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

I'm the happy owner of a fairly new tube preamp and monoblock amps. I love it and have bought new tubes. To have another option for warmer weather or possibly a second listening room, I got a very good solid state integrated. I've run the tube preamp with the solid state amp and it sounds quite nice. I love all tubes, too.

But this question is for you. Please forget the convenience factor for a moment, including the issue of tube replacement etc. Also, forget about those cases where you bought new speakers and needed more power, etc.

Assuming you had quality tube gear with sufficient power — here's the question if you abandoned tubes for SONIC reasons:

What what is that tubes couldn't give you?
What did your solid state gear do for you which was so much better that you divorced to marry anew?

I'm curious about what people list as the positive sonic reasons they love solid state (including A, AB, D, etc.).

Thanks.
128x128hilde45
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,619 posts
 
I grew up with tubes. Enjoyed them while that lasted...

SS ’occurred’...initially, laughable. But the technology grew to a level of maturity that first matched, then blew past ’valves’ and their inherint weakness. "Rolling tubes" ought to be a clue, but it’s a hobby.

Ya gots the ’Trads’, the ’SOTAs’, and the Big Middle (or Muddle, if you like)...

The incandescent bulb begot the fluorescent begot the LED.
Each has a longer lifespan and reliabilty of service.
Tube>transistor>integrated circuts>?
Class A>AB>D>?

The one thing we can count on is Change.
Some do...Some don’t...Some like both....or all.

Each still has appeal, it comes down to what you like....like your speakers, your home, your spouse, your f’n underwear for that matter.
terry9
2,333 posts
 
What I don’t like about tubes is the high voltage supplies. If something goes badly wrong you can blow up speakers, and if you like Quad ESL's, well, you can end up a lot of KV over-voltage, leaving just about everything dead but the frame. Unless you have really good protection circuits, which aren’t really good for the sound.

So I built very clean SS amps with +/- 25VDC rails. This cannot drive my ESL’s into protection, so I was able to disconnect the protection circuit and improve clarity considerably.

Maybe there are better amps out there, but the system of amp-speaker, I suspect, is as good as anyone’s. At least, anyone who doesn’t have access to military or equivalent hardware.


knotscott
921 posts
 
It seems like every time I hear the term "tube sound" as it relates to solid state, it only addresses a perceived softer tonal balance, but misses the "view" into the recording studio that I get from tubes, so it ends up kinda dull.  Inversely, the SS amps that aren't "tubey" sound brighter but without the transparency, which sounds exaggerated to me.  Is it one of those "you don’t know what you’re missing" things if you haven't experienced it, or have SS amps really improved their transparency, (and not just test bench performance)?
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
It's fun to hear so many views and experiences. It's clear that it's not possible to avoid a "this OR that" conversation when it comes to tubes and solid state. That's fine -- Audiogon threads are more frequently like pub conversations than anything else, and that's fun.

Still, I'm glad that my OP use the trigger words "made in China" or there would have been a second sinkhole in the thread! Cheers!
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,619 posts
 
"Made in China".  OMG! *L*  Yes, that would launch an entirely separate line of 'discussion'....

It sometimes seems like anything audio that hails from 'the Far East' (to use an old romantic phrase) is suspicious, as the Chinese are born without ears (smooth on both sides!) like proper automatons....🙄

Obviously, that renders them tasteless and unable to discern 'proper audio....*tsk tsk*  The poor devils....

It is astounding how much of the current items that drive civilization forward come from our Chinese breathern.  And that consequence drives them as well, as with nearly all other nation-states...

But, as long as there's a desire to have Ferrari performance at the price of a Yugo....
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