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Solid State vs. Tubes - What if Transistors came first?

What do you guys think?

If transistors came first, and then decades later tubes were invented, would we have any tube amps we would call high end?

Wouldn’t they all fail to reach the height of performance and transparency set by transistor amps?

Best,

E

P.S. I love Conrad Johnson. I'm just wondering how  much of our arguments have to do with timing. 
erik_squires
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,913 posts
 
BTW there is something to be said for the less obtrusive sound of soft clipping tube amps. Class D amps seem to commonly do that nice trick these days though as well.  As do a handful of others.


Hard versus soft clipping might be more relevant to how good gear commonly sounds in comparison than tube versus SS.  Any thoughts on that?
maritime51's avatar
maritime51
1,288 posts
 
Jesus, how often do you encounter clipping?  -Lee Deforest. 
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Glupson, my daughter is a huge fan so me and the wife are taking her for her first big concert!  Got the tx as soon as they were released online...expensive!!
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Of course we have taken her to see the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra at the Kimmel Center!  
glupson
7,842 posts
 
dave_b,

Your daughter is one lucky girl. I was buying it for my friend's daughter who would fly to U.S.A. from Europe just for concert. European tickets had been long gone. Now, tell your daughter it is unimportant music and see what look you get. While you are at that, ask her about tubes. They are all the rage among younger crowd, I hear.
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