Tube Amp soundstage

The reason why i bought 2 integrated from Sansui ,one of the top one in the AU series (7700) and one of the Alpha series(a601) was their tubelike quality in imaging and their flowing organic non analytic but detailed S.Q.

Sansui takes a seriously S.S. amplifier versus tubes amplifiers.... They designed the 2 types...

Sansui go on for almost 50 years in audio and the goal for their last 30 years was reproducing their best tube amplifier sound (1965) in a solid state version(1995), they accomplish that after more than 30 years of continuous research... Name one company in audio that have the same goal for 30 years ? Not an indefinite improvement goal, nor a general one, but a very difficult task and precise one, finally accomplished just before their bankrupcy..... reproducing in S.S. their best tube amplifier sound....Read that review... this is astounding...






«Sansui has been a company that improves its products step by step. The early Sansui transistor amps, such as AU-999, AU-9500, AU-9900, AU-919, and AU-D11 all sounded like trying to be like tube amps, and never got there. Sansui stated to change that from AU-D11II, AU-G99X, and AU-X701(this was AU-Alpha607 in Japan (1988)). The high frequency of AU-X701 is so sensitive that Sansui has succeed to go to the root of tube technology; however, they were definitely weak in low compared with tube amps– this is nothing more than comparison, I still like the sound of AU-G99X and AU-X701 much better compared with todayÂ’s expensive transistor amps.

By knowing this Sansui tradition, the astonishing resemblance in sound between 907MR and AU-111 tells me that Sansui might have been designing its amps to reach the ultimate sonic submit they have already reached thirty years ago. Even, they might have been using AU-111 as a reference amp for their goal – I can ask those questions to those Japanese engineers whom Mr. Motoki has introduced to me.

This suspicion also coincides with what Sansui did. As I said, Sansui has been a company that always tried to improve the product by one step at a time. The last high-end integrated amp Sansui ever produced was AU-111G in 2000. This was AU-111 specifically redesigned on the pre-amp section for SACD and DVD Audio use. By considering the Sansui tradition, if AU-111G had not sounded equal or better than AU-Alpha907NRA, they would not have introduced AU-111G. This thought process and the result of my test also tell me that Sansui finally archived its goal before it ceased to exist in high-end audio market; to produce the ultimate transistor amp that is equal to the best tube amp Sansui ever produced.»

http://www.sansui.us/issues_AU111vsAL907MR.htm


If i "upgrade" my 2 Sansui that give me a ratio quality/price over the roof, one of the choice i had without risking deception, will be the ZOTL technology of Berning design.... A completely new tube technology without any negative reviews...
Like for my Sansui go on the net and try to look for a negative review....Good luck.... 😁😊


For answer to the OP question, my Sansui S.S. give me a soundstage filling the room and an imaging totally differentiated with a natural instrument timbe BUT in a controlled mechanical, electrical, and acoustical embeddings...

Without these embeddings controls the Sansui is not so spectacular even if this is a very good S.S. design...

Then it needs ac embeddings controls to make you amplifier reach his optimal......Then tube or S.S. is not the true question.... The embeddings are....

Merry Christmas...

Independently from theory (which is of course interesting by itself) I was (and  continue) comparing the soundstage of Stingray tube integrated amplifier (in push-pull) and  Cherry Megascino class D that I use with Wyred4sound STP2 preamplifier. Stingray (with EL84) in push pull gives a wonderful soundstage. Although  I cannot complain about the soundstage in the SS settingas neither. I would say the tubes  give more echo like soundstage (which I personally love)  whereas the Cherry gives reasonably natural soundstage which is further expanded by the STP preamp. I can feel the " body " of each instrument in all three dimensions without an echo-effect (perhaps, because of a very low THD). 
Given that with class D you can also hear more details (especially in mid-high frequencies), the sound is more clear and natural (nothing to say about non-auditionable benefits of class D), perhaps I like more my SS setting (thought again I love my tube integrated). 

Marry Christmas

niodari thanks your post illustrate the difficulties to reach an absolute conclusion...

The reason is simple the tube gear and the S.S. gear in the same room will not react in the same positive or detrimental manner in all the aspect of the S.Q. delivered in THIS room...

Mechanical, electrical, and acoustical embeddings of an audio system works marvel but not in the same way on 2 audio systems... IIt is particularly evident in the case of 2 different speakers but it work the same for different audio system...

This is the reason why my embeddings controls, mechanical, electrical, and mainly acoustical are installed by my ears for my actual audio system....

If there is no or minimal embeddings controls in your room this will work the same, no 2 different system feel and work the same way in an environment, in particular the acoustical one....

MC likes to twist what he said to drive his point or dispute someone. He can change his words as he goes, post to post, thread to thread. Never two alike.
He also likes to twist what others say, but we won’t go there now.
Whatever is convenient at the time. Got to keep that post count up higher than anyone.