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For anyone who moved from tubes to solid state — a question

I'm the happy owner of a fairly new tube preamp and monoblock amps. I love it and have bought new tubes. To have another option for warmer weather or possibly a second listening room, I got a very good solid state integrated. I've run the tube preamp with the solid state amp and it sounds quite nice. I love all tubes, too.

But this question is for you. Please forget the convenience factor for a moment, including the issue of tube replacement etc. Also, forget about those cases where you bought new speakers and needed more power, etc.

Assuming you had quality tube gear with sufficient power — here's the question if you abandoned tubes for SONIC reasons:

What what is that tubes couldn't give you?
What did your solid state gear do for you which was so much better that you divorced to marry anew?

I'm curious about what people list as the positive sonic reasons they love solid state (including A, AB, D, etc.).

Thanks.
128x128hilde45
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
Myself I would likely only consider using a tube amp with very easy load speakers to drive and high efficiency is desirable as well to be able to achieve higher SPLs from fewer watts.

Yes, this is the way to do it. Now that I’m using a SET tube amp with 48 watts pure Class A (with 300B driver tubes) paired with 96dB 10 ohm speakers I can’t imagine wanting to listen to music in a different configuration. SET tubes with plenty of headroom and easy to drive speakers. I simply never have heard anything more beautiful in terms of topology pairing, at least for my musical priorities. I really don’t get the allure of matching high powered SS amps with low impedance speakers - it feels like swimming uphill to get a good sound - and at the end of the day a sound that doesn’t stir my soul.
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,883 posts
 
@ three_easy_payments, I could not have said it BETTER. :-)
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,014 posts
 
The reason tube amps are still around all these decades on is that they make less audible distortion than transistor amps- the brightness of solid state is caused by distortion (and is as much a coloration as anything tubes do); this is why a solid state amp and a tube amp can measure flat on the test bench but the solid state amp will sound bright and the tube amp will not.
I dont have much experience with tubes amplifier versus S.S. amplifier.... I only own a modest tube amplifier garage 1217 the Ember...And playing tubes was fun fpr some months... :)

But i can assure you that not all S.S. amplifier are made equal....

The qualities associated in all thread to tube amplifier, i feel them with my Sansui AU 7700 with no loss in bass control....

The Sansui is warm and detailed with great bass..... It is a so good amplifier i purchase another one.... :)


ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,883 posts
 
@ hilde45, I do think that peoples experience and comparison are relevant. What i said is i do not know the answer to your question. That is why i said i have tube and SS amps. If i say my tube amp sounds better, that is my opinion. Base on my comparison between tube amp and ss amp. Its not right or wrong it is my experience. I thought you were looking for a (fact) not opinion. That is why i said to many variables. My experience is my tube amp has better 3-d sound then my (ss) amp. I use the circuit analogy for the sake, of argument. Sorry for the confusion. :-)
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@ditusa I think we're on the same page. I'm looking for an account of people's experiences under conditions they believe are reasonably controlling of variables which could preclude a fair comparison. If people are reporting their experiences accurately, well, that is fact. It is a subjective fact of experience, a report. Not fiction, not imagination, not speculation.
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