Tube amps and speaker ohms

Eagleman, feel free to ask w/o feeling you will get criticized. I get snides and insults due to lack of tech knowledge, snotty attitude, "mister-know-it-all", negativity, closed minded-ness. So as long as you don't follow me, you'll do all right here. btw I liked your question and Newbee's appropriate answer. I was not aware of how the 4 ohm and 8 ohm taps respond on different fq's. I still don't grasp ohm idea. Only that 4 ohm draws more volts/current from the tube amp. So it was a good question.

>>I get snides and insults due to lack of tech knowledge, snotty attitude, "mister-know-it-all", negativity, closed minded-ness<<

You make stupid statements.

If you open the door, people will walk in.

The point of the topic was to ask the GENERALIZED question that tube amps prefer 8 ohm speakers(though even 8 ohm speakers can dip to 4 ohms on huge orchestral challenges).

The answer to that is 'yes!', regardless of the tube amplifier technology.

The 4 ohm taps on almost all output transformers (excepting those that the 4 ohm tap is the *highest* tap). perform to a lower level than the other taps. The loss in bandwidth and increase in distortion is readily measurable and audible.

IOW: "Anytime you are investing in tube amplifier technology, that investment will be best served by a speaker that is 8 ohms or more, all other things being equal."

Don't know if anyone is still looking at this thread (which I found very informative as a newbie), but I thought I'd just report back now that my Yaqin MC-100B (4 x KT88's) has been with me for a couple of days.

It sounds amazing!! Okay, it's my first tube amp so maybe this is just me discovering that I prefer tubes to transistors, but I'm hugely impressed. A very full-bodied, yet smooth sound with lots of powerful bass...lovely. By the way, I didn't get to try the supplied chinese KT88's as one got smashed in transit. It's running with a matched quad of winged-C KT88's.

Anyway, to get back back on topic, it drives my B&W 804S speakers, which I believe are considered a difficult load, very well indeed. In 'ultralinear' mode (apparently 60wpc) there is plenty of volume (without clipping) available and the bass is very deep & powerful. There's a lot more of it than there was with my transitor amp, too...which is to my liking. No sign of the sound becoming confused and incoherent at higher listening levels. In 'triode' mode (30wpc), the amp still drives the speakers okay at lower volume levels, but I sense that it does struggle a little when asked to play louder . I prefer the character of the sound in ultralinear mode anyway, so that's of no concern to me.

But, even though I'm more than happy at present I guess I should still look to audition some alternative speakers, as maybe I just don't know what I'm missing!

David, tubes do sound magic, but not to be a party pooper, you are probably enjoying some of the harmonic colorations. Many folks do find this pleasant to the ear and since you paid for it, there is no reason for you not to enjoy it.

Better suited speakers will give you a much more accurate and natural sound, with less of the colorations. You may at first not enjoy it quite as much, and it may actually sound more like a transistor amp.

A good tube amp setup sound remarkably the same as a good transistor setup. I personally prefer tubes, as to my ear, they achieve the most accurate and natural reproduction of the recorded material. That you will only experience once you get components that work well together.

I think many will agree with me that the process of acquiring the correct components can take many years but is very enjoyable every step of the way.

Enjoy.

Regards
Paul