Tubes vs Solid State - Imaging, Soundstaging, 3D

Hi Mapman - if I may, Frogman's post of 10-22 explains quite well what professional musicians are missing when they listen to systems that do not have low level detail. It may be a very quiet system, but there is still information missing - some of the baby is being thrown out with the bath water. Most musicians would rather put up with some surface noise such as hiss but also be able to hear this low level detail - we work very hard at such things as Frogman is describing, and it is disappointing not to hear them reproduced. If you would like more explanation after re-reading, I'm sure he or I would be happy to try to elaborate some more.

Atmasphere, thanks very much indeed for your usual clarity of explanation. You have a gift for it; I have learned a great deal from you on this board - Al as well.

"In my experience, SS always seems to image more sharply and offer the deepest, clearest field. "

Apparently, not the case. Unless no negative feedback is used. At least not in some ways.

All we've heard so far is a generalization of 'large' amounts of NF. Nothing specific or specific for specific amps has been stated. There clearly remains a beneficial amount at which comparisons of tube and ss amps' performance level may converge. Hence the ongoing debate and differing preferences. There seems to be an awful lot of objective statements being made under the guise of subjective view points though.

Well, all that matters usually comes out in the end. You just have to trust your ears. There is no equation or theory that can account for that 100%.

My view is there are many aspects of design that matter. I've yet to determine that any single one is always the determining factor. Most things are a matter of degree,not black and white. Only ones ears can determine how it all adds up.

If this were not the case, then all the smart engineers in the world would more or less be designing things pretty much all the same way. But obviously they do not. I suppose that's part of what makes this stuff interesting.