Ruark Audio

Solid-state amplifiers warm up quickly and require no maintenance. They are energy efficient and available in half or full-size chassis. They tend to deliver faster bass than tube amplifiers and more of it as well. There is a wide variance in the voicing or tonal characteristic of solid-state amps so speaker matching, musical taste, and room conditions, are important factors when selecting the right model.

Tube amplifiers require about 30 minutes to reach their optimal performance and are less energy efficient than other options. Checking the bias (matching left and right tube output) periodically will improve performance and tube life. Bias on our amps can be done in about 30 seconds so no biggie. They tend to deliver a warmer, relaxed sound than solid-state amps. Tweaking the sound can easily be done by changing tube brands. Brighter speakers and hard-surfaced rooms can often benefit from a tube amplifier. Power output tends to be lower so some speaker matching is required.

Tube, solid-state hybrid amplifiers offer the best of both worlds and tend to be cost-efficient for their performance. They are dynamic but remain smooth due to the tube preamplifier section. Because the solid state section does the heavy lifting, these amps warm up quickly and are energy efficient. There is no maintenance on hybrid models but the sound can be tweaked by changing preamp tubes. This type of tube is long-lasting and there is little need for ever changing them from use.