What determines good distortion?

"This is why tubes are still around half a century after being declared obsolete. "

Atmasphere, I often wonder what the SOTA is in tubes themselves these days?

Are NOS tubes still the SOTA or has tube production technology advanced at all since the heyday of tubes in general 40+ years ago?

I've noticed prices of new tubes seem to be going up. Is that negatively impacting the value proposition?

"Additionally, it is easily demonstrated that even the most pedestrian tube amplifier will make less odd ordered harmonics than any transistor amplifier; a sine wave generator and an oscilloscope are all that's needed to demonstrate this."

OK, if it is so easy, can you demonstrate that please? WHich amps specifically would you select to do that?

ALso remember demonstrating something does not prove it. Other demonstrations with different amps could have different results.

Even if true, does that mean any tube amp is better than any SS amp? I doubt that!

I like tubes in general as much as the next guy, but just trying to keep things in perspective and avoid people jumping to conclusions based on partial facts.

Mapman, the test is simple- put the amp on a speaker load (nearly any load will do) and run the amp up to clipping with the sine wave, and observe the results on a 'scope.

Of course others have already done that. Goto Google, click 'Images' then enter:

tube clipping characteristic

The first two images will show you the difference- the transistor characteristic being the first image. Note the squared-off waveform of the transistor test- as if someone cut off the tops and bottoms of the waveform with a knife. These sharp corners are evidence of odd ordered harmonics. This test is common to all transistor amps.

The tube amp has rounded corners- less odd-ordered and lower orders as well. This characteristic is common to all tube amps.

Now this test is at clipping but this difference between tubes and transistors has been quite well documented in the last 40 years and really isn't a topic of debate as it is so readily measured and heard. It is why nearly all guitar players use tube amp, BTW.

However, almost any audiophile will correctly argue that we don't listen to amplifiers at clipping. And I agree with you in your surmise in the second to last paragraph of your post. A cheap tube amp with lousy transformers and the like is still a crappy amp.

However, the fact of the odd-ordered harmonic distortion issue will not go away despite all this. All it says though that a transistor amplifier will sound harsh compared to a tube amp **generally speaking** (and with rare exception...).

A lot of people are OK with that, thinking that they can use a synergistic approach to deal with the harshness. But look back at my original post here- I specified the difference between sounding like *music* or sounding like a *good hifi*. Its that nuance, that nth degree, that I am talking about- not the ability to weld with the amp or the like.

YEs, I will chose to avoid clipping all together, thanks.

Easier to do with modern speakers these days with smaller and more efficient switching amp technology. These are game changers in the SS versus tube amp debate IMHO.

If my choice were limited to massive monster SS amp or tubes, I might chose the tubes as the lesser of two evils. Most likely I would go to high eff.speakers to avoid all the amp pain incurred with any large hot running, and heavy amp.

OF course some do not like the sound of switching amps they have heard either for whatever reason. Class A SS or bust! OR maybe tubes?

If you are going to clip, better off with a tube amp in general I would agree, though some SS amps claim soft clipping characteristics similar to tube amps though no the same.

I'm satisfied with the softening of the tube amp claim to accept that not all tube amps are inherently superior to any SS.

Tubes in the phono and line level devices is as far as I will go. What's involved to keep a tube power amp especially a large one running properly does not appeal to me personally, but may be the best solution for some.