Valve-like Solid State

Recently I have mostly been listening to solid state amps ( small daughter ) and comparing them to my usual valves.
I have been listening to Digital Do Main ,which is a VFET design, I have an Audio Projekte CA10 which a friend recommended this is a Class A 10 watt design, and I am waiting for the new pass Labs J2 to arrive.
I have been solely using valves for the last few years and hearing some SS has been a refreshing change, also playing directly into the power amps has also been interesting.
What other valve-like solid state amps are out there, hybrids are my next project, so just ss suggestions please, cheers
Keith.

 

Monarchy SM70

 

Check some usual suspects such as Audio Analogue, Sudgen and Lavardin. Enjoyable and lovely crafted gear

Regards,

Vincula

 

Thanks chaps the Monarchy looks good,http://www.monarchyaudio.com/
This is the Audio projekte site,http://www.audioprojekte.de/html/kits_en.html
The thing I find interesting is that my old 500 watt ASR Emitter killed the horns stone dead, but the digidomain and the CA10 are really excellent, I can't find any ss harshness ,they have beautiful tone and timbre, resolution is excellent , I am impressed.
Keith.

 

LFD have impressed me laterly. Very simple circuits using high quality parts with mosfets on the output. Valve like delivery but with grip and speed.

 

NVA according to some.

 

Interesting. You want a solid-state amplifier with added distortion?

 

D listening to this at the moment ,and it sounds exactly as described ,'exceptionally tonal qualities and a very high degree of musicality.'
And I thought all soild state sounded the same!
Keith.

 

NVA have a musical sound that is kind of a halfway house between 'traditional' silicon and valve amps, ime. Relaxed musicality with taut bass ands a fair amount of grunt. Very listenable, imo.

Many class D amps also fall into this category, I've owned and enjoyed quite a few (Lyngdorf, BelCanto, Esoteric ...), although it is said that the ones with B&O ICE modules are a bit more upfront and clinical.

 

I might send you this CA10 to evaluate Jerry, it is only 10 watts though, which speakers will you be using ? ( for the next couple of weeks )
Keith.

 

Hi Keith - that would be interesting. To my horror and dismay, I've been using Infinity RS2.5 ribbon hybrids for the past 4 months or more and I am still very happy with them! - they seem very easy to drive, despite their fearsome rep in the States, so 10W should be able to suit a lot of music. See my new avatar.

 

So for the foreseeable you will be mostly listening to the Infinities?
The CA10 could prove to be the 'beresford' of the amp world, it is about a thousand Euros but it really is a superb amp, I have tried a few different pres with it, but they all add colour to a degree, it sounds best here, driven directly using the Amarra volume control.
Keith.

 

Yup, the Infinities are here for the foreseeable future ... but I do get my hifi budget replenished in the New Year!

So if you would like to loan me the CA10 that would be excellent - I should have a loaner LDR pre-amp arriving today/tomorrow so it would be interesting to hook them up. I also have a UR UnicoPRE valve hybrid pre, as well as an Accuphase E-202 vintage integrated that is currently hooked up as my main amp. Do you want my address?

 

Jerry Hi,why not, I would value your opinion, it is only ten watts but here at least they are a 'big' ten.
If I posted towards the end of next week would that be ok?
You might try driving it directly from your dac? Here I find it sounds best that way, after Christmas I might be able to send you one of Daniel's new passive attenuators with remote, that might be a good match.
Regards Keith.

 

Any half decent solid state amp falls into that category.

 

I don't agree. For me, class D amps as a group (ignoring those with B&O ICE modules, which I haven't heard) have quite a distinct sonic signature that is different to many/most class a/ab solid state amps. For me they really do fall midway between traditional solid state and valve virtues.

YMMV

 

To me, I find the Quad 405 to have a Valve like sound.

 

quote

really, i wonder how richard done that?
nando.:JOEL:

 

Does NVA really have a Valve like sound?

 

no, quad 405 is more likelly, the mk1 version does,
nando.