that it is ultimately the speakers, not the amps, that he doesn't like.
Nevertheless he could try an integrated from one of the industry's legendary designers, Tim de Paravicini. An EAR 834. Should be roughly within his budget even more so given the current low value of the UK pound. It certainly sounds nothing like a Naim or Cary.
Edit: Oops sorry, he wants SS. I'll point out that running SS succesfully usually means that it will need to be left on permanently ( pre-amps anyway - with an integrated it is the whole thing obviously). Is he happy with this? It's why many SS manufacturers put the power switch on the rear panel to discourage switching off. Otherwise the warm up time for most SS integrateds will be longer than a tube amp. A tube amp should sound pretty good after 30 mins from cold even if it hasn't reached optimum, but an SS from cold? It'll "work" immediately but won't be anywhere near its full performance. I guess he should be aware of this having owned Naims where the manufacturer recommendation is leave on 24/7.
How about Ayre?