2. amps-preamps
  3. 1234362825

Tired of Problems with Tube Equipment

I switched over to tube audio equipment in some form some years back, and have certainly enjoyed music played back through them. I have had amps, preamps, and DACS at different times utilizing tubes. One unfortunate thing that's been common to all the tube equipment I've had are problems. It doesn't seem to matter whether the manufacturer is large or small, built in the USA or overseas, they all have had problems. Capacitors blowing out, bad solder joints, tubes only lasting a short time, loud pops that mysteriously go away on their own, etc. Although I have enjoyed the sound (and that beautiful glow!), I am starting to get tired of this and thinking of going back to solid state.

Have any of you also gone back (or thought about it) to solid state for this reason? What has your experience been with the reliability of tube equipment?
smeyers
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
Stew I couldn't agree with you more...
I started out with tubes, migrated to solid state, tried to go back to tubes, but couldn't stand them.
And I really tried to give it a fair shake too.

Class A or hybrid A/B mosfets are my favorites.
Tube PA's: unreliability, heat, microphonics, rushing noises, expense.
Although I do have a Golden Tube pre that's quite nice without the nuisance.
All depends upon the design I suppose?
wadia150's avatar
wadia150
85 posts
 
listen to oregon i own the sevens and a cat ultimate, sme10 and the new marantz sacd player, sonus faber cremonas pre.solid state is for home theater
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
if one prefers tube gear, but has had intermittant loss of use and outlays of cash due to breakdowns , and one does not prefer the sound of solid state, the solution is to buy a good inexpensive "personal" stereo.

i realize that this forum is oriented to consipicuous consumption and the purveyors of such, however, one can still have satisfying musical experiences on a budget of under $500.00 . the brookstone is a prime example.
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
I have owned tube equipment for about 12 years now and have had very few problems. None with tube preamps or DACs, but my music reference RM9 had to be repaired twice. I also had to replace the power switch on one manley labs monblock. Tube failure has been very infrequent and has never caused equipment failure when it happens. My Canary monos have been in my system for almost a year now with nary a hiccup. I think the sound of tubes far outweighs any negatives.

Shakey
trelja
3,224 posts
 
Based on what history has shown us, I'd take a wager that a tube amplifier will have a far better chance of working and/or be salvageable 35 years from now than a solid state unit.
More to discover