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Why don’t tube amps sound like tubes anymore?

When I hear the latest tube amps I’m more reminded of what a solid state amp sounds like than what I remember a tube amp once sounded like. I say that, with most tube amps I hear today, but not all. Gone seems to be the lush tones, warm glow and natural harmonics I used to hear. What I hear is more of a thoroughbred, faster, sharper sound when I listen to a modern tube design today. Then why use tubes?
hiendmmoe
arro222
142 posts
 
@MOZART Fan: Can you name the integrated tube unit that sounded so natural to you?
I have my reasons to ask and familiar (and sold) many an amp unit "back then".
Perhaps we can get to the "why" this was evident to you if I'm familiar with the product.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

If you really enjoy warm and tubey, why shouldn't you be able to go out and buy a nice-sounding warm and tubey amp?  It seems these days manufacturers (and to some extent, reviewers and magazines) want to dictate what listeners should be listening to, i.e. what they deem "correct".  Witness the move to a lot of very analytical speakers from many manufacturers.

There's a reason why SET amps, despite several significant drawbacks that require work-arounds, are still around and produced by a number of generally smaller companies.

hiendmmoe OP
206 posts
 
I’m wasn’t  talking about overly warm, slow, tubby sound of vintage designs of yesterday, when I asked the question in the original post. What I said I wasn’t hearing when listening to modern tube designs is the life and breath that tubes are known for. It seems with all the gains tube designs have made in areas such as: bass, speed, definition, all the magic tubes are known for has been lost.

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