TAM -- Very interesting. Looks like a beautiful amp. I knew you had a tube amp in your music setup. I am intrigued that you report it also sounds identical (after the honeymoon) to the solid state amp. With a tube guitar amp, the whole point is clipping (intentionally), but they do so with harmonically pleasing overtones. My impression with the tube amps in stereo setups had been that they would likewise actively impart some discernible sonic character onto the music -- this effect might then either be deemed pleasing or extraneous, according to taste of the listener, but it wouldn't generally really be a neutral amplification. However, your experience seems to be, again, that it is a subtle distinction when kept away from clipping. With the guitar amps, the distinction from SS is textural, and not subtle at all, but they really are clipping in the extreme, and on purpose.
Thanks so much for sharing the background of your name & the pics. Terribly impressed. I'll bet you have some stories to tell!
Cheers -
DSQ
