I'm going back to tubes... a question for y'all

Funny that Sean mentions tube gear with a solid state heart. I auditioned several tube preamps ranging from $2000 to $10,000 in my system. The lesser priced tube amps were clearly editing the music and truncating the bass. By the time I got to the $10,000 preamp, the bass was back and the mids and highs sounded much like my Pass designed solid state preamp. And my solid state preamp was $9,600 less!!!!!!

There is a discussion on tube VS solid state on absolute
sound.I found it very educating.I think its the latest
edition, Bob Harley is the referee.

"To me, these are tube amps with an SS heart."

Well Sean I don't know if I would put it like that. How about "A tube amp with the soul of tubes and the top to bottom extension and dynamics of ss." I don't get heart from ss, it misses too much low level information and MOST lack the immediacy of the better tube gear which brings music to a sense of being with you in the room. I DO try to be objective in these observations but in fact have to live up to my moniker :)

I agree that most tube gear is too rolled off at the frequency extremes with the exceptions being the OTL and top eschelon transformer coupled amps. Great transformers cost a lot but it can be done right, er close to right with the proper load. And then there is the Berning. I would love you to hear that one Sean, if you haven't already. It seems quite evident that the problem with tubes isn't the tube itself this seems what is right, better than the transistor. The problem is the transformer. How about a transistor device with the "soul" of tubes, anyone?

"Yes... Not only I switched to tube gear.. I'm even going back to vintage gear. If you find the right one that matches your speakers, they actually better than most of the modern tube gear."

Well s23chang, I don't know about that. I have a pair of MC-60's have owned Dynaco, ARC and have listened extensively to many others. It depends what you value, realism vs. coloration. The Mac's are nice amps and I really enjoy them for certain types of music. But they in no way approach what the OTL amps or better SET amps do. One thing I won't argue is they are way cooler looking than virtually anything out there, superbly designed and bulletproof. The Mac's are the only audio component I have owned over the past 15 years that continually elicit comments from most who see them. Probably because of the black and chrome contrast. Even the Supratek Syrah doesn't get the same response.

First I would say that I am going to be talking about quality tube gear versus quality ss gear. Quality tube gear does not have rolled off top and bottom end. It will probably be noisier than ss gear although if you use transistors in the ps, you can get the same quiet. Apart from John Tucker's efforts, however, I have always found such power supplies to sound too much like ss gear. I don't think it has anything to do with poor digital recordings as I do not think the superiority of tubes has anything to do with their smoothing the sound. I find tubes to have more detail and to be quicker sounding. Solid state gear, with the exception of 47 Labs stuff, sound unmusical, lacks pace, and generally cannot achieve the realism of good tube gear.

Finally, I will make one clear exception to what I have just said, namely the H-Cat P12, while ss, is un-solid state sounding. It has pace and musicality and given that I have yet to hear anything else that can even come close to its sound stage, it has realism.

I have repeatedly ventured in and out of tube gear over the years frequently because tube dacs or powerful amps were unavailable. Typically when tube gear became available or when I no longer needed a powerful amp, I bought it and was happy.

I would recommend following your ears. You will probably grow tired of vintage gear. Be confident, however, that tubes need not lose you top or bottom end and can give you greater realism. You may have to go to efficient speakers, however.