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People who are Irrationally Afraid of tube amps

Recently I've had a tube amp For Sale on this site. It's a well respected, great amp from a major mfg. I've owned it for 3 years, with absolutely no problems, only enjoyment. I'm only selling it because I sold the speakers I used it with, & my current speakers are a lot more power-hungry. And it's the 2nd tube amp I've owned, my first being a really early model VTL ST-85 that was several years old when I bought it, then I had it for 5 years, & the only problem I had in all that time was replacing a fuse once. And I know almost nothing about electronics, but I learned how to use a multi-meter & successfully biased & replaced tubes in both amps.

Here's the thing: Almost every person who has written to me about my amp for sale asks a zillion questions, you know the routine, e-mails back & forth, then finally says they are too freaked out at the possibility of replacing tubes someday to buy it, whining about the (relatively modest) expense, etc. (And my amp has new tubes!!). Now, these queries are from presumably experienced A'goners because most of them have a large no. of positive feedback ratings here. I mean, we're not dealing with the average shopper at Circuit City, presumably.

My questions are: 1. Why do experienced A'goners waste so much time shopping for tube gear if they're freaked out over the potential traumatic effect that replacing tubes may have on them someday? There's plenty of SS gear FS if that's what they want. 2. Why do many even relatively experienced audiophiles still believe in the "tube hassles" myth? 3. Are there no tube afficiandos who are willing to put up with a minor inconvience every few years?

I feel like putting a warning in the next ad I run for a tube amp: WARNING: THIS DEVICE CONTAINS HIGHLY VOLATILE "TUBES", WHICH MAY BLOW AT ANY SECOND & COULD DESTROY YOUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD! USE AT YOUR OWN PERIL, PREFERABLY IN A NON-POPULATED AREA. EVEN IF THEY DON'T KILL YOU, THE TRAUMA OF REPLACING THE "TUBES" SOMEDAY COULD REQUIRE YEARS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, & MAY BANKRUPT YOU & YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.

Well, at least that might discourage the "tire kickers". Now, if I could just afford those Cary 805C mono-blocs I've been wanting for years........& thanks for listening to my rant!
steveaudio
s23chang
620 posts
 
What is boils down to is $$. I've auditioned over 100 SS and tube amps combine. There are plenty of good solid state amps that performs as good as some of the best tube amps. However, the price for the SS are always outrageously higher than the equal performance tube gear.
i.e. If I need SS 100Watt power amp that can be better than a HK Citation II, I'll need to spend at least over $2000 in SS amp to achieve to same sonic performance.
Anything less just doesn't cut it.
The cost of a vintage HK Citation II is only arond $800. In the silimar price range SS amp, thin, dull, dry and flat sounding SS amp are not my cup of tea. It just doesn't have the same bandwidth as the tube gear.
However, if you're talking about current production tube amp, the price tag is much closer these days ( the manufacture jack up the price on tube gear since it is "HOT". In any case, I still prefer vintage tube gear.

Just my 2 cents
twl
3,251 posts
 
Sean, here's the link to the audiocircle discussion on the digital amps.
http://audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=5123

There's about 9 pages of discussion on the apparent poor measurements and good sound reports from it. John Curl and Brian Cheney are involved.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Twl...Digital PWM switching amps are a long way from tubes! Interesting just the same. I am contemplating the Spectron unit, if they agree to put out a 3-channel version.

I gather from the link, that the adverse specs result from aberations which are at too high a frequency to be audible if the speaker were capable of reproducing them, which it isn't. This is a bit different from the tube amps we were discussing.
twl
3,251 posts
 
I agree. They are a long way from tubes. Just providing the link that Sean requested.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Thank you very much for posting that Twl. I have some comments that i'd like to add to that thread, but have to run off to work. Some of my comments are both pro and con about this type of amp and other Carver / Sunfire products. Being an owner of multiple Sunfire products might help keep the negative things that i have to say in perspective for those that are otherwise "awed" by the sound of this amp even though it measures attrociously. Sean
>

PS... I have to wonder just how much of this really is Carver and / or if Bob is simply marketing his name ??? You guys check into that and let me know, will ya ??? : )
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