Tubes? Transistors? Which are better?

On this one, I keep coming back to moderate price tube pre-amps and also moderate price SS amps. I think Doug states the case for this position very well regarding the cost of excellent components-- that's an interesting observation, ie that excellent tube pre-amps can be made inexpensively (but not solid state), and vice versa with amps. I listen to a lot of rhythmic music that is driven by mid-bass, and my big McCormack amp is excellent at this-- yet it also does low volume and low level detail very well, eg better than the Power 2. It's been my experience that tube amps just don't do this part of music as well as SS. But, I've wanted to listen to VTLs 450 also. OTOH, I'm not willing to give up my tube pre-amp either-- it adds richness, body, and an improved sense of naturalness and holographics. Personal taste? that's right on too, and I think I've found were I fit in equipment wise. Cheers. Craig.

hey craig,

why stop at vtl's mb450? why not the mb750's or wotans? ;~)

regards, doug

Garfish, I am not sure what type of sound you are into, but that goes a long way towards knowing what type of tube amp to search out. By the way, did you happen to read the Michael Fremer review of the AR amp? He gets my vote for the biggest(next to J10) fraud in audio. He has never reviewed an Audio Research amp before(a feat in itself), and was surprised by its brightness(lack of tube warmth)??? That's like an automotive reviewer not knowing Porsches have a small back seat. I can never forget his review of a Muse 160 amp. He was on the soapbox delineating the differences between an experienced and a seasoned audio reviewer(category which he included himself in). I do understand your plight in being far from the easy to get to places. Makes auditioning a bear. It's easy to see why the McCormack works for you. They are great products. I don't share most people's fondness for VTL(maybe I am just crazy). I feel that trying to coordinate all those tubes tends to make the music coming out of their amp lack a certain coherence. And the cost involved in retubing... Must be like the ENIAC or UNIVAC computer we have here in Philadelphia(at the University of Pennsylvania). That thing has an absolutely STAGGERING amount of tubes. I once read how many tubes are replaced daily, and I almost fainted. I tend to focus on quality, rather than brute force of sound, and I am sure that plays into my VTL feelings. But in the end, if you have found satisfying sound, that is all that matters. Everything else is irrelevant.

Tubegroover, your excellent post is probably the best explanation of why, despite having heard many solid-state and tube hybrid amps in my system "outperform" my Jadis JA80s in most respects, I still prefer to listen to my music (primarily classical, folk and jazz) through the Jadis amps. I very well might feel differently if I listened to rock more frequently; in that case, I think Garfish has the right idea. We all listen to music to be moved; for my music, tubes just seem to do the trick better.

Trelja; a lot of the music I listen to depends on good rhythmic drive, ie blues, rock, some pop, some new agey stuff etc, and the DNA2 does this very well. I think the two music parameters that are most important to me (assuming good tonal balance of course) are timbral richness of vocals, and PRT. Yes, I've read both the M. Fremer STPH reviews you refer to, and interestingly had exactly the same reaction as you. At one time I had the Muse 160 on my short list-- Fremer was really arrogant and conceited on that one, and re: the ARC amp review, he was actually going to use some old cables that had been growing hair in his closet for ten years-- could'nt believe it. Yeah, I know Steve McCormack likes tubes, and he's pleased when someone tells him his SS amps sound tubey--- and I do think his DNA amps have some tubelike qualities in the mids and low treble (smooth, sweet, and non-fatiguing), but they also have great control in the bass and mid-bass region. They're quick, tight, deep, and very rhythmic. I think I've just explained why I like the DNA amps :>). Cheers. Craig.