Can you have too many tubes?

Atmasphere(Ralph),your statement alluding to never having too many tubes,in a system,is,respectfully,absurd!Though I love a fine tube based set-up,there are trade-offs.Some of which are maintaining a vast quantity of tubes,as well as heat output,in a given space.No,I'm not disrespecting the use of tubes(or the better solid state products),but there simply must be a point of moderation,in total amount used,which is attainable.

The friends that I have,that are "true" tube lovers,STILL keep a watchful eye out to lower the quantity,in their system,when they can.One can still get a fabulous sounding set-up,with careful attention to detail,while being careful(and thoughtful)in where,and how we add tubes to a system.I've seen(heard) it work.

Any experienced audiophile knows that,in order to really appreciate our beloved "music",we must be able to listen in relative comfort,and anyone denying the attention we have to pay,to "heat related" issues,especially with tubes, is deluding the facts.Even with quiet central A/C,as I have,I do not appreciate having to overuse my A/C units in hot weather,and have been successful in reducing tube volume,while maintaining a respectable sound.I'm sure I'm not alone,in this.

I mean NO disrespect,and am aware of the fact that you may have been jesting,and are a respected mfgr;but you don't have to have a mega quantity of tubes to be SOTA.I'm convinced that I have heard wonderful,and satisfying systems that were tube based,as well as wonderful systems that were solid state based.Best wishes!

Essentialaudio,

Hey Ralph, how many tubes in a pair of MA-3s?

Too many for any sane person :-) But an audiophile's dream...they're "Iowa Class" battleship amps, fer sure!

Check 'em out Iowa Class Amps

Mr. Porter
LOL!!! you crack me up! :-D

Thanks

paul :-)

BTW - Your system is amazing.

Albertporter, unless I am mistaken, your link is only a PARTIAL picture of the ENIAC computer completed in the autumn of 1945, and used by the Aberdeen Proving Grounds to compute ballistic trajectory tables.

By today's standards for electronic computers the ENIAC was a grotesque monster. Its thirty separate units, plus power supply and forced-air cooling, weighed over thirty tons. Its 19,000 vacuum tubes, 1,500 relays, and hundreds of thousands of resistors, capacitors, and inductors consumed almost 200 kilowatts of electrical power.

Another website states

ENIAC, with its 17,468 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 1,500 relays, and 6,000 manual switches, was a monument of engineering -- and an energy hog. The city of Philadelphia reportedly experienced brown-outs when ENIAC drew power at its home at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

For more info see ENIAC 1 or ENIAC 2. This second link also has some interesting photos.