Surface Noice, yubes and solid state

Tubes generally run less negative feedback, and those that run zero feedback will exhibit less surface noise than a typical transistor preamp that uses loop feedback. The reason has to do with high frequency oscillation, a ringing effect caused by the feedback itself. This ringing is set off by clicks and pops, which ring in the closed loop for far longer than the actual event.

Thus, the tube unit running zero feedback will appear to play less ticks and pops, even though its overall S/N might be less than that of the transistor unit. Try it sometime- you will see what I am talking about- in some cases this difference can be quite dramatic!

Atmasphere,

That is a very interesting, and plausible, explanation. Ringing does make sharp, short impulses, such as a record surface blemish, seem much louder.

When I want to play music loudly late at night I use a pair of Stax Omega II electrostatic phones. Given the very nature of phone listening, particularly the very detailed and bright sound of these phones, one would think that clicks and pops would be emphasized, as compared to speaker listening. The opposite is the case. These phones are extremely free of resonant overhang (low mass drivers and low mass enclosures mean little energy storage), so clicks and pops go by so quickly and cleanly that they are much LESS signficant with the headphones.

Larryi, Stax are some of the best headphones made. Although they are very extended, I would not describe them as bright!