2. analog
  3. 1230598273

Surface Noice, yubes and solid state

I have recently read that surface noise is treated differently by tubes and by solid state, and, that tubes produce less surface noise. If this is true, would a tube phono stage be an improvement in this regard, or would one need tubes throughout the chain?
128x128cerrot
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg
9,670 posts
 
I see no reason why that would be true, unless:

-- The surface noise is masked by the tube hiss of a poor quality tube device, or

-- The tube phono stage, or other tube device in the path, somehow acts as a dynamic range expander, or

-- Somehow solid state devices tend to act as dynamic range compressors.

I doubt that any of these scenarios are true, certainly in the case of quality equipment that presumably has some semblance of accuracy.

Regards,
-- Al
jtimothya
612 posts
 
Two comments:

1. Check the comments in this thread on tubes and use of feedback in a phono preamp.

2. I do not have a generalized conclusion valid beyond the unit's I have heard. In a recent review comparison between the tubed Atmasphere MP-1 preamp and the solid-state Esoteric C-03 preamp, both using an ARC PH7 phono stage, I heard less surface noise through the former combo, though the latter was quieter overall with no music playing. (Both excellent units.) Likewise in a comparison between three phono stages (the tubed ARC PH7, the tubed A-S MP-1 and the solid-state ZYX Artisan,) using the same linestage, I found the PH7 the quietest of the three in terms of surface noise. I suggest comparing specific units rather than making a decision from a general conclusion about tubes vs solid-state. Wrt to needing tubes throughout the chain, I'd say no.
 
Tim
 
frogman
7,493 posts
 
I don't know exactly what you read about the subject, but I think that you may have misinterpreted, somewhat, what you read. I think that you are referring to a phenomenom first observed and written about by Harry Pearson of TAS. He observed that, as you point out, lp surface noise is treated differently by tubes as opposed to ss. But he further observed that it is not that tubes produce less surface noise (think about it, it is the turntable/arm/cartridge/lp interface that produces surface noise, not the amplification components), nor reduce it. It is that surface noise as heard through a tube based system is heard as occuring or existing in a different "plane" than the music content; it is somehow removed from the music content. With solid state amplification, the surface noise is more interwoven in the fabric of the music content, and is thus more objectionable.

I completely agree with this observation.
More to discover