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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
maritime51's avatar
maritime51
1,288 posts
 
That, and many other places, including Svalbard to see the bears!
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atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,803 posts
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a SIT just a big power JFET? And I may be wrong, but I think IXIS makes some. I heard somebody talking about how to make a MOSFET produce triode-like curves at BA, but I can't remember who or when.

I think it's safe to say, in any event, that if an amp sounds like this or that gain device, it's not a particularly exceptional amp.
SITs are something different. No-one makes them- it would otherwise be Big News.
I agree with your last comment; to me most transistor amps also sound like transistors. I've heard a few tube amps that sound like tubes- don't like that either. I like neutral.
maritime51's avatar
maritime51
1,288 posts
 
@Dave. I’m no misanthrope. I had a very complete secondary school education, followed by university, and professional school, then a higher degree. 
glupson
7,842 posts
 
maritime51,

Maybe you can make a Tubuary. Some art made of old tubes and then bring transistors to see it. The sign would say

"what you do now, we did when we were lit
just like we are now, you will be obsolete"
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