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Tube vs Tran

As my kids are now in high school and beyond, I am starting to get back into 2 channel music.
I am looking at integrated amps with a budget of about $3000.00.
My question: if we always hear how great tubes sound as far as warmth, sound stage, etc, etc. Why buy trans equipment? If one uses speakers that are good match with tube, why not use?
There could be an obvious answer, and if so pls forgive me. But, I really am interested in what you all think out there.
Thanks
rickfariasjett
rickfariasjett OP
2 posts
 
Thanks all for a lot of great information. I AM NOT going to use a sub and have never really liked the idea or cared for sub in TWO channel system. With proper speaker, I don't think it is needed.
Rick
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Here's a link about damping factors:

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damping_factor

Measured square waves are not relevant to damping because of the interaction of the speaker and cable is also part of the equation.

Dave
rwwear
2,866 posts
 
I agree that damping factor has some effect on the poor bass of most tube amps. But wooly bass can mostly attributed to the hundeds of feet of wire in the output transformer. This is not always the case but the main reason.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
03-26-08: Rwwear said:
"I agree that damping factor has some effect on the poor bass of most tube amps. But wooly bass can mostly attributed to the hundeds of feet of wire in the output transformer. This is not always the case but the main reason."

"Wooly bass" isn't just a tube vs. SS thing. Last week I heard a Primare integrated driving the DALI Helicon 400Mk.2 sounding unacceptably wooly. It came under control when we put in a Rowland Capri/102 combination, but it really started to shine when the Rowland 501 monoblocks were switched in.

I think it's a combination of damping factor and watts. You can have a relatively high damping factor, but if it's combined with low wattage and big drivers in the speakers, then it can still get "wooly."

Bi-amping a big speaker is a great way to get control of the woofer(s) while optimizing the "liquidity" of the mids and treble. You can combine high watts and damping on the bottom, separate the signals so they don't muddy each other and free yourself to maximize the euphonic character of the mids and highs with tubes.

Dave
david12
1,454 posts
 
I just wonder how many people go from SS to tube, or tube to SS. My suspicion is, once you have tried tubes, for most of us, there is no way back. Nor are tube amps wooly and soft, my tube integrated is lightening fast, quiet, uncoloured with deep base. It is more than $3000 though. If I was going for an integrated in that price range, I would go for a VAC Avatar, or the super later version. It would only be second hand, as sadly, VAC have no integrated at the moment. If I won the lottery, it would be a vAC Phi Beta integrated
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