Why don’t tube amps sound like tubes anymore?

@mijostyn +1

Actually, it is more like modern SS amps are sounding more like Tube amps.

I sold my tube amp because the Pass XA30.8 gave me everything my tube amp did plus what it lacked in low end grip, dynamic range, and a silent black background. I think Class A SS done right is very satisfying to tube lovers, especially when combined with a quality tube preamp.

In most circumstances at audio shows, I can tell when I walk into the room, sight unseen, if it is using tubes or solid state. There is still a difference in presentation though not nearly as much as, say, 20 years ago.

The old SS vs Tube battle arises yet ,,once again,,, I thought that war was finished and over for all time, ,,guess not,,battle lines have been drawn. 
I am a  front line warrior for tubes. 
For me, ss technology is ,,dinosaurish.
Now I will say  quality tube gear is expensive, and NOS tubes are essential only fior pre tubes,,,power tubes new is just as good/ better than NOS (which are wayyy over priced)
A Tele pre tube is worth every penny. These  are not over priced. 
Seems everytime ~~The Final Nail in the old ss coffin~~ just doesn't seem to hold,,out come the ss gear  rising from the grave.
Translation/bottom line : ss gear is over priced and over rated. 
Note: this is not to say there is NOT some crappy tube gear out there. 
2nd note: hard to find any ss gear to come  close(midrange fq;'s in reference, not bass/nor highs) to a  quality tube  unit. 
3rd note,,I've heard a tube amp intergrated retailed for $2100 back then, now like $3500+,,  make music sound live in your room. 
can you supply  the name of a  ss lab that can match that experience? 

+1 @mozartfan 

3rd note,,I've heard a tube amp intergrated retailed for $2100 back then, now like $3500+,, make music sound live in your room.

FYI: Quicksilver Integrated is $1995, right now.

I think it depends on the amp and also tube type. My first tube amp was a c-j Premier 11a I hated that amp it sounded like SS to me, and I swore of the 6550 tube then and there as well. Overall the trend has been to greater transparency and frequency extension but there's still gear out there that sound like tubes.


Tube rectification is a good place to start also I would never buy an amp with SS rectification.  My amp which was built by my dealer has a mix of modern and vintage parts and sounds very tubey in a good way. It uses vintage output transformers and output transformers are another key component.


Class is another issue some tube amps are Class A some are Class AB. Class A will sound warmer and more tube-like. Also how the amp is wired triode vs ultralinear. Plenty of variables, also in a very general sense higher powered tube amps will sound worse i.e. less like tubes.