Wrong,
The digital signal circuitry can be done with tubes too, but very ineficient since they aren't fast enough on higher freequencies.
Transistors as well as tubes can produce digital and analogue signals as well(in fact there is no such thing as digital signal inside the active element tube or semi-conductor -- it's just only convention that sampled analogue signal is considered to be digitally coded and can be used for the the "portion processing" depending on phase and offset position of a certain sample).
The main difference (visit www.vtl.com) is that tube circuitry is much simplier, the output characteristics are more linear i.e. do not require deep neg. feedback. And the result is less circuit elements on the signal path give a possibility of a better and natural transparency.
The other difference is derived from linearity of tubes' output characteristics, that gives a possibility to use them at the full power without clipping. Saying simply, tube power is more efficient than SS.
SS advantages:
1. No need for an output transformer to match impedance(very very important!)which makes SS more quiet.
2. Less harmonic distortions which are basically derived from the first advantage.
3. Larger possibility of gain with smaller number of active elements(usually SS have more gain than tubes).
4. Transistors are tended to have a lifspan 100x as tubes so there is no need to replace them every couple of years.
I do sacrifice for output transformer hum in my VTLs but I do gain natural voice and rather detailed highs than harsh ones on SS.
The digital signal circuitry can be done with tubes too, but very ineficient since they aren't fast enough on higher freequencies.
Transistors as well as tubes can produce digital and analogue signals as well(in fact there is no such thing as digital signal inside the active element tube or semi-conductor -- it's just only convention that sampled analogue signal is considered to be digitally coded and can be used for the the "portion processing" depending on phase and offset position of a certain sample).
The main difference (visit www.vtl.com) is that tube circuitry is much simplier, the output characteristics are more linear i.e. do not require deep neg. feedback. And the result is less circuit elements on the signal path give a possibility of a better and natural transparency.
The other difference is derived from linearity of tubes' output characteristics, that gives a possibility to use them at the full power without clipping. Saying simply, tube power is more efficient than SS.
SS advantages:
1. No need for an output transformer to match impedance(very very important!)which makes SS more quiet.
2. Less harmonic distortions which are basically derived from the first advantage.
3. Larger possibility of gain with smaller number of active elements(usually SS have more gain than tubes).
4. Transistors are tended to have a lifspan 100x as tubes so there is no need to replace them every couple of years.
I do sacrifice for output transformer hum in my VTLs but I do gain natural voice and rather detailed highs than harsh ones on SS.