How to get Tube sound by Solid State amps

[Arlequen]

Hello Pholks,

I apologize my "swearworld" in the thread title but lemme show you something before to throw tomatos .. potatoes and some other veggies ...

I always loved Tube sound .. and only few times I have appreciated the solid state way to sound .. I remeber a splendid listening of the first supply of the Threshold SA12 arrived here in Italy .. simply magic! but unfortunately they were use to burn tons of transistors .. and the second supply has been very reliable but it never sounded so well like the first... loosing the Magic.

I had bounch of Audio Research units in my hi-fi life .. before to appreciate the real best tube sound with my loved Jadis JA80 KT88 and my Klimo Merlin Silver preamp
One day I was tired about hi-fi .. I'm "ondivago" (unstable) in my hobbies .. I'm use to get tired and one year later super addicted again... I did the same with wristwatches , photos , bikes and so hi-fi hobby
I sold everything .. the SME20/2A ,the Koetsu Rosewood Signature , the Klimo the Jadis JA80 and the B&W Silver Signature .. plus the Micromega Trio CD transport and the Audio Research DAC
Some years later I wanted to try a Audio Video .. but without rear speakers and the central one .. just a normal TV into a streo system
I bought in USA the Odyssey Audio Tempest preamp and the Stratos Plus .. kinda very good 150 watt/8ohm solid state with a warm but refined sound
From my friend Maurizio (Bluenote.it owner) I bought the Bellavista Signature turntable and a pair of Harbeth C7ESII (he has been the Italian Habeth distributor) .. than I bought from Origin Live their first Silver Arm and I mounted the Denon DL103R I had new in one glory-hole
Klaus of Odyssey sold me also the ICs and speaker cables for the Tempest/Stratos .. all Groneberg Quattro Reference cables
Fortunately I didn't sell the CD combo my wife gave me as gift .. the Philips CD transport 882 and the DAC 960 .. I 'll tell you later why I wrote this "fortunately"..
Well ,the AV has been completed ..
I remeber the first "ignition" .. I didn't know the Harbeth C7ESII were so good!!!.. Wow! .. this little & cheapo system SOUNDED really Magical!!!!!!!!!
I started to love Stereo & Vinyl again... never sold my 3000 LPs collection in fact!
For nearly 7 years I enjoied this setup .. by TV connected to the preamp and by the Bellavista TT and the Philips combo I modded during the 1996 changing the TDA1541 S1 (normal) with the TDA1541 S1 single crown (Holland prod.) .. a great improvement in sound .. I kissed wife for that Philips gift

One year ago .. the Hi-Fi virus got me again ... I bought the Pass Labs X1 preamp and the two Parasound Halo JC1s .. sold the Harbeths and bought a pair of Thiel 2.4 (Silver-Mercedes laquered) and after one year experiments with my never sold 10 years old Technics SL1210 MKII I decided to buy an Audiophile TT .. the TW Acustic Raven One

Well .. now let me explain why a sweared on thread title about Tbu Sound from a solid state amps...
If you know how does a Pass X1 preamp sounds you should agree it sound very similar to a good tube preamp.. and if you have listened the two John Curl masterpieces Halos JC1s you should agree the class A they can give till 50 watt/4ohms sounds exactly like the best tube amps on this planet today
If you haven't listened them yet .. I strongly suggest you to get a reservation to listen them .. never listened better solid state in my life .. sweet and extended like the best triode tubes but powerful and tight in the bass region like the best Krell available..
The mids are simply tubey .. not more .. not less
Higly reccomended expecially because thanks to the 135 amperes (135!!! Ye, you have read right , sir!) max output they can drive anything around .. perhaps they are able to start your car too!

That's why I have written Tube sound from a Solid state

Well .. here I'm!

Fortunately I didn't sell the CD combo my wife gave me as gift .. the Philips CD transport 882 and the DAC 960 .. I 'll tell you later why I wrote this "fortunately"..

Fortunately .. because wife gave me as gift in the 1988 and I modded the first time in the 1996 changing the TDA1541 normal with the TDA1541 S1 single crown (Holland production) and that has been a super great improvement to the sound.. but some time ago I re-modded the Dac 960 changing that glorious TDA with a TDA1541 S1 double crown (Holland Prod. too!) and now this combo sounds better than the highly acclaimed Marantz CD7 that sounds by two TDA 1541 S1 double crown but Twainese production.. not the same as the Holand I have on board!



A short story easily similar with many others...



Odyssey Audio gears plus Harbeth C7ESII





Bluenote Bellavista Signature with Origin Live Silver Arm and Denon DL103R cartridge



Pass X1 - Parasound Halos - Thiels 2.4 (previous Technics SL1210)



Side view

TW Acustic Raven One - Michell Tecnoarm - Grado Statement Master 0.5mv cartridge

[Arlequen]

Gabriele,

You should put some pictures of your fine system in our Gallery area - in fact, please do so: some nice ones from different angles

Marco.

Just for Marco pleasure .. here some other pics (different angles included) of my kit

Parasound Halos JC1s turned on (please look the balanced Mogami 2534 Neglex ic cables and the equally awesome Paul Speltz Anti Cables - speaker cables nearly invisible on my wooden floor)



Christmas time in the living room .. please note on right the very small Xmass tree :-(



Some Vinyl ready for use (just a part of my collection)



Wow! I have found an old pic about my Odysseu Audio - Harbeths set up .. here for you!
I 'll never forget the magical midrange of those little boxes - awesome!

[Arlequen]

Here the fantastic modded combo Philips CD transport 882 and DAC 960 .. real analog sound from the higly acclaimed TDA 1541 S1 Double Crown Holland Production

[John]

wow some system

[Beechwoods]

wow some system

And love the record collection too!

You've got a fantastic set-up there.

[lexi]

Excellent. If there is such a thing as Hi Fi porn there are a lot of dirty old codgers on here

[A.N.]

beautiful room, great system

[Marco]

That's such an Italian looking room it's unreal! The room and the system definitely seem to work in harmony. Total class.

Gabriele should return and update us on his latest shenanigans, particularly as we have quite a few Italians here now on AoS

Marco.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Very nice eh?
Pass the Port please (don't care which direction it comes from)

[Marco]

Indeed.

Our 'salotto', as they say in Italy, is rather similar to Gabriele's in our house up in the mountains in Tuscany, but unfortunately there's no hi-fi system in it... Plenty of port, Bourbon, Martini and Brandy, though!

We also make wine from grapes in our own (small) vineyard. It's a lovely place to be in the summer.

Marco.