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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
bobheinatz
725 posts
 

I have been a tube user for the past 50 years but recently switched over to a highly regarded SS integrated and I surprisingly don't miss my tube amp.  I am using the Boulder 866 and find it extremely musical.  I am sure there are other SS brands that I would totally enjoy. 

bolong
651 posts
 

Why Valve Amps?

invalid
1,228 posts
 

@bolong 

 

What if you are not overdriving the amp or preamp? Tubes still sound better for some reason.

emergingsoul OP
1,210 posts
 

@bolong 

That was a great link to the valve article.

Harmonics are key to understanding why tubes can be more desirable too many.

It's good to have this discussion. Also the ability to control gain more affectively at lower volume levels I think may also be a huge plus. Which I believe explains the Fuller sound at lower volume settings.  So it's a combination of harmonics and gain Control that are handled differently by tubes that -yield a desirable outcome.

I need to better understand odd and even harmonics, and how they interplay within a tube amplifier. The article touched on this and was helpful.

I have on order a 300 W tube Mono block amplifier pair. And I've also kept my solid state 600 w mono amplifiers so it will be an interesting comparison. 

roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,056 posts
 

@emergingsoul 

After  your blistering critique of solid state amplifiers, I have to ask why you ever bought 600 watt solid state monos?

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