Vote

Solid-state—longer quality life.

Based on sound alone, tubes—but they're too much hassle. For everyday use, therefore, solid-state. In particular, MOSFETs (or JFETs) running class-A (max tubeeness from transistors).

Woo's WA6SE has changed my mind.

Solid-state. Better signal-to-noise. Less distortion. Runs cooler. Sounds better.

Horses for courses. Valve for phono preamp (Manley Steelhead) & line-level (Leben). Solid-stage digital for power amp (Nuforce Reference VIII). Works for me. However, I suspect the Diavalet digital/class-A amps coming out of France are going to change all that.

I like what Bob Carver has done over the years. I had a Carver cube in the '80s and still have a Sunfire power amp. I drive Maggies, so it makes for a good match. In the '70s, I wanted a Phase Linear amp, but it was out of my budget by a long shot. (Marantz receiver instead.)

SS: Runs cool, sounds magnificent.

I prefer solid-state, because it has a greater linearity and higher efficiency than tubes. It is leaner and more detailed, while tubes sound fat and bloated.

The insight tubes give in music is beautiful. Dynamics are shifted a little to the background, but that's just fine.

Much can be said about the efficiency of solid-state, and especially of switching class-D amplifier designs. However, in my ever so humble opinion, that last bit of musicality is available only from tubes. Whether it is from the memory effects, (ghosts left behind when electrons flow through silicon), or some other design aspect. When you listen with the finest front-ends and the most sensitive monitors, more music comes through with tubes. Even in the bass range, more natural detail is evident. Tubes may not give us the last bit of bass slam, but they are able to deliver the goods in just about every other way.

With my relatively low-sensitivity speakers, I respond to the power and control of solid-state, but only when employing discrete circuits utilizing zero global feedback—as provided by Ayre, Vitus, or darTZeel.

Solid-state for sure. More control, more power, and no output transformer. Tubes in the preamp though, but I guess that's next week's question.

Tubes: warm sound!

Solid-state A/AB because: no tube amp will feed my MBL 101D speakers with enough power. No class-D amp can have better sound or measurements than my McIntosh MC-1000 monoblocks.

Definitely solid-state. Midrange is very important to me. I used to own a very high-end tube amp and they do sound very nice in their own way, and can be very dynamic. They are prominent in the mid-treble, sounding forward and/or bright, but very colored. Less overall presence, and not as musical and "right" sounding as the best solid-state amps.

Listen to a Lavardin preamp and amp and you will know why.

Tubes just have that sound!

Class-AB integrated solid-state.

Naim implementation gives great articulation and the overtones sing.

E.A.R. & DeHavilland tube class-A. Also Arcam's new class-G solid-state in the AVR600—sounds incredible.

I like them both, but the amp that makes me stop and look up from my reading is usually the little iTube on my desk.

When I hear audiophile friends say they can change (their tube amp) sound by changing tubes, I think something is wrong. Could you imagine an "art lover" prefering the Mona Lisa through pink colored glasses? Why buy "X" amplifier if you're going to change the sound later on? I'll stick with my Brystons.

Solid-state. Because of the lower cost of parts compared to tube gear. I like the sound of tube stuff, but when it's time to replace a tube or a pair of tubes, the price is kinda high. Transistors and diodes are much cheaper and with the newer audio grade capacitors, solid-state gear can be made to sound very tube-like!

As one who owns LaScalas, low power is a must. Have tried high power and it does not sound as good. Of course, I do not listen very loudly and the first Watt is very important to me.

45 single-ended—to my ears it is a very alive, human sound, with a lot of dynamic swing. My personal proof of preference is years of solid-state (Cyrus) leading to increasingly fewer listening hours. Since I have owned a Yamamoto A08s, I spend hours in front of the stereo. To each his own, I guess.

Tubes—they have always provided the cleanest, purest sound.

It seems to me you get more music for your bucks with tubes. A friend has a $900 tube integrated amp and I never get bored or tired listening to his system.

Solid-state, no question. More power, less heat, less fragile, and longer life than tubes.

It hasn't been invented yet.

Tubes just sound better. The KT88 being my favorite. It has for me the best balance of drive and subtlety.