2. amps-preamps
  3. 1202991923

Tube amps have a signature sound

Hi folks, this is a bit controversial issue. We all know that nowadays none of the tube amps exhibits the "typical tube sound" (what is the typical tube sound anyway?). If someone says: tube amps have a signature sound, others would say that this signature sound is not typical to tube amps. Well, imho there is something with many tube amps (pre and poweramps). They sound quite fluid, especially in the midrange. The midrange itself is often a bit bigger and more forward than the typical solid state amplifiers. This midrange has also a certain "natural" quality (harmonic richness?). Of course there are tube amps that sound like solid state and solid state amps that sound like tube amps, but in the end I have to admit that many (or most) tube pre and poweramps have a "signature" sound that is somehow related to implementation of tubes in the circuitry. I think that this is also the reason why some manufacturers prefer tube over solid state circuitries. What do you think?

Chris
dazzdax
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
Bigkidz- If you bi-amp correctly, you'll never go back. For instance, read this: (http://www.avguide.com/products/product-1672/) Click on the review. I'd been using a Dahlquist DQLP-1(slightly modded over the years) since 1981 with great results. The time-alignment that the TacT provided took everything to a whole new level, and still proved as transparent as the Placette Passive Linestage I'd used last with the Dahlquist.
nickword
49 posts
 
If you haven't heard a tube amp with good high end then you haven't heard a good tube amp. There are a few that do it all very well, the Stereophile class A rated Music Reference for example.

And yes, I would agree to the original premiss there that SOME tube amps have a signature sound. When I pull my RM9 out of the system and move to my Quicksilvers I do it to hear their character. Both of these designers use tubes for good reason and with good results.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
all products are imperfect. thus, they have some consistent characteristic which can be identified after some duration of audition. if products sound different i, it may not be meaningful to generalize about coloration attributable to tube designs.

i find many in-production tube amps unbalanced in frequency response and overly detailed. there is often too much treble energy. i find this is the case with solid state amps as well. the trend in the design of electronic components is to provide more and more detail, less noise and hence a more unflattering presentation of less-than-ideally recorded music. this is unfortunate, but unless one wants to purchase components, especially tube gear from the 80's and 90's, one may ride the carousel of dissatisfaction and frustration.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,099 posts
 
Mrtennis, it is possible to get more detail without an excess of treble energy. This is where understanding the rules of human hearing comes in.

The traditional way to get more detail is by reducing distortion. Distortion 'masks' detail ('masking' is a quality of the human ear; one of those rules...). Usually this is done by adding negative loop feedback. While this reduces distortion overall (and thus increases detail), negative feedback will also augment certain odd-ordered harmonics slightly, but enough that our ears detect the augmentation has hardness or brightness (another rule of human hearing: we use odd-ordered harmonics to detect loudness and we are **very** sensitive to them, even in amounts of only hundredths of a percent).

Negative feedback frequently tends to compress dynamic contrasts also. Incidentally an amplifier that employs lots of feedback might measure very flat, but is very likely to sound bright.

So the way to get more detail (and impact) without brightness is to reduce distortion without using negative feedback as a crutch. This results in a detailed amplifier that is also at the same time very relaxed and lacking artificial loudness cues of the type you mention.

IOW: you can have your cake and eat it too.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi ralph:

i think you have misinterpreted my statements. detail and frequency response are two different variables.

i said that i perceive many solid state and tube amps and preamps which are in current production to be overly resolving in their presentation as well as having an unbalanced frequency response.

at some point resolution passes a threshold which leads to unpleasant listening.

an unbalanced frequency response is also unfriendly to the ear.

most tube and solid state amps and preamps are unpleasant sounding, subjectively speaking, of course.
More to discover