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Tube or Trasistor

Hello friends
Hope you all had a good New Year!!
I live on the far south coast of Australia, the nearest hi fi shop, is a three hours drive!!, so can some one give me advice??, as I have found the sound on a lot of music to be a bit harsh, below is My gear!!
1. Once Analog TT, loaded with a loaded Denon/Zu 103 cartridge
2. JLTI phono stage, with power supply, (sold state), made in Switzerland by Allen wright
3. PS Audio, pre-amp with build in DAC
4.Pair of PS Tube Mono Blocks, these are highly regarderd, running KT 88's output tubes, made in Hong Kong, silver point to point wiring!!
5. Pair of Zu Soul MK 2 speakers
Friends, some modern recordings sound great, but as I have mint collection of music, some sound harsh!!
My last system, sounded great, in the bass region, but was lacking in the top end, just a bit!!
My last system was, below, please don't ask why I don't have it any more, very personal!!
1. Well tempered Labs Classic, with a Dyavector 17 D 3
2. A local made Tube pre amp, with phono stage, made by a person in Canberrra, I don't have his name!!, This system is approx 20 years old??
3. Bedini class A transistor amp, around 100wps
4. Shahinian Arc Speakers!!
Although i has been nearly twenty years, since the last time I heard this system, I don't remember, this system sounding "harsh"!!
The only thing I can think off, is the pre amp was" tubed", and the amp was solid state, now it is the otherway around, the phono stage, and pre amp are solid state!!, whilst the mono blocks, are tubed!!
Am I missing something here??, Before I change my system, with a cost I can't really afford, can some one give me advice?? Thanks in advance
David Spry
Australia


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cleeds
5,943 posts
 
vtvmtodvm
The point is that there are NOT many vacuum tube products now being manufactured. World-wide, receiving-type vacuum tube products now comprise near-negligible numbers. It's purely limited to some hi-end audiophile products and guitar amplifiers, and that specialty market is simply infinitesimal.
Not exactly. This is a an audiophile forum. By definition, the world of audio enthusiasts is pretty small compared to the world of consumer electronics in general. Within the world of high-end audio, vacuum tube technology looms rather large. It's like the LP - many users use tubes even though the solid state alternative exists.

Currently, tube production is limited to a small group of foreign opportunists who are sufficiently agile to extract profit by virtue of low cost manufacture and high selling price.
Oh no, this is mistaken. Please check your facts. Domestic tube manufacturing lives. And to call tube manufacturers "opportunists" is really unwarranted. Making tubes is a legitimate business, even if it disturbs you.

Hey, it's dead technology
With apologies to Mark Twain, rumors of the death of vacuum tubes are greatly exaggerated.
vtvmtodvm
66 posts
 
cleeds---when I last attempted to determine the remaining manufacturers of (receiving type) vacuum tubes some 18 months ago, there were zero based in the USA. That's fact. You now indicate that "Domestic tube manufacturing lives." WHERE does it live? Who has entered the business? Do appreciate that I'm talking about manufacturing. That excludes domestic importers that do some tube matching and then resell, often using a private brand label.

It's true that tube usage within the world-wide sphere of the consumer electronics market is insignificant. It's also true that tube usage within the audio equipment market is but a tiny fraction of the net business. It's of significance only to an isolated group of select consumers and sellers with needs that might never get served if it was not for the guitar people. That does not look like a healthy forecast for the future, so stock up now!  
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,776 posts
 
I have had a number of different amps and pres, both SS and tube, and I keep coming back to tubes....  my McCormack DNA 125 was a fantastic amp,  one of the few amps I regret selling.  

As long as your amps and preamps take common tubes, they will always be available thanks to musicians.   
vtvmtodvm
66 posts
 
oddiofyl---Don't depend on that! The medium income for full time professional musicians isn't a lot more than the medium household income for the U.S. population as a whole: About $59,500 annually. Distinguished full time members of civic symphony orchestras rarely earn salaries exceeding $100,000/year. Few musicians are rock stars, and few can pay the premium for tube equipment. Tube gear pricing is prohibitive for most consumers, and the replacement costs are endless. Tubes just "don't compute".
initforthemusic
282 posts
 
Hi davey,

While not familar with all your equipment. My suggestion would be to look at a good tubed Phono Stage. The JLTI equipment I've heard can be a little forward and harsh sounding. A good Tubed Pre. could also help. Also look at different Interconnects & Speaker Cables, helped tame some brightness in one of my set ups.

Good luck.
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