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
Eldart you are confusing odd order and even order harmonic distortion, tube amps have the much more enjoyable form of distortion ,solid state has the worst sounding type .Tube amps dispite there specs are more enjoyable then solid state.At least to me and it seems many more audiophiles every year . If all you buy is gear that specs well ,I feel for you because you will have 1 hell of a sterile unmusical system.I pick stuff that sounds great then I check specs .I have learned threw much cost that gear that specs the best is no fun for me .But if you like your solid state who am I to say its no good ,its all about personal tastes and experiances .Happy listening
To whoever scoffed at the guitar players with tubes,,,,Dont you realize that the sound is just so much more musical? The guitar player is creating, not reproducing a recording, so why would he have to be SS amplified?

There is no better sound than a Gibson ES175D played on a Fender Twin reverb with JBLansing drivers...No wonder most guitar maestros like Steve Howe, Mark Knopfler, David Gilmore, Steve Hackett, and others, still use tube amplification.
JohnK: Distortion is distortion is distortion. It is not part of the original signal and is strictly a by-product or "sonic signature" of the circuit. As such, it should be avoided, if possible, while still allowing the circuit to sound as good as possible. If one prefers specific attributes of a circuit, albeit distortion characteristics, un-even tonal balance, etc... so be it. They should buy what they like.

Allanbhagen: Your comment about us all being created equal is not Biblical ( if that is the God that you worship or make mention of ). The Bible teaches that we are all given our own talents and it is up to us to find and utilize those talents. As such, "equals" would all share the same talents and thought process, making us all part of the "Borg collective". The fact that we do have individual talents, physical skills and thought processes is what makes us individuals and not "clones" or "robots". If everyone were equal, we would be no different than an army of ants. Then again, i'm sure that ants have different skills, jobs and feel "different" from one another. Having said that, even the animal / insect kingdoms have various ranks and positions in their own personal societies.

The idea that you refer to about "all being created equal" can be found in the U.S. Constitution though and that is what many people get confused. Having said that, the majority of those involved in writing the Constitution had and were slave owners, so they obviously didn't mean what they were saying / writing. That is, as we interpret it today. This can be a very touchy "non-PC" subject, so i'll leave sleeping wolves alone. Sean
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PS... tubes and SS are not "equals". Each has their own "skills" and "weak points". Viva la difference : )
Tubes are used in electric guitar amplifiers because they produce a specific type of distortion when overdriven. Jsujo, are you implying that euphonic distortion is also why certain audiophiles are drawn towards tubes?
Sean.
I did not say we are created equal, I said in the eyes of God, we are created equal. Unless you are God, then of course you would know.