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Are Tube Amps better than Solid State Amps?
Jan 21, 2013 at 11:11 PM Post #61 of 95
For me, tubes are better generally. Of course, a $3000 solid state amp will sound better than a $170 tube amp but over all, I prefer the tube amps. More specifically, I prefer a tube amp that is traditional in design meaning all  tubes must be included in the schematic design- including the rectifier tube. I even prefer not to have a hybrid tube amp even though they can sound very good.
 
Jan 21, 2013 at 11:53 PM Post #62 of 95
A properly designed tube circuit with properly selected tubes run at their proper bias will actually be more linear than a transistor - especially in push-pull.  Food for thought :wink: 
 
Jan 22, 2013 at 7:27 AM Post #64 of 95
I sold the ef5 then for the simple reason that my thick heavy powercord n RCA
Are lifting the ef5 at will ...at times the ef5 was pointing 30 degrees skywards..lol.
 
Jan 25, 2013 at 12:04 PM Post #67 of 95
Quote:
steve eddy said:
 
My road has always been toward my own subjective pleasure and enjoyment. I can't think of any other reason to listen to music, whether live or reproduced. So "hi-fi" is a rather meaningless term as far as I'm concerned, because I don't care how hi the fi may be, if I'm not enjoying myself, I want nothing to do with it.
 
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Well that is a very understandable view indeed. I think that you would be extremely entitled to say that valve amplifiers are preferable for your music listening. However to suggest that they are "better" than solid state amplifiers in a general way would be a different matter.
 
My personal preference is not to have the music coloured in any way. I like to hear what the musicians intended. Coloured amplifiers can be valve or solid state of course.
 
Good Hi Fi, by this I mean audio equipment that seeks to be accurate and transparent, is for me extremely liberating. To hear what the musicians intended is a wonderful thing.
 
I have a great interest in classical music and here, as in many other forms of music, the composers intend all kinds of extremely subtle combinations of sonic textures, temperatures and what-have-you.
 
Mine is a simple request that the Hi Fi should allow me to hear that.
 
So here we have different preferences, I would not be suggesting that mine is better than yours or that some kind of amplifier, be it valve or solid state or hybrid, is necessarily better than another.
 
Jan 25, 2013 at 12:11 PM Post #68 of 95
Quote:
p a t r i c k said:
 
So here we have different preferences, I would not be suggesting that mine is better than yours or that some kind of amplifier, be it valve or solid state or hybrid, is necessarily better than another.
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I couldn't agree more!
 
Jan 25, 2013 at 12:13 PM Post #69 of 95
Quote:
el_doug said:
A properly designed tube circuit with properly selected tubes run at their proper bias will actually be more linear than a transistor - especially in push-pull.  Food for thought :wink: 
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I remember back in the early 90s Audio Note (in the UK) used to put it about that valves were in fact more accurate, but I think that there are many engineers that would dispute this. I don't know which is right but I suspect it is all about design and context.
 
I think that it is possible to achieve accurate amplification with valves or solid state.
 
The key issue for me is not whether the amplification uses valves or solid state devices, but what really matters is, does the amplifier's designer intend to create an accurate amplifier?
 
If the designer has accuracy as his/her objective then for me he/she will very likely create a good amplifier and I do not care if it uses valves, solid state components, or if it is a hybrid.
 
Jan 25, 2013 at 12:58 PM Post #70 of 95
I think definitively, beyond a doubt the one thing a tube amp does (either positively or negatively) is affect the psycho-acoustic perception of the listener.  Tube amps will physically warm the room they are in, they warm the hand that touches them, when the lights dim they glow like a candle with various hues of blue and cyan on top.  Some amps need a few minutes to warm up and stabilize to steady-state operating parameters.  During that time the mind of the listener is "gearing up" for euphoria.  Humans are not robots with microphones, RTAs and SPL meters.  Our eyes influence what our ears hear.  A tube amp will have a greater effect on people in this regard more so than a cold metal box.  But again that psycho-acoustic influence can be either positive or negative.... it can either make you smile or make you frown.  Its not really a question of whats "better" because that is infinitely debatable to no end, its more a question of what makes you the consumer/listener happy.
 
I have both in my rig for the various smiles they put no my face.  When I frown, I plug into a different amp.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 2:29 AM Post #72 of 95
Quote:
wuwhere said:
Tube amps sound can be changed moderately by swapping tubes or tube rolling. Can't do that with SS amps. Tubes are not cheap so that is added cost to owning a tube amp.
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Not true.  OP amps can be rolled and some very experienced DIY'ers have done discrete buffer modules.
 
tubes are getting $$$ and there's a LOT of scammers out there too.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 2:37 AM Post #73 of 95
Quote:
kramer5150 said:
Not true.  OP amps can be rolled and some very experienced DIY'ers have done discrete buffer modules.
 
tubes are getting $$$ and there's a LOT of scammers out there too.
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Ah yes, I've rolled opamps on my portable amps, but I felt that there affect are not as much as tubes. I'm rolling output tubes by the way not just driver, phase inverters tubes like 12AX7s or 6DJ8s.
 
Have you bought tubes from ebay before like GE6550A, Tung Sol 6550s, and other tubes? Have you been scammed?
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 4:18 AM Post #74 of 95
Tubes get points for glowing. Some things are better with a partner ( get your mind out of the gutter, :p )

- Peaty single malt + a fireplace.

- Vindaloo + lager.

- Bacon + everything.

- Music + glow.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 12:52 PM Post #75 of 95
Quote:
wuwhere said:
 
Ah yes, I've rolled opamps on my portable amps, but I felt that there affect are not as much as tubes. I'm rolling output tubes by the way not just driver, phase inverters tubes like 12AX7s or 6DJ8s.
 
Have you bought tubes from ebay before like GE6550A, Tung Sol 6550s, and other tubes? Have you been scammed?
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I dont have experience with those tubes.  I haven't been scammed on ebay tube purchases.
 
My last ebay tubes were for 12AU7 and 12AT7.  Sovteks were new.  The Sylvanias were old/used salvages from the mid 1960s time frame but the seller indicated they "tested OK, on his so-and-so tester".  He had a perfect 100% feedback rating and regularly sold old pulled tubes.  No complaints at all.  In either case I had a good idea ahead of time what I was getting.  The reality though with www tube sellers in general (ebay or otherwise) is we really DON'T know the history behind the product.  Are they blowing smoke? or are they honest?  Its a gamble no doubt, to which there are honest and reputable www sellers too.
 
I buy my EL34s local B/M.  Groove tubes and Mesa boogie re-brands in my guitar amps.  Havent needed to replace the EL84s yet, stock peavey rebrands remain in that amp.
 
The scams I am referring to are all the "NOS" ebay tube sellers around the world.  I have my doubts about product authenticity and item representation of these sellers.... based on nothing more than a hunch, and thats all I have.  Knowing ahead of time how rare and scarce some tubes have become.... and you get a guy from so and so country, sitting on a case of them, NOS in individual boxes....?  It all smells very fishy to me.
 
Its a good discussion to have though, members looking to get into tube amps for the first time need to be aware of these kinds of things in the tube -VS- solid state debate.  Conversely OP amps, current buffers and rectifiers (SS) are cranked out by the ~millions and just don't have this kind of underground sub-culture  (for lack of a better term) going on.
 
I hope this doesn't offend anyone...
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**EDIT**  Oh and the ebay seller feedback rating can be a scam in itself... but thats probably too far off topic for this thread. 
 
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