Many people who are unfamiliar with electronics initially react to tube
gear as if it were some obsolete technology that is only appropriate for
hi-fi geeks with slide rules in their shirt pockets.
Tube preamps, tube DAC's and tube tuners are for the most part no
more likely to break or require maintenance than solid-state gear, as the
small signal tubes in those components pass very little current and can
last for many years. Tube power amps require a bit more upkeep, as the
output tubes, which do pass a lot of current, do eventually require
changing, and this involves biasing the tubes, but biasing is usually very
easy (as noted above, some tube amps are self-biasing, which means
the only maintenance required at all is changing the tubes when they
wear out, which is about like changing a lightbulb).
I believe it is a myth to say that solid-state gear is inherently more
reliable or a safer purchase than tube gear. Tube gear essentially
becomes a brand-new component when the tubes are changed. People
who think transistor gear is "buy it and forget it" forget that
solid-state gear can break, and when it does, getting it running again is
not as simple as just replacing a worn tube -- the component has to be
fixed. In fact, some big-name solid-state power amps as young as ten
years old cannot be fixed at all when they break, as the output
transistors used in them have gone out of production and are no longer
available.
Of course, buying really well-made tube gear generally makes ownership
easier, and audio is absolutely like everything else -- you tend to get
what you pay for. VAC, CAT, Air Tight and Audio Valve, for example,
make bullet-proof tube gear. As for me, my main system features a
solid-state CD player, solid-state preamp and phono stage, and tube
monoblock amps. My second system features a tubed DAC, which has
the original, now ten-year old tube in it and sounds better than ever.
I do not think that "tube or solid-state" is the issue. I would
strongly suggest to any newbie that he/she make decisions about hi-fi
gear on the basis of sound quality and business reputation of the
manufacturer, the latter point being very important because most high-
end hi-fi gear is basically hand-made in tiny production runs and even
in the case of well-known brands, usually not backed by what most
people would consider a "company". Like yourself, I owned a
Bryston amp (4B-ST) for five years, as it is an honest, good sounding
product that probably
won't break and can be fixed if it does break.
gear as if it were some obsolete technology that is only appropriate for
hi-fi geeks with slide rules in their shirt pockets.
Tube preamps, tube DAC's and tube tuners are for the most part no
more likely to break or require maintenance than solid-state gear, as the
small signal tubes in those components pass very little current and can
last for many years. Tube power amps require a bit more upkeep, as the
output tubes, which do pass a lot of current, do eventually require
changing, and this involves biasing the tubes, but biasing is usually very
easy (as noted above, some tube amps are self-biasing, which means
the only maintenance required at all is changing the tubes when they
wear out, which is about like changing a lightbulb).
I believe it is a myth to say that solid-state gear is inherently more
reliable or a safer purchase than tube gear. Tube gear essentially
becomes a brand-new component when the tubes are changed. People
who think transistor gear is "buy it and forget it" forget that
solid-state gear can break, and when it does, getting it running again is
not as simple as just replacing a worn tube -- the component has to be
fixed. In fact, some big-name solid-state power amps as young as ten
years old cannot be fixed at all when they break, as the output
transistors used in them have gone out of production and are no longer
available.
Of course, buying really well-made tube gear generally makes ownership
easier, and audio is absolutely like everything else -- you tend to get
what you pay for. VAC, CAT, Air Tight and Audio Valve, for example,
make bullet-proof tube gear. As for me, my main system features a
solid-state CD player, solid-state preamp and phono stage, and tube
monoblock amps. My second system features a tubed DAC, which has
the original, now ten-year old tube in it and sounds better than ever.
I do not think that "tube or solid-state" is the issue. I would
strongly suggest to any newbie that he/she make decisions about hi-fi
gear on the basis of sound quality and business reputation of the
manufacturer, the latter point being very important because most high-
end hi-fi gear is basically hand-made in tiny production runs and even
in the case of well-known brands, usually not backed by what most
people would consider a "company". Like yourself, I owned a
Bryston amp (4B-ST) for five years, as it is an honest, good sounding
product that probably
won't break and can be fixed if it does break.