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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
 
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."
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Okay so here we go again, only mercifully for the last time. You are now down to admitting, "if designed that way."

Reminding me once again what a good idea it was to create the Hateful 18 list to keep track of which people are worth engaging with and which are not. It doesn't literally mean you are hateful. Although some of them surely are. (And not alone in saying this, I get PM's)
Its easy to pick one of my deliberately provocative comments and get your poor tender feelings all hurt. What a meanie. Boo hoo. What you miss in all this three_easy_payments is you took something I said that was perfectly correct and which you yourself proved you even agree with and then distorted it all to hell in order to call it rubbish.

I do not suffer fools gladly. So sue me. But neither do I deliberately make stuff up (also called LIE) just to insult. That is what you do, and all the time. That is why you made the list. And that is why I promise to do a better job in checking that list and avoiding having anything to do with your distasteful self ever again.  
mammothguy54's avatar
mammothguy54
955 posts
 
IMO, Pass has done it right with their SS amps.  As well, Balanced Audio Technology has done it right with their SS amps.  I chose BAT SS amp, a BAT tube preamp, and a Manley tube phono stage and am perfectly pleased with them and that combination.

We buy what we like.  It's all good.  Just enjoy.  Make changes if you wish, there is nothing wrong with that.  No need to argue about it.

Personally, I like it all and enjoy it all.
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