Tube amp frequency response - Page 2

Solid state amp has more bandwidth for sure. Usually, tube amp output transformers can only handle around 20hz - 20Khz + or - 3db.

The first question is if the extra frequencies producing by solid state amps can be heard by a normal person?

The second question is if the extra frequencies producing solid state amps are favor to human ears?

The fact is tube amp can produce more second order harmonies with limited bandwidth. It sounds better than solid state amp in most of the cases.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtube 

Solid state amp has more bandwidth for sure. Usually, tube amp output transformers can only handle around 20hz - 20Khz + or - 3db.

 

The first question is if the extra frequencies producing by solid state amps can be heard by a normal person?

 

The second question is if the extra frequencies producing solid state amps are favor to human ears?

 

The fact is tube amp can produce more second order harmonies with limited bandwidth. It sounds better than solid state amp in most of the cases.

 

I think tube amps sound colored - which they do. It can sound wonderful but I prefer a neutral solid state amp with slight warmth rather than a warm (expensive) tube amp since I want the headphones to "color" the music, not the amp to color the headphones. 

Tube amps can have very low measured distortion. It's all in the implementation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtube 

Solid state amp has more bandwidth for sure. Usually, tube amp output transformers can only handle around 20hz - 20Khz + or - 3db.

 

The first question is if the extra frequencies producing by solid state amps can be heard by a normal person?

 

The second question is if the extra frequencies producing solid state amps are favor to human ears?

 

The fact is tube amp can produce more second order harmonies with limited bandwidth. It sounds better than solid state amp in most of the cases.

 

Push pull transformers can easily excede 10-60Khz. so much for bandwidth. 

Its easy to make a solid state amp that doesnt achieve even that. 

By extra frequencies, do you mean higher order distortions? 

If thats what you meant, absolutelly not. 

Push pull tubes amps have very low second order harmonic distortion. Depending on the design as a whole, the distortion could be very low with a SET amp too. Keep generalizing. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lan647 

I think tube amps sound colored - which they do. It can sound wonderful but I prefer a neutral solid state amp with slight warmth rather than a warm (expensive) tube amp since I want the headphones to "color" the music, not the amp to color the headphones. 

Not necessarily.  It depends on the circuit and tubes used.

If you want neutral with a little warmth, tubes can do that.  Or totally neutral or totally colored.  You can design a tube amp to sound how you want.

The wonderful thing about tubes is the variety.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

Quote:

Not necessarily.  It depends on the circuit and tubes used.

 

If you want neutral with a little warmth, tubes can do that.  Or totally neutral or totally colored.  You can design a tube amp to sound how you want.

 

The wonderful thing about tubes is the variety.

 

 

Well thats's nice :)