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Tube amps and a Stradivarius

I was mixing an orchestra in a church and the conductor who was my friend wanted me to hear one of the musicians play their Stradivarius violin for me back at the mixer. The sound was so beautiful it seemed like there was already reverb on it. I was brought to tears simply because of the beauty and I'd never hear such an instrument before.

Tube amps are not technically as accurate as solid-state but they sound more musical, I would submit that they sound that way because of the ring of the tubes just like the reverb of the Stradivarius violin. I believe the vibration of the sound from the speakers excite the tubes and there is a pleasant reverb effect. In mixing vocals there is an important effect in the reverb processor called pre delay and that time delay before the reverb is actuated in the processor is like the time delay of the speakers making the tubes ring. Thoughts?

128x128donavabdear
sandthemall
544 posts
 

You can play any instrument too loud. But sometimes this is necessary to do briefly or not so briefly when it's called for in a performance. In these cases the instrument distorts a bit, giving the sensation of increased loudness and drama. In these cases, the distortion serves the music.

Tubes do the same thing. Unlike SS, they distort a bit more at musical peaks giving a subtle sensation of liveliness. It's just the right amount of wrong. It's not accurate but it's fun. Who doesn't want to have fun...

 

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,608 posts
 

Yeah, but how are tubes going to work in your powered speakers?

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,636 posts
 

Tube amps are not technically as accurate as solid-state

That's like saying earth is flat.

Proof?  Define accurate.

You ain't heard a Stat like Ray Chen playing his at front row distance.

secretguy
1,763 posts
 

Another of the great audio myths.

antigrunge2
1,460 posts
 

Tubes unlike SS don‘t switch. Unless you go to class D with a high switching frequency that remains audible

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