2. amps-preamps
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A tubes vs. Solid State question.

I have followed several of the threads regarding the tubes vs Solid State debate and I am puzzled by the dogmatism of this issue. I have several friends here on AudiogoN who are avid tube lovers so my question is obviously an attack on this stand, but do tube lovers think people with solid state equipment are deaf or is it that they have never heard tubes.
I have owned tube equipment and was fairly content with it but I have since changed to all SS gear. I am much happier with my system now that I have ever been before. Dare I say it? Yes I like SS amps, pre-amps, and phono stages! Does that damage my credibility or was it already gone? Maybe I'm wrong but I get the impression tube people think if we SS people ever heard tubes we would trash all of our gear and run to the nearest glowing orange light to buy all new equipment. Am I off the mark?
128x128nrchy
matrix
305 posts
 
Sorry correction above, I meant VTL mono's with wilson's, I never heard VAC's.
alpha_03
39 posts
 
Hmm, this is getting to be a good conversation. I have heard Krells, VTLs, Brystons and Holcrons in the same room with the same speakers and the same source players, what sounded the best to me? LOL, the Conrad Johnson in the other room.

All that aside the best system I have ever heard was a Crown reference amp and a top of the line Classe CDP on maggie 3.3's and a Velodyne 18" sub- it was a truely involving listening session. It blew away the top B&W's, and Vandersteens, I was amazed, and it is why I run 15" subs, real bass requires SPL and air movement to be real.
sheffb
64 posts
 
I have been listening to the GamuT Mk.3 for 2 years. This amp is very transparent and coherent. It clips gently. The GamuT is unique in that it uses large switching MOSFET output devices, only one for the push and one for the pull, each channel as opposed to a dozen or more output devices for typical equivelent power SS amps. This results in a very clear "single voice" sound with no matching problems. I counted 7 reviews on the GamuT D-200 Mk3, all which rated it reference level and some compared it favorably with many good tube amps. A French publication said the GamuT was rated in Europe among the top five amps being produced. It has been particularly popular with symphony orchestra conductors so I have been told. I use the GamuT with a SET tube preamp, a superb combo. The latest Pass Amps ie X350.5 use MOSFETs for the ouput(however in this case multiple devices) and are getting many positive comments regarding their musicality. These are two examples of excellent amps using MOSFET output.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
And, for those who can't decide, how about a bridged configuration with one tube amp and one SS! I did this once in a matrix multichannel experimental rig. It worked fine.
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