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Tube versus SS


Since I just installed some rather expensive NOS 6922 Telefunken tubes in my Phono-preamp, that yielded outstanding results, I decided to compare CD to Phono.

From the best of "Jacintha", CD, I selected "Danny Boy". Her voice emerged deep center stage from a jet black noise free back ground. It sounded more like what I expected from the analog.

That was followed by special LP's of Dinah Washington that had recently arrived. Those LP's were everything I expected with the NOS 6922 Telefunken Tubes in the Phono, but the surprise was the fact that I couldn't tell the two apart; both were outstanding.

What may surprise you, is the fact that I attribute these outstanding results from the COVID 19 "lock-down" which has given us the quietest "grid" ever in history. That means those of us with lesser means have the same AC power as the richest who can afford expensive AC power "clean uppers".

BTW, I have made extensive comparisons to recordings made before and after, the lock-down that confirm just how much of a difference it's made. I must admit that I had doubts about expensive power conditioners, but this confirms that fantastic results come from taming the wild AC.

It's my belief that we can not achieve better results than we have from the current "quiet grid", which means power conditioner or no power conditioner, we are all presently getting the same results.

Could it be that the dominant factor when comparing tube and SS when they both are of comparable quality is "The quality of the AC"?
   
orpheus10
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,898 posts
 
What may surprise you, is the fact that I attribute these outstanding results from the COVID 19 "lock-down" which has given us the quietest "grid" ever in history.
It’s not surprising that you attribute an improvement to something but it hardly makes it a fact. How do you know the grid is the quietest in history? Could it be in fact worse as everyone is inside all day?

That means those of us with lesser means have the same AC power as the richest who can afford expensive AC power "clean uppers".

This is not true. Instead of saying "the richest," assume those who are willing to spend more. A ’cleaner grid’ is not the same as redenerated AC. You cannot assume everyone is getting a quieter grid.

Could it be that the dominant factor when comparing tube and SS when they both are of comparable quality is "The quality of the AC"?

Clean AC is critical. All things being equal on the power end, it’s still likely that differences in the design and implementation of either topology is more responsible than the quality of the AC.
mikelavigne
2,199 posts
 
agree with @noromance

i have an Equi=tech 10WQ 10kva balanced whole system power regenerator.

https://www.equitech.com/products/wall/wall.html

so my power is not time of day or outside noise dependent. but it does not make solid state sound like tubes, or push digital to sound like vinyl. i know that Jacintha recording on vinyl and digital and agree that digital is very good, and that the digital is more like the vinyl, as is typical for Groove Note, but not sure the Diana Washington one you refer to.

OTOH individual system changes, such as making tubes or solid state (or digital or vinyl) better from time of day or power grid activity are real, but are anecdotal and cannot be applied generally. if you are seeking a general viewpoint, it’s more that lower noise power is better for sound. but where and to what degree it affects things would be dependent on lots of things. it is helpful to know which power supplies in your system are most impacted by power grid noise. and there is useful information in that discovery by you. it may allow you to treat that piece of gear specifically for your best ROI going forward.

so at minimal investment you can get as close to 'COVID-19' lower noise as possible, all the time.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
What may surprise you, is the fact that I attribute these outstanding results from the "lock-down" which has given us the quietest "grid" ever in history. That means those of us with lesser means have the same AC power as the richest who can afford expensive AC power "clean uppers".
Nothing here surprises me any more.

And no, it doesn’t work like that. You’re thinking power is like water, and we who have the better purifiers drink perfectly pure water- but now everyone’s water is pure the filters are of no benefit. Does not work like that.

But hey, don’t take my word for it. If you’re right then the power is clean and nothing now can make it any better. So power cords and conditioners can’t do anything. So get some and see. You will find they all work exactly as before, improve everything just as much as before, only now starting from a higher base.

Or try this one. If the power is so clean it can’t get any better then flip off your circuit breakers and listen again. The massive improvement you are hearing is telling you there is plenty of room for improvement even now.

Oh and the comparison that started this whole thing? What you said, you listened to one recording on CD, then you listened to another completely different recording on LP. Not even the same singer! Yet they sounded just the same.

If you really did listen to Jacintha and Dinah Washington and "couldn’t tell the two apart" we really do have to wonder: ear wax build up?
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Millercarbon, it's primarily commercial activity that causes wild AC. I'm thinking AC being turned to DC for audio equipment, and I know exactly how it works. Since you're comparing it to purifying water, maybe you're the one who doesn't know how it works.

Since when do power cords purify AC?

As usual Millercarbon, you're getting totally ludicrous.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,389 posts
 
Nobody has any evidence the power is any different than before so it’s all speculation.  
Of course some will claim to know just because. 
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