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Why is solid state more popular when tubes are better?

Yes tubes are more involved and require periodic maintenance. Hybrid tube components need not apply, these are really solid state.

Tubes are better for multiple reasons and yet the world and the trade prefers solid state. Those rare audio shops that are geared toward stereo listening and serious connoisseurs tend to Focus more on tubes.  Those in business who like to improve volumes tend to offer solid state.  All the YouTube channels looking to improve their business tend to be solid state.  Maybe because tubes require much more expertise to sell, and there's lesser and lesser to go around. Solid state is more of a fast food commodity.

Tubes are difficult for businesses due to all the maintenance and complexity so you see it less often. Much much easier to sell hybrids or solid state.

 

 

emergingsoul
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 

@roxy54

If we limit this to sound quality I will answer.

Back in the late 1980s I did a day's auditioning with a friend.  Between us we had a lot of mainly Audio Research and Krell gear - one all valve, the other solid state.

We consistently found that valve pre-amps with transistor power amps did the business.  Krell pre-amps were notably grainy.  But Musical Fidelity's first product 'The Preamp' was SS and gave an SP10 a run for its (much much greater) money.

I have remembered that ever since and have stuck to tube front-end and SS power.  Mainly AR and for nearly 40 years Krell KRS200.  Oe recent deviation has been The Grail, the SS phono amp from vdHul, which sounds wonderful to my ears.

bobheinatz
725 posts
 

I had been a tube guy for over 40 years and never entertained the thought of a SS amp until a few years ago.   I decided in retirement I was going to fully investigate the possibility of switching to a high quality SS integrated.   I did end up buying a really nice quality SS integrated and I am very pleased with the switch.  My integrated is very musical and surprisingly I don't miss my tube gear at all.

tunehead's avatar
tunehead
170 posts
 

You answered your own question.

Your headline should move the word "is" two places to the right and remove the question mark.

"Why solid state IS more popular when tubes are better.

Just say'n.

lloydc's avatar
lloydc
755 posts
 

Tubes vs. ss.  Next up, “are expensive cables worth it?” , then “digital vs analogue”, “cd vs streaming”, “what is the best X?”, “measurements vs. listening”, etc. ad nauseam.  It’s just trolling by novices.

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