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Tube Amp soundstage

I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these strange times. I wondering if someone could explain to me the reason my tube amp has a deeper soundstage than my SS amps? Two years back I built an Elekit 8200 which puts out around 8-10w/c in ultra linear mode, depending on the power tubes. I usually run KT88’s or 6L6’s, and less often EL34’s. It powers a pair of Tekton Enzo 2.7’s which are quite efficient at a claimed 98db. The SS amps I’ve used with these speakers include a vintage NAD 35w receiver, a Musical Fidelity m3si @ 85w, a Rogue Sphinx @ 100w and a Hegel H80. Now granted, non of these amps are what I would consider high end audio, but no matter what, the little tube amp always seems to have a deeper, more 3-D soundstage and the SS amps sound a little flatter. Same source, same DAC, same speakers and cables. There are things I appreciate about the SS sound, such as tighter, better defined bass and an effortless ability to play louder (which I do less and less), but every time I rotate the little tube amp back in, I hear a slightly more organic sound and that deeper soundstage.
dtapo
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
So when a tube amp adds even a few percent of even order harmonics our brains easily blend it into one seamless whole.

Solid state and digital however are not at all like this. The distortions they produce are far lower in magnitude

MC’s assertion that SS amps aren’t mindful to 2nd harmonics is complete rubbish. It’s simply a matter of how the circuit is designed. For decades Nelson Pass has placed a large focus on balancing the right blend of 2nd and 3rd harmonics into his designs, or providing amps with different harmonic flavors to the market. He’s stated in interviews that about 1/3 of listeners prefer 2nd harmonics, 1/3 prefer 3rd, and the rest prefer a blend or have no preference. MC loves to be categorical in the "truths" he pushes but often he is simply asserting a bias.


millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My bias? Okay, explain to me then how any amp, solid state or otherwise, can be "mindful"?
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
Okay, explain to me then how any amp, solid state or otherwise, can be "mindful"?

Of course an inanimate object can’t be mindful but the designer of one can be which is my point and you know that regardless of how cute you try to be with your word selection.

You can build your own SS 2nd harmonic generator if you like. Nelson Pass "mindfully" designed it.

http://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_h2_v1.pdf

My bias?

And you’re right...it may not have been due to your bias...rather your lack of understanding of SS designs.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Its not a game. You took my perfectly correct post, ran it through your cuisinart and turned it completely around then want to pretend its me. I never said anything about designers being mindful or otherwise. Designers never came up in my post at all. Now you're pretending it did. Crazy. 

What I did say is people prefer 2nd order harmonics. You yourself then argue with this and offer as proof that Nelson Pass himself states that 1/3 of people do indeed prefer 2nd order harmonics. In other words you say I'm wrong while proving me right. Word games, indeed!   

Never anywhere said anything about solid state designs, or designers, only talked about what people prefer, which you just proved I am right about that.  
Could it just maybe possibly be you completely misunderstood everything I said? I genuinely want to know. Because it happens a lot. So either you are a hard one to communicate with, or you are deliberately misleading. Which is it?

three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
MC - you were asserting that tube amps sound better than SS due to their even/2nd harmonics and that SS amps are "not at all like this".  Your words, not mine.  While I agree that tube designs naturally lend themselves to producing 2nd harmonics, so do SS amps if designed that way.  This is not a matter of tube amps categorically producing more even harmonics over SS - it's all about design and implementation.

I'm sure you will enjoy wringing your hands to respond in your usual condescending obtuse way to me so I'm done responding to this thread.  I've made my point.  

Classic MC closing, 

"Holy crap. See how easy that was?  Next question."
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