For anyone who moved from tubes to solid state — a question

@mapman: Certain that no maintenance is needed; had the amp back to Jon about two years ago...just to check bias and evaluate overall performance.  He made a minor bias adjustment and declared it "operating perfectly."  

And remarkably, the tube amps are a tweaked Williamson circuit...a 73 year old design!

Yep, exceptions to all generalities!  Modern may generally be better, but not always!

Cheers!

I think it is possible to compare specific tube device A against specific SS device b, and make generalized assertions about how to best apply each type of technology, but have to be careful about generalized comparisons of tube versus SS gear in general.

The good ones are all in the same league and might win on any given day. There are more of those these days perhaps but certainly some older designs can still compete as well.

So just to complicate things even further, Class D SS amp technology is yet another whole new ball game and in general a much bigger threat categorically to tube amp technology than old fashioned Class A/B SS amps based on my experience to-date..

Class A SS amp technology is also always the other legitimate and more traditional challenger to tube amps.

Myself I would likely only consider using a tube amp with very easy load speakers to drive and high efficiency is desirable as well to be able to achieve higher SPLs from fewer watts.

Main reason is at my age I am looking to downsize if anything and keep it as simple as possible.

YMMV.

Then again, tubes glow and are way cool to look at. Been fascinated by them since just a kid.

Myself I would likely only consider using a tube amp with very easy load speakers to drive and high efficiency is desirable as well to be able to achieve higher SPLs from fewer watts.

Yes, this is the way to do it. Now that I’m using a SET tube amp with 48 watts pure Class A (with 300B driver tubes) paired with 96dB 10 ohm speakers I can’t imagine wanting to listen to music in a different configuration. SET tubes with plenty of headroom and easy to drive speakers. I simply never have heard anything more beautiful in terms of topology pairing, at least for my musical priorities. I really don’t get the allure of matching high powered SS amps with low impedance speakers - it feels like swimming uphill to get a good sound - and at the end of the day a sound that doesn’t stir my soul.

@ three_easy_payments, I could not have said it BETTER. :-)

The reason tube amps are still around all these decades on is that they make less audible distortion than transistor amps- the brightness of solid state is caused by distortion (and is as much a coloration as anything tubes do); this is why a solid state amp and a tube amp can measure flat on the test bench but the solid state amp will sound bright and the tube amp will not.

I dont have much experience with tubes amplifier versus S.S. amplifier.... I only own a modest tube amplifier garage 1217 the Ember...And playing tubes was fun fpr some months... :)

But i can assure you that not all S.S. amplifier are made equal....

The qualities associated in all thread to tube amplifier, i feel them with my Sansui AU 7700 with no loss in bass control....

The Sansui is warm and detailed with great bass..... It is a so good amplifier i purchase another one.... :)