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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
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,066 posts
 

"I'm not sure people really understand what distortion means. How is it considered to be good when listening to music, and tubes apparently doing much better job versus solid state"

More nonsense @jumia . I like tubes as well, and use them, but you're criticizing.solid state and asking how distortion is good when listening to music, yet it is known that tubes produce more measurable distortion than solid state devices. I don't know what your point is, but whatever it is, you're not expressing it clearly.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,195 posts
 

If it sound like a piece of chalk on a board  icy cold analytic... It is a caricature for sure...

Or if it sound more like natural  warm but realistic voice and sound with a tonal  balance ... human voices and piano and violin are my test...

 

I'm not sure people really understand what distortion means. How is it considered to be good when listening to music, and tubes apparently doing much better job versus solid state.

toddalin's avatar
toddalin
300 posts
 

To the OP, you could "Put your money where your mouth is."  With all the brew-ha-ha about tubes, I went out and bought a Melton P/P KT-88 tube integrated rated at 80 WPC to see how it compares to my 20 year old Yamaha RZ-Z9 in "Pure Direct" mode.  The Yamaha is rated at 170 WPC with dynamic power to ~540 watts at 2 ohms.  My source is an Oppo95.  The speakers are of my own creation and include an 18" JBL 2241H, a JBL 2251J 10", and a modified Great Heil.  Personally, I'm a stickler for detail and with well under 100 hours on the tube amp, I don't even listen to it in favor of the Yamaha.

I don't give a damn about what people say about Youtube videos.  Get a set of good monitors or use good headphones, and you will hear the difference like night and day.  The tracks were matched to within ~0.2 dB.

https://youtu.be/HTxZJBoOywM

https://youtu.be/FDIu2BFbt-Q

https://youtu.be/W66SQS1wDUA

https://youtu.be/ZxhDJ_eOlYw

pedroeb
493 posts
 

Who says tubes are better. Although I must claim total ignorance, as I didn't past the comment that tubes are warm because they produce harmonic distortion.

Not something I'd ever want.
 

skippytate
15 posts
 

@toddalin Although I didn't read all of what you wrote, and I will not critique your videos, those songs are very very good. And they didn't sound half bad over my phone. (I'm not being snarky) I will seek these songs out and enjoy them on my system. A true 'Thank You'. ✌️

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