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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
oliver_reid
71 posts
 

Some years ago I was also a photography enthusiast. The argument for S.S. vs. tubes recalls discussions over condenser vs. diffusion enlargers.

 

The latter provide a softer image with less pronounced grain. Condensers provide a more exact rendition of the negative. However “accurate” was not necessarily what was wanted.

If S.S. “degrades” the sound, I keep in mind that almost all recordings are processed using S.S. recording equipment and vinyl is produced using S.S. cutting amplifiers. Perhaps tubes modify the resulting sound in ways that please a lot of people.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,195 posts
 

Best post and best written one...

😁😊

" @emergingsoul  went fishing one day, hoping to catch a bass or another tasty tidbit......

....what surprised was 'the hit', followed by the reel exploding from the speed strength and heat, hooking the Great White....."

It's all in the bait....;)

jeffrey125
282 posts
 

@mofojo I have both and they are close, and I do enjoy them both immensely.

 I would love to hear these new gan amps against a proper tube setup. Not saying one would be better just curious. 

 

ronboco
858 posts
 

@atmasphere 

Are there any class a/b amps in your opinion that have gotten it right? Thanks 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,928 posts
 

Are there any class a/b amps in your opinion that have gotten it right? Thanks 

Zero feedback is one way to get it 'right'. The problem is its very difficult to get the Gain Bandwidth Product needed to support both the gain of the amp and the amount of feedback used and also have the amp be stable; the goal being that distortion does not rise as frequency goes up.

Zero feedback is one way to get around that problem. On top of that though, there is always distortion. IME its important to be pragmatic about that fact so a savvy designer will see to it that as best as possible, the primary distortion is the lower ordered harmonics.

That's a bit of a trick! The topology of the design has enormous influence on the kind of distortion created.

I think there are some solid state AB amps using feedback that meet this criteria. Ayre makes a zero feedback amp that has gotten good comments and Pass Labs has done well too. I think there are others, but not many of them, maybe five or six! I've not done any kind of study in this regard.

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