Tubes vs Solid State - Imaging, Soundstaging, 3D


I have limited experience with tubes having had a couple tube amps with Gold Lion KT88s and EL34s. The majority of amps I have owned have been solid state. In my experience, SS always seems to image more sharply and offer the deepest, clearest field.

Is this common?
128x128michaelkingdom
Look at this at another angle. If there were a solid state amp out there that gave me those sonic attributes that atmasphere or charles said I'm sure most tube users would go the ss route. I have not found it yet and I'm talking about at any cost.
Dynamic range compression devices like the old DBXs used to be popular to produce similar effects in particular at lower volumes with higher noise floor off of typical SS.

i would think a SS amp could go for a higher noise floor and similar dynamics if designed for that. It seems to be more inherent with tube amps though.
Thanks Atmasphere for the comments - definitely jives with what I hear, and I would also urge you to continue your explanation you spoke of!

I also agree 100% with Frogman's comments on the "black background" thing. You have put into words something I have never quite been able to explain so succinctly.
As a musician, I have played in a room with a "black background"...it was empty, and the manager sent us home early (true story...a club on a mysterious empty military base in hills above Honolulu). Does this information help anybody?
I just wanted other members to know what Wolf_garcia is really like and to not be fooled by him. I contacted him privately to explain my recent behavior in this thread, and pleaded with him to lay off me as I have been under a lot of stress after the recent passing of my Grandfather. This was his dreadful reply to me...


wolf_garciaOctober 23, 2013 6:51pm
HA...OK...stop! You're hilarious...I can't take it...

melbguy1October 23, 2013 6:19pm
I am saddened by your response. Tells after your Grandfather died, how would you feel?

wolf_garciaOctober 23, 2013 6:15pm
I have to assume you're joking with this weird message...not too shabby!