Throwing in my two cents: Tubes add harmonic distortions and I believe these distortions cause a slight smearing of the soundstage which gives the illusion of more width, depth and height.
Tube Amp soundstage
I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these strange times. I wondering if someone could explain to me the reason my tube amp has a deeper soundstage than my SS amps? Two years back I built an Elekit 8200 which puts out around 8-10w/c in ultra linear mode, depending on the power tubes. I usually run KT88’s or 6L6’s, and less often EL34’s. It powers a pair of Tekton Enzo 2.7’s which are quite efficient at a claimed 98db. The SS amps I’ve used with these speakers include a vintage NAD 35w receiver, a Musical Fidelity m3si @ 85w, a Rogue Sphinx @ 100w and a Hegel H80. Now granted, non of these amps are what I would consider high end audio, but no matter what, the little tube amp always seems to have a deeper, more 3-D soundstage and the SS amps sound a little flatter. Same source, same DAC, same speakers and cables. There are things I appreciate about the SS sound, such as tighter, better defined bass and an effortless ability to play louder (which I do less and less), but every time I rotate the little tube amp back in, I hear a slightly more organic sound and that deeper soundstage.
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- 35 posts total
I don't consider myself to be an audiophile just a listener that loves music especially hard edged rockin music with a driving bass. Being a guitar enthusiast I knew that most guitar amps used tubes so I was inclined to get a tube amp for my home stereo. This article from an experienced guitar amp technician captures the reasons for using tubes in guitars amps here is a pull quote: 'There are some solid-state circuits that do an impressive job for tone, but the reason guitarists gravitate to tube amps is the harmonics. The secondary harmonics of a tube are additive to the harmony of the note, where the secondary harmonics of a solid-state amplifier are dissident to the tone.' Here is a link to the entire interview which also goes over the differences in the tubes used in many guitar amps: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/amp-anatomy-power-tubes-affect-tone/ Many of these tubes are the same ones used in home stereos. Hope you enjoy. |
- 35 posts total