Can some one please explain me why Tubes Amp ?

[White Mike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spareribs /img/forum/go_quote.gif The treble range of tubes is stunning. So far, I have not heard a solid state with a glorious and sophisticated treble like a fine tube. Solid states are good though but the sounds of tubes are intoxicating. Even a budget tube amp can be dazzling. Many of us realize that for a modest working man's wage, we can afford a good tube amp without breaking the bank. We become amazed with disbelief of how beautiful the sound is. We become converts and become tube lovers. We are lovers of the beautiful sound. Beautiful music. Beautiful sound.

Wow, talk about a need to belong....

I was going to offer a counterpoint to the gushing superlatives put forth by the Tubies but after reading this... well I just can't summon the energy!

So, good tubes are cheap and reliable, many of the budget tube amps don't suffer from ground-loop or noise-floor problems, the sound does not degrade/change over time and you won't end up focussing on a limited set of music genres just because it suits the particular sonic foibles of the tube sound.

 

[Skylab]

Let us look at one example - the Darkvoice 336SE.

1. You can get a GREAT set of vintage tubes for this amp for $50. Even a set of Russian tubes will sound pretty good, and these would cost $20. Is this expensive? I bet it's cheaper than the interconnect cables most people use - probably much cheaper. There is no need to use one of the very few uber-expensive tube variants to get good sound. So non-issue.

2. The DV336SE *is* a little fussy about tubes, yes. But with a tiny bit of reading on this site, the mistakes of others who went before can be avoided. With the right tube choices, this amp does not have any ground-loop hum or noise floor issues.

3. Sure, the sound will change over time. But that really does take a while, and as we have established, the tubes are just not that expensive. So when it's time for new ones, no biggie.

4. Modern tube amps do not suit just a few styles of music, that is complete myth. They are not that different sounding from SS amps. There are subtle differences, which some of us consider meaningful. But I know a lot of head-fiers who listen primarily to speed-metal via a tube amp. Any well-designed, modern tube amp will do fine with all styles of music.

 

[Akabeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...They are not that different sounding from SS amps. There are subtle differences, which some of us consider meaningful.

Well for me the difference between the Predator and MPX3 SE wasn't very subtle at all

 

[Skylab]

OK, I meant between amps in the same price/quality class!!!!!

 

[Spareribs]

Also, tube people are more passionate lovers. Feel the warmth brotha.

 

[rodentdog]

All this from the same people who don't like graphic equalizers...go figure! Team SS

 

[Nirvana1000]

I have heard and read that tube amps take about a half hour to warm up to obtain their full power.I think that is the main con that i would have a hard time getting used to.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agnostic /img/forum/go_quote.gif One big advantage of tubes besides the fact that they have a particular sound that you may or may not like, is that it's usually easy to roll tubes and get quite different sound signatures from the same equipment.

Some people like to buy and sell amps and headphones. Some people like to experiment with tubes (Tube Rolling). They also sound better and are facinating to watch.

 

[SleepyOne]

Not all tube amps are equal.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyOne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not all tube amps are equal.

Your point?

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana1000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have heard and read that tube amps take about a half hour to warm up to obtain their full power.I think that is the main con that i would have a hard time getting used to.

This is not true. Many people think tube amps sound better after 30 minutes of warm-up. Many people think SS amps do too! Tube amps will reach "full power" after less than 60 seconds of warm-up, though.

 

[audiowize]

I believe half of the tubes vs. no tubes argument has nothing to do with tubes vs. solid state.

Many tube amplifiers are transformer coupled at the output (the rest are called OTL). This type of loading is extremely uncommon in solid state amplifiers, and very likely accounts for some of the larger differences in sound. If you listened to an OTL amplifier and then a transformer coupled amplifier, you would likely notice a larger difference than listening to an OTL amp and a solid state amp.

Many will debate that throwing a transformer into the signal path seriously degrades the quality of the circuit, but those who take that position have not compared a TVC to a potentiometer. My point is that while tubes and transistors have wildly different slew rates and distortion characteristics, we can also obtain serious differences by taking the signal off the source/cathode vs. the drain/plate.

 

[Frihed89]

I want to reinforce what Skylab says: a great SS amp and a great tube amp will BOTH have the same sonic virtues in terms of balance, detail, smoothness, etc., except for low distortion where the SS will be better. Having said that, look for the sound you like the best and then add in all the other subjective characteristics that will influence your buy.

I am not perpared to say as a general rule how different the two types will sound if the quality is lower. You really have to listen, but distortion can be a problem with tube amps, while brightness and glare are often a problem with lower quality SS amps...these are just generalizations, by the way, based on my own limited experience.
Good luck.

 

[BigTony]

Tube amps also act as heaters for those cool winter nights!
Trust your ears! I use a tube headamp and a SS speaker amp, and i enjoy both of them, and the sound difference between them is much less than reading on these forums would have you think!

 

[WarriorAnt]

I am a newb when it comes to the headphones scene but not to the high end audiophile scene of speakers/Amps/drained bank account.

I am ecstatic over the relatively low cost of the world of cans and Amps compared to the cost of high end Speakers/Amps/drained bank account.

I have had many a tube amp and tube pre amp, and many a solid state amp. All of which put me in constant debt!

So recently I decided to spend a mere $100 on a pair of AD 700's just to see what the cans scene was like. I never used headphones before. Well I was amazed by the quality of a modest entry level pair of cans like the AD 700's. I'm even more amazed by the amount of amplification available for relatively low cost.

This thread is very interesting to me because I love both Tube amplification and Solid State amplification. But I never really could afford both at the same time. Now I can!

Many people pair tube amps with certain genres of music and other pair Solid state with certain genres of music. I tend to do something different. I tend to pair amplification with a certain quality of recording. Some recordings really shine with tubes and some really shine with Solid state. Don't get me wrong. I'm saying a good tube amp and a good Solid State amp will sound great with a great recording but many recordings tend to excel one way or the other. Its sort of like the vinyl scene where folks use different cartridges (and sometimes tone arms) for different recordings.

I'd be happy with most stuff on a good solid state and I'd also be happy with most stuff on a good tube amp!

What my rambling point!

I think I'm going to buy both types. As a starter into this hobby.

I'm think of buying something like the Little dot Mk III and the Little dot MK V. The price of both is amazing! I have a pair of interconnects that cost more than both these amps together.

I'm including a tube amp in my interests not just because of their seductive nature but because I have found over the years and from thousands of CD's that many recordings could have been made better than they are and frankly Tubes will be more forgiving to these recording. I won't have to be distracted as much by many recordings.

So for me tubes have their own addictive qualities and Solid state has its own addictive qualities. I'm gonna need both!

And then at the Can Jam 2009 I will drive across the Arizona desert to hear what my next more serious step will be.