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Why is solid state more popular when tubes are better?

Yes tubes are more involved and require periodic maintenance. Hybrid tube components need not apply, these are really solid state.

Tubes are better for multiple reasons and yet the world and the trade prefers solid state. Those rare audio shops that are geared toward stereo listening and serious connoisseurs tend to Focus more on tubes.  Those in business who like to improve volumes tend to offer solid state.  All the YouTube channels looking to improve their business tend to be solid state.  Maybe because tubes require much more expertise to sell, and there's lesser and lesser to go around. Solid state is more of a fast food commodity.

Tubes are difficult for businesses due to all the maintenance and complexity so you see it less often. Much much easier to sell hybrids or solid state.

 

 

emergingsoul
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bulbous_blues
13 posts
 

I've heard great tube amps, Ive heard bad tube amps. I've heard great solid state amps, I've heard bad solid state amps. And lots in between. I personally like both, but like many people I find a tube pre-amp with solid state power amp gives me a bit of both. If money was no issue I'd have several systems.

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unreceivedogma
981 posts
 

I’ve had my NY Audiolab Futterman OTL3s, my VPI HW MK IV table, my Sumiko MMT arm for 38 years. Outside of the tubes, the needle in the Koetsu Onyx, I’m not likely to change anything now.

Caring for, starting up the amps, waiting for them to get warm as I select an LP, pull it out of its sleeve, place it on the turn table, clamp it to the turn table, start up the turn table, place the needle in the groove … is that not more than a bit like dimming the lights, lighting the incense, and making the bed before making love?

Sorta puts solid state and streaming in a whole new light now, doesn’t it? Need a remote because you can’t get up out of your chair? I feel sorry for your wife, what else can you not get … 🤔 😬 ?

Just sayin’, and have a nice day 😊 !

rolox
181 posts
 

I find my tiny flea power class D amps to have some of the subjective character of SET amps (to some degree, of course, but more so than many "traditional" class A or class AB solid state)

They have been ON for the last 10 years, 24/7, just like the rest of the system. The only device I turn off at night is my DAC, because its massive discrete output stage gets quite warm and it also uses more electricity (!) than my amps (really, I'm not making this up).

I've become addicted to the convenience and absence of fuss - the system is ON, all the time, I just need to press "play" and tadaa! music. Even tho I'm constantly trying to improve (as many audiophiles do), I'm extremely reluctant to change the amps. 

I've recently added some Duelund speaker cable and it added the slight warmth / bloom / liquidity that I was missing. I believe one could be fooled into thinking the system uses tube amps, in a blind test.

russellrcncom
314 posts
 

I’m also wondering if music genres would influence the debate.  It seems like classical music lovers gravitate more towards tubes.  I’ve had both and made the switch to SS a long time ago and never regretted it (although, I would consider a tube pre under the right circumstances).  I listen to rock, jazz, and blues and can’t imagine tubes being able to capture leading edge transients the way SS does.

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