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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
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glissando
35 posts
 
Guys, you know those tin cans hanging from the telephone poles? Those are transformers that turn the several thousand kV (depends where you are. Ours is 8 kV) into the 220 V for your house. There may be 10 houses or so hooked to the same transformer. The Transformer isolates you from the high voltage lines. The only "trash" you get is from the other houses on your transformer.

I'm afraid that's not true. Noise can easily pass though the power line transformers you see on power poles. Particularly noise from 3 phase high current industrial motors. With many factories closed or operating at a reduced level it's quite possible the grid is quieter for a lot of folks.

I have worked in some of the best recording studios in the world and most of them employ extensive systems to provide quiet, clean A.C.. The systems never employ regeneration, FWIW. It's all filtering, supplying balanced power where it can be used and many dedicated / discrete grounds for each circuit.


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
david_ten
Continuing with the ’seismic theme,’ and the vibrations/resonances from human activity, here is data from the bands (and more) during the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena.

https://scitechdaily.com/new-fiber-optic-seismic-array-in-pasadena-precisely-tracked-the-rose-parade/

>>>>>The Rose Bowl Parade seismic activity aligns very well with seismic/human activity at CES in Las Vegas or the Rocky Mountain show.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Thank you Glissando for your very informative post.

When I turned on my rig and it sounded much better, although I hadn't done anything to bring this about, I put 2+2 together and came up with the answer; the quiet grid that resulted from the COVID 19 "Lock-down".

David, since you're good at finding answers to obscure questions, maybe you can find the answer to this question; I live in a quiet neighborhood, so I know it's not the neighbors affecting my AC, but industrial activity miles away; the question is, how far away can industrial activity affect your AC?



As I explained before, I down-load LP's to hard-drive, and listen to my "play-list" from the computer at my leisure. After I noticed the new recordings sounded better than the old, that confirmed a number of things; not only was the computer functioning better, but everything else as well; power supply for phono-pre plus everything else that has a power supply.

There are millions of people who are benefiting from this "lock-down" and don't even know it. Now that many are going back to normal, that might be past tense; it came and went, and they didn't even know it. I on the other hand, have it recorded on my "external hard-drive", which means that if the computer turns to junk, I have it all in a little box that I can take with me
wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
1,099 posts
 
@mikelavigne

Thanks for you answer. If I read you right, then it matters getting the big dawg Equi=tech as it does a better job than say a Niagara 7000? The Equi=tech is/does the same thing as a 7000 only a lot more of it?

If only Garth Powell would suddenly appear and render his thoughts?

With apologies to OP for the deviation. I love tubes but good/great high end is a matter of preference. The other day I heard a Peachtree integrated into some Totem speakers and it was lovely. Room was good.

orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 
Mikelavigne, that is so true.  My first love was a  Phase Linear 4000, it did everything; you could alter the music so many ways, and not stop until everything sounded exactly like you wanted it to sound.

"Equalizers" were the rage back then.  I went to a high end store and non of the equipment even had tone controls; "What is this, no tone controls?".  That's when I came to the realization that what I really wanted to hear was whatever the artist presented; no more, no less.

If you prefer to "sculpture" the audio to your specifications, that's fine, that's what I used to do.
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