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how close in sound can a tube and ss amp sound ?

i have observed threads requesting advice regarding tube sounding solid state amps, within a price point.

i wonder how to confirm such a request.

in addition to recommendations, what about comparing a particular ss amp to a particular tube amp using an experimental design where bias, or preconception has been eliminated ?

has anyone tested the hypothesis that he/she cannot detect the difference between a tube and a ss amp, within the same power range, price point and minimizing interaction problems, such as impedeance mismatches ?

on the other hand if someone is seeking a tube-like sound out of a solid state amp, i would assume that one would use a "classic" sounding tube amp, e.g., cj mv 45, cj 75, cj 100, or cj mv125 as the tube amp and try to find a ss amp that is indistinguishable from the sound of the classic tube amp.

i have found that many ss amps differ with respect to bass and treble response from many tube amps.

in my own case, i would love to find a 120 watt ss amp which sounds like my vtl tube amp. unfortunately, i am not optimistic.

in other threads, some people have stated that it is impossible to find a ss amp that is "tube-like", in the classic sense.
mrtennis
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,210 posts
 
"Can we agree that it takes a 150 watt SS amp to duplicate a 75 watt tube amp?"

In terms of listenable volume, often the case, but there are some soft clipping SS amps that might not fit this mold as much as most.

Also a 75 watt SS amp may be more likely to deliver more solid bass performance at moderate volume than a 75 watt tube amp with many speakers that are "difficult loads" and perform better in the bass normally with SS gear.
timlub
2,039 posts
 
Mrtennis, It seems that between all the lines that there are answers. You have been answered by a wealth of experience and knowledge. The general consensus is, you can certainly find solid states that have some tube character and some tubes that have solid state character.
The Carver challenge has been mentioned, but I've tried his so called T amplifiers... I don't know what they heard in the original test, but the manufactured pieces are not tube like. As far as the clipping issue. One amp that I own is a very nicely modified Sumo Nine. Doubled filter capacitance, double bridge rectifier capacity, hard wired 10 gauge power cable, replaced a multitude of caps with great parts and all resistors. My particular amp is 78 watts to 8 & 152 watts to 4. This amp is pure Class A and I must say, when it clips, it does so with as much grace as anything that I have heard, but I'm not saying its just like tubes.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Orpheus10, no.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
Every time I mention this "phenomenon", someone tells me that P = E X I. My 75 watt monoblocks never went to electronics school and they don't know that they are not supposed to kick the crap out of my 150 watt channel SS amp.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,210 posts
 
To sum it up, for me, the best tube amps I have heard are the ones that sound more like SS and the best SS amps are the ones that sound more like tubes.

Luckily there are some companies and products out there of both ilks that do a pretty good job of resolving this dilemma. And there are many others that almost do but manage to retain a unique bias to their sound that also has mass appeal.
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