Which SS amp has the most tube-like tone and timbre?

I like the Gryphon sound as many have heard me say before...pure Class A solid state...a sweetness and clarity unusual for SS in my limited experience. I have heard good things about Accuphase along similar lines but have not heard myself.
 
Not any more. The IPR-1600 is 7 lbs.

Barrows, excellent points. However, amps are heavy and time is limited...

Not any more. The IPR-1600 is 7 lbs. I never thought it would replace the much heavier Hafler. But it has.
 
From Myles 7/11:
"Valin raved about the TB but the issues with them have been discussed here previously".

Valin raves about EVERYTHING. That's his problem. How many times can you cry wolf and be believable? Most reviewers work in a critical "reviewing zone" from about 6-9.5 on a 10 scale. Valin seems to live somewhere between 9.5 and 10.0 on everything he touches. On occasion he dabbles with a 10.5! Doesn't he realize it makes him less credible? That doesn't mean his comments are not valuable or accurate, but rather, just a gross distortion of what are mostly minor incremental changes inherent in the gear we have seen over the years. Read any of his reviews from a decade ago and then one of his modern reviews. You get the impression he is comparing a Lexus to an Edsel, when that is hardly the case in sonic equivalents.
 
Last edited:
You people should read some of the dutch reviews , some is the same stuff that fairytales are made of . :D

True! As it is in every country. But...maybe that does not matter. Suppose a reviewer favours a certain "taste" or manufacturer and you don't (out of experience) than every review he writes has a value. If he likes a piece of equipment, you know that you don't have to bother ;) if you know what I mean.
 
I like the Gryphon sound as many have heard me say before...pure Class A solid state...a sweetness and clarity unusual for SS in my limited experience. I have heard good things about Accuphase along similar lines but have not heard myself.

+1 on the Gryphons!

Accuphase sound is....Accuphase sound...editorialized but nice.
 
+1 on the Gryphons!

Accuphase sound is....Accuphase sound...editorialized but nice.

Hey Flez...great to hear from you. Have continued to enjoy reading about your system evolutions! Enjoy!
 
I like the Gryphon sound as many have heard me say before...pure Class A solid state...a sweetness and clarity unusual for SS in my limited experience. I have heard good things about Accuphase along similar lines but have not heard myself.

Lloydelee21,

Thanks. I am not sure if Gryphon has distribution here in the states.
 
The older Forte Model 4 has a nice warm tube sounding signature, a real bargain on the used market.
 
I'll tell you another great amp that didn't sound SS at all.... actually it was an integrated amp that I'd love to have again. It was the YBA Integre' DT
 
First of all , i dont have to live of high end audio and really cant be bothered , but some of the reviews dig so deep in the advertisement /positive review relationship that ii have to cry ....not
I could ad a name if you want :D

Haha....B&W would be a VERY likely candidate. :p . I read the B&W PM1 review on hifi.nl and the reviewer really hated it but he couldn't say that in the conclusion. Poor sod :p
 
What happened to Musical Fidelity? Always a smooth sounding amp firm in the past.
 
Lloydelee21,

Thanks. I am not sure if Gryphon has distribution here in the states.

Hi Caesar, I believe you are right...perhaps ask Jeff Fritz who reviewed it and owned their Colosseum for a number of years. Otherwise, they have one in CAnada:

European Sound of Canada
Suite 2209, 89 Skymark Drive
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

Tel: 416-800-9288
esofcanada@yahoo.com
 
The older Forte Model 4 has a nice warm tube sounding signature, a real bargain on the used market.

Yes, agree. I remember comparing to the Forte 5...not the same. 5 had a hard grain vs the 4....5 was not Class A, as i was told at the time.
 
What happened to Musical Fidelity? Always a smooth sounding amp firm in the past.

Hello, nirodha. While I can not attest to all of Musical Fidelity's offerings, I can attest to this. After having many tube power amplifiers in my system, the MF AC3r Dual Mono I have was a definite change from the tube amplifiers I have had. While it may be the most linear of any SS amplifier I have had in the rig to date, it definitely would not qualify to me as an amplifier that sounds like a tube amplifier. I have no complaints with the tone or timbre but when comparing it to the various tube amps I have had, their is really no comparison IME. I will say this though...I haven't put a tube amplifier back into the rig since it was installed and while I do love me some tubes and I'm no longer using a tubed amplifier, my tube characteristics come from the tubed CDP, tubed phono pre and tubed pre-amplifier. This combination offers me a great end result as to what hits my ears but I can't honestly say that it matches the sonic characteristics of the tube amps I have had.

Tom
 
Probably, and at that perhaps no surprise, my vote would go for the BAT VK600 amp. The VK600 combines the richness of tubes with the control and authority of SS. The BAT sounded wonderful on Sasha's and even Dave was shocked at just how good the combination sounded. Just heard the BAT driving the Salon 2s at CAF and it was a match made in heaven and might have been the best sound at the show this year.

http://www.balanced.com/
 
Unfortunately my VK-6200 doesn't share its stereo and mono block brothers' refinement :(
 
Probably, and at that perhaps no surprise, my vote would go for the BAT VK600 amp. The VK600 combines the richness of tubes with the control and authority of SS. The BAT sounded wonderful on Sasha's and even Dave was shocked at just how good the combination sounded. Just heard the BAT driving the Salon 2s at CAF and it was a match made in heaven and might have been the best sound at the show this year.

http://www.balanced.com/

Myles,

Do you know if there is a VK-655(SE and non-SE) version coming out?
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing