Can one have too many tube components in a system?


Especially if one has sensitive speakers? For myself with ZU Omen defs, I have to keep an eye on the gain of the amps I choose since my BHK runs tubes. If gain is too high, tube hiss becomes an issue. However, I see people with tubed amp, tube pre, tubed phono pre, tubed dac......doesn't the tube his (just like tape hiss every time you copy a tape over and over) intensify with every component? Or to pull this off one needs less efficient speakers?

aberyclark

No. I don’t but it’s OK for "one."

What’s a tube his? And why would anyone serial copy analog in modern times?

 

What's a tube his?

What is tube HISS? A sound that a noisy valve (tube) makes. Usually more pronounced as you volume up. No need for any floor noise with just a little attention to noisy or microphonic tubes. Proper cable routing, especially power cables is kinda 101 for valve guys..

Dead quiet here.

If tube dampeners are recommended by an amp manufacture, it's a good bet cheap noisy tubes are involved or have been along the way.. Some equipment just sucks with so so valves. Not a big fan of needing high dollar or rare valves to get good sound.. 

Regards

It's not about too many tubes it's about the right components and how well they work together. I have tubes in everything but my streamer and it sounds sublime because the tubes are in good components that work well together.

...doesn't the tube hiss (just like tape hiss every time you copy a tape over and over) intensify with every component?

No it doesn't. Tube gear should be dead quiet. If you have hiss most likely one of your amplified stages has too much gain. You can lower that with an attenuator. I have 6 tube amps (and a few tube preamps) all are absolutely quiet. 

I have 36 tubes in my audio chain and it is dead quiet and the best system I have ever heard.