Tube Amplifier Sound Characteristics

Some very good input and some not so much. We build tube components.  Class A tube mono blocks and a hybrid tube amplifier, all point-to-point wiring.  Each has something to offer.  While the Class As are fantastic, the hybrid actually is more 3D sounding - go figure.  So some of the general characteristics mentioned are not so accurate IMO.

You need to focus on a price range and go hear a few.  Then you will get a better handle on what you prefer.

Happy Listening.      

a lot of the main points have been covered here already in the responses to the op’s post

i would add the following...

-- top tube and ss amps converging does not mean they are fully converged to sound the same
-- audio research, for the last 15-20 years at least, has tried to give users their cake and let them eat it too... meaning tubey goodness in holography and tonal accuracy and body, with extended treble and bass depth and impact of good ss...  the ref 75 is an excellent example of them largely succeeding at this endeavor for many applications
-- that said, depending on speaker load, room and volume level desired, how close a ref 75 or 110 comes to say, a top gryphon or pass or hegel in bass response, or how close those ss counterparts come to the arc tube amps in imaging and fleshed out vocals can still be quite variable

@blindjim your description is perfect. Although it may be difficult to put into words I find that when you get to a certain level of performance you are seeking something that is emotionally involving. I remember putting several different SS amps in my system and they all sounded ok. But then I put in a vacuum tube amp and WOW everything just fell into place. It sounded so right in almost every way. For me it wasn't even close. Since then I have tried 3 different tube amps and all sounded better to some degree than the SS amps and 2 were very good. An important note is that the tube amps I demoed were entry level I can only imagine what the "better" units sound like. Amps on the very short list are ARC Ref75SE and QS Mono 120.

@ avanti1960

It surprises me that people still talk mainly in terms of tonal balance when discussing tube amps. The warm, rolled off tube sound as it were. Forget about it! It isn’t what you want anyway. Modern tube sound is better than that. Tube sound is now about refinement, a sound that never fatigues or is edgy.

Couldn’t agree more. Very well said. If folks don’t listen past the tonal balance of a tube amp (which I suspect is usually the first thing most people notice about any system/room), they’re basically missing out on one of the strongest aspects they offer.

@knotscott tonality is the first thing most people hear. But like you and avanti1960 said there is so much more. I notice the decay in the hall or the lingering tone from the instrument itself. cant list it all as there is so much going on. When people ask what I am looking for it would sound like every other audio enthusiast. Yet we all yearn for something just a little bit different. I tell people I'll know when I hear it!