Tube Rolling - No Change in Sound

Well, trounce me if you want, but I still STRONGLY maintain that the sonic signature of any system is at least 85% determined by the amp and speakers. As for preamps, I think one thing you WILL get out of tube rolling is (maybe) a quieter/lower noise floor (depending on the tube you select.) This is certainly true for tubed phono preamps. But the amp is where I'd look to effect tonal changes through tube-rolling.

Of course if you have a solid state amp, you're going to get the detail and slam for which ss is well known. But if you don't like the sonics, you'll have to roll the whole amp!
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Of course if you have a solid state amp, you're going to get the detail and slam for which ss is well known. But if you don't like the sonics, you'll have to roll the whole amp!

Nsgarch (System | Threads | Answers)

I laughed at that! Good one Nsgarch :o)

>>I still STRONGLY maintain that the sonic signature of any system is at least 85% determined by the amp and speakers.<<

IME it's difficult to assess the performance of either component without consideration of the other. The same analogy can be applied to tonearms and cartridges.

That being said, I believe that speakers have the strongest influence on a system's sonic signature followed by sources not the amplifier.

YMMV

For once, a thread where everybody is right!

FWIW, I have been able to get pretty significant changes in my rig's sound by rolling 6dj8's in a number of different preamps in driver and output stages. The Kenrads definitely added some of the "fat tone" flavor vs. other tubes, especially in an Atma-Sphere MP3, which is relatively good at allowing you to hear the differences in various tubes. Cheers,
Spencer

I rolled 6922's and experienced little change; however I rolled some 12au7's and experienced dramatic change. They were NOS 50's vintage, this was in a CJ.