[liamstrain]

Quote:

Tube amps, screechy (so called "precise", "accurate") headphones, and $1000 cables are more of a hipster-like inclination than anything else.

No, Definitely no (called accurate because they are accurate - if they sound screechy, you're doing something wrong), and yes. 
 

 

[rosgr63]

I must be the exception here.
I like my SS amps as much as my tube amps.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Anyway, clipping is non-linear behaviour, i.e. distortion. Distortion is caused by non-linearity.  Or maybe I just mis-understand what you are saying?

I think you might be having a nice go w/ the semantics, perhaps a Venn diagram would be better.  I'm sure you know full well when we measure noise and IMD we are not talking about clipping in the commonly used sense.  Clipping is a form of distortion, not all distortion is clipping.  Microphonics are a form of distortion, are microphonics the same as clipping?  No.  A soft clip is not the same as a hard clip as the article mentions and if you replicate the same on both tube and SS amps the clipping will not sound the same.  

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I must be the exception here.
I like my SS amps as much as my tube amps.

My Sansui is fantastic.  Then again it doesn't have chips in it.  

 

 

[rosgr63]

 
Quote:

My Sansui is fantastic.  Then again it doesn't have chips in it.  

 

Nice to know I am not alone!

 

[Lumify]

Quote:

In the 50s the whole recording chain was vacuum tubes.

 
 
Yes... in the 50s... When recording was an expensive, difficult nightmare. When headphones were just terrible and everything was on vinyl. When the world didn't know what quality was, and a modern MP3 at 24kbps would have sounded like heaven. And oh yes, vinyl, the staple of fake-audiophiledom. Here in the real modern world we have equalization (or "anti"-equalization) so you can make your recordings sound as bad as you'd like.
 
Quote:

No, Definitely no (called accurate because they are accurate - if they sound screechy, you're doing something wrong), and yes.

 
With 1900 posts, you've been around here long enough to see how people abuse the term "accurate".

 

[liamstrain]

Quote:

 
With 1900 posts, you've been around here long enough to see how people abuse the term "accurate".

 
That others misuse the word, does not mean you or I should. Accurate means accurate, and nothing else. 
 
 

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

I think you might be having a nice go w/ the semantics, perhaps a Venn diagram would be better.  I'm sure you know full well when we measure noise and IMD we are not talking about clipping in the commonly used sense.  Clipping is a form of distortion, not all distortion is clipping.  Microphonics are a form of distortion, are microphonics the same as clipping?  No.  A soft clip is not the same as a hard clip as the article mentions and if you replicate the same on both tube and SS amps the clipping will not sound the same.  

No argument there, especially the underlined stuff.
 
I try to throw in a bit of humour 'cos this is not a scientific journal.  Some guys like to turn this into a pi$$ing match. 
 
 

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

 
Yes... in the 50s... When recording was an expensive, difficult nightmare. When headphones were just terrible and everything was on vinyl. When the world didn't know what quality was, and a modern MP3 at 24kbps would have sounded like heaven. And oh yes, vinyl, the staple of fake-audiophiledom. Here in the real modern world we have equalization (or "anti"-equalization) so you can make your recordings sound as bad as you'd like.

Just my 2 cents worth, but some of that stuff from the 50's sounds just as good as the best of the modern recordings.
Have you heard "Sonny Rollins - Way Out West"?
"Cannonball Adderly - Somethin' Else"?
The best of the RCA Living Stereo or Mercury Living Presence recordings?
 
 

 

[Rawrbington]

i love my tube amp. 
i also have fallen madly in love with my marantz 2245.
 
the woo sounds a little better with the headphones.  but it can't tune radio stations, and it certainly can't drive speakers.
 
but i'll tell you what i really like; my pioneer 950 pre'd by the woo.  mmm mmm good.
somehow the woo adds details that the pioneer can't fetch on its own.
and it warms up a bit, becomes very musical.
 
i don't love a sterile sounding SS amp.  but that doesn't mean they sound bad.  just not for me.  I do love a rich warm tubey sounding amp though.  however i love just about everything in between those two bookends.  its not so much about SS vs Tube for me.  its quality vs crap.  if its quality SS i'll eat it up as long as its not super sterile sounding. 
 
tldr; i like both but i tend to gravitate toward a slightly warmer sound(today anyways, whoknows about next week).

 

[telecaster]

If you want my opinion, they are other factors that are more important than the tube vs SS debate.
For example dual mono topology is more important for a good definition and instrument separation.
Also you should look reliability, no matter how good it is, if it fell apart or blow your hearing and/or you headphone diaphragms your screwed!
Musicality is subjective, and you may pay for a trillion dollars HIFI system and could dislike how it sounds while be adequately content with a modest setup.
 
My recent experience with my new gear just bought and freshly tested:
 
HD650 alone with squeezebox touch is very OK to listen to, but you cannot go deaf, the sound is loud but not extra loud. Disadvantages, the sound can get rapidly edgy, bass lacking a bit and trebles sibilants, but slightly, you won't even notice if you didn't know better.
 
HD650 with La figaro 339, sound is world class, everything is better, loud loud loud and smooth smooth smooth. Very relax sound even when listenning to Marilyn Manson while there is a grindy and agressive entertaining sound at the same time! That's the magic of tubes.
Note this amp is very transparent, not warm by any means unlike lots bad rap going on about all tubes related gear.
 
Don't ever buy a hybrid tube/SS, they are for posers.

 

[Rawrbington]

isn't the Lyr a hybrid?   o.O

 

[liamstrain]

Quote:

 
Don't ever buy a hybrid tube/SS, they are for posers.

I'll tell Pete Millet he's been barking up the wrong tree all these years. 
 

 

[Magick Man]

isn't the Lyr a hybrid?   o.O

Yeah, that was a kind of ridiculous statement. :blink:

 

[Audio-Omega]

I like Apex Peak.