Tubes vs Solid State - Imaging, Soundstaging, 3D

there is no right or wrong here. Life is full of compromises unless you are embarrassingly rich.. you just have to understand within what you can afford to spend what your compromises are. I have heard the Modwright integrated amp (SS)with the Modwright Oppo 105 (tube mod)... that's a $9k solution that seemed a good starting point for a tube and SS compromise with speakers of your choice.

Davide256,
" there is no right or wrong here" is of course true and I feel
those participating on this thread would agree. People stating their
preference for tube amplifiers isn't a condemnation of SS amps, this seems
so evident to me. How many times does one have to acknowledge that it's
merely personal taste and preference? I don't understand the heightened
sensitivity and why SS owners feel their choice is questioned. David that's
a general comment and not directed at you.

Everything Frogman said concerning tube amps could come unchanged
from my mouth word for word. If this thread had been dominated with more

'pro' SS owners I'd have no problem with that at all, I just know what is a
better fit for me. Im certain that SS amp owners clearly outnumber the tube
amp crowd, so obviously many people are quite satisfied with the sound of
transistor amps.

Tubegroover I've posted numerous times about music topics (profound
jazz adoration but getting more into some classical also).
Frogman (a musician) has written many excellent and introspective
comments of various music genres and I always enjoy and learn something
by reading them. He may love jazz as much as I do (smile) but his
advantge, he can also play it (wish I could). Well at least I can partake in the
live jazz venues where I live and I do frequently. That has trained my ears
substantially over the years (having a piano in our home is also a plus).
Charles,

10-20-13: Wolf_garcia writes:

If you have to ask if my opening statement was ironic, I have to assume you're maybe Dutch.

I assumed that with a name 'Melbguy1' he was from Melbourne, reinforced by his 'so i'll let you "mirthless" comment go through to the keeper.' Definitely Aussie.

Regards,

This fight is so childish. Audio should be fun and a source of discovery. If we don't agree with each other so be it. We should not act like little kids. This reminds me of a friend of mind that loved to talk about his equipment and always wanted reassurance from everyone about how good his stuff was. One day he called and I told him I was using a certain digital cable between dac and transport. He heard this cable a year ago and did not like it. When I told him what I was using he became so upset that he hung up on me. Wow a child indeed. I don't need to have a friendship with someone who can not discuss and disagree like adults without losing it. Lighten up this is just a hobby.

Well said, Jeff (Jwm). I would add that besides the reaction of your friend being immature, it also reflects a lack of understanding of the fact that the sonic performance of the specific digital cable in the system in which he heard it may have been completely different than its performance in your system, due to differing interactions between its own technical characteristics and the technical characteristics of the components it was connecting. Even for a given cable type and a given system, differences in the length of a digital cable can result in completely different sonic effects, for reasons that are easily explainable. Those interested can read this paper by A'gon member Audioengr (Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio).

Undoubtedly in many arguments about the sonic performance of audio components and cables those on both sides of the argument are correct, in the sense that they are accurately reporting what they heard. But what is often lacking on both sides is an understanding of the interactions and system dependencies that are involved. Interactions between amplifier output impedance and speaker impedance vs. frequency characteristics, for example, amplifier output impedance of course being very different between most tube amps and most solid state amps.

Best regards,
-- Al