IBSTORMIN

First with regards to tubes it is important to really get at the heart of the vocabulary out there and see if it really matches with yours. One person's neutral is another person's etchy over analytical and bright. One person's warm is another person's neutral and another person's muddy or mushy. And depending on the rest of the system it's possible to get varying results.

I shoot for neutral and would prefer it to lean the darker side of the spectrum if it has to lean one direction - simply because a "warmer" system or "veiled" if you will will be more enjoyable to listen to for longer periods than one that perceptually screams at you - even if the owner feels it is more accurate or more neutral if it irritates the hell out of you and you leave it off then all you have is the satisfaction of believing your gear is technologically superb.

This is why Aczel and the types don't impress me. He's not exactly the most honest guy around to begin with and was drubbed out of the high end audio community for reviewing his own stuff and when he got caught he suddenly became a raging naysayer.

I digress. Tube amps and tube CD players should not be purchased to "warm" things up or to fix loudspeaker shortcummings or anything else. They like SS should be auditioned with complimentary gear and evaluated against a similarly priced competitor.

My tube amp is 10 watts and it simply won't be a good match with most loudspeakers - however when it is a match, look out!

My suggestion is to listen to a "good" High Efficient speaker with "good" SET amplification to hear what such a system can offer. I was a Bryston/Krell/Classe B&W type and I simply can't go back to that stuff. You'll find that the vast majority of SET/HE system owners all has high powered Solid State amps and big name speakers - they listened made the switch and you barely read that they ever go back.

What specifically to try - well I would point to Audio Note because 1) I own it and know it and 2) it should sufficiently give you an idea of what some of the best tube DACs and tube amplifiers are capable of producing.

This review is from a Bryston/PMC owner who had the top stuff from these guys. The better HE/Tube systems are not warm not analytical - they're "right" and it's hard to improve on that and very few companies get there. This fellow was in a similar boat as you http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/O...al/345133.html

If on the other hand you want Big power SS sounding tube amps but with less irritating grain because you have tough to drive speakers then the Grant Fidelity Rita would be a great option.