2. amps-preamps
  3. 1386256823

To Tube or not to Tube......

For quite some time now I've been thinking about switching from a solid state to a tube power amp. My Threshold T-100 has been real good to me and I do like it, but it's really the only "high-end" amp I've ever owned, so it's all I know. I'm intrigued by the "warm" sound of tubes and do have a tubed phono amp and CD player, but I am by no means well-versed in the sound of tube power amps having never really auditioned one. I know that goes against the prevailing wisdom and I should listen before I buy, but I don't think I will have the luxury of doing that.

That being said, I've gone through about 20 pages of this forum reading about the benefits and detriments of tubed power amps but nothing I've read has swayed me either way. The posts I've read have been informative re: bias issues, reliability, blowing fuses or whatever else might blow up or go wrong with the tubs, etc. So, if I were to go the tube route, I would not want deal with too much of that hassle. At lease I know that the amp I have doesn't have any such issues. That's why I was leaning toward amps like BAT with their auto biasing (I also need balanced inputs), and would want at least 60-100 wpc. I would be willing to deal with adjusting bias so long as it was a relatively simple process.

I figured I would pose my main question to the exerts here (and this I did learn for this forum): given what I already have in my system, what tube amp would be a good match for me? My pre-amp is a SS Threshold, JM Lab speakers with a "minimum impedance of 4 Ohms," EAR 834P phono stage, & Unison tube cd player.
Much appreciated.
ebuzz
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Ebuzz,
You ask logical questions that don't have definitive answers. Both are important and the weak link in a system will stand out. For this hypothetical choice I'm just bias toward good solid quality tube amplifiers that utilize high quality transformers. The transformer is critical to achieve good sound quality and makes or breaks the amplifier IMO. If in addition good capacitors, resistors and other good parts are used with high built standard, you're on your way. In my own experience the amplifier-speaker match has profound ramifications.

Obviously these principles apply to preamplifiers as well. If forced to prioritize, amplifier first then the preamp. I think you're on your way toward a very satisfying audio system.
Charles,
ebuzz OP
104 posts
 
But does it ever end?? ;)
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Depends on your personality. I had my prior system virtually unchanged for 12-14 years. My current system is 4 years old and will remain into the foreseeable future. Did some fine tuning the past year but that's done now. Once I reach a certain point enough is enough. You can become obsessive about audio components if you don't watch yourself and place more emphasis on the sound rather than enjoyment of your music.
Charles,
ebuzz OP
104 posts
 
I agree Charles & that's what I intend to do. This is my first real change since 1997 with the exception of new interconnects and speaker cables. I will stick with this for a while and after a tube preamp, that should do for quite some time.
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Thank you Jedinite .... As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, I do not recommend brands because there are many fine brands to choose from on the market and subjective opinions and tastes vary. Indeed, sometimes folks have expressed their views and opinions quite dogmatically. I will only say that I am very pleased with the sound and performance of my ARC gear.

Having said that, it is important to reiterate that one should be circumspect about matching gear, especially amps and speakers. In this regard, I admit that my choice of amp and speakers was *NOT* the result of a conscious, deliberate and informed decision.

If you catch my posts over the last several years, it will be quite evident that I came to my current set-up through dumb luck and not much more. Fortunately, my ARC Ref 150, even though a tube amp, can handle my speakers, which were designed and voiced to be driven by a high power/current SS amp. That speaks more to the Ref 150 than me. :(

In addition, I think that there is much to be said about equipment synergy. In my case, I am not concerned about this issue because I chose to stay all ARC.

Happy Holidays to all,

Bruce
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