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solid state vs tubes

has anyone compared a tube amp to a solid state amp and discovered that the diffference sonically between them was undetectable. ? if so what was the tube amp and what was the solid state amp ?

the reason for the question is the basic issue of the ability to distinguish a tube amp from a solid state amp.

this is especially interesting if the components were in production during the 90's , 80's or 70's.

if the components are in current production the probability of such aan occurrence might increasea.

why own a tube amp if there exists a solid state amp that sounds indistinguishable from it ?
mrtennis
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Ask Bob Carver.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
My understanding is that the thing that is inherently different about tubes and transistors is the manner in which they clip. You need a lot of SS power and often current in order to take offensive clipping out of the picture with SS amps, especially to drive many modern speaker designs optimally. Tubes clip in a more ear friendly manner as I understand it. Therefore, tubes as a whole tend to sound more appealing than SS, despite the fact that they are still technically clipping and distorting, just in a less offensive manner.

Once the clipping factor is addressed however, I think the inherent difference in sound between the two becomes more subtle and other factors in the amp design more determine the resulting sound. Either is capable of producing the kind of sound I like I believe if assembled in a proper manner to deliver that sound.
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
Oh, sure there are SS amps that sound like tubes. Just read the marketing brochures, they'll tell you all about the "tube-like qualities". Just like the digital source guys are always saying "analog-like qualities".

If you like the sound of a component, does it really matter?
chadeffect
586 posts
 
Maybe have a listen to Pass labs. These could be the closest you find to a solidstate amp sounding like a tube amp.
mrtennis OP
3,295 posts
 
i have a tube amp which is somewhat unreliable--the vtl deluxe 120s. i was thinking about the possibly replacing it with a ss amp.

i have auditioned and owned some and have not enjoyed the upper mid range and lower trblr of these amps.

i posed the question to find out if anyone actually compared the two types and found a ss amp that was very close in sound to the tube amp they owned at the time.

so far my short list includes a 125 1999 production plinius and an x series pass amp--the latter being on the expensive side, whiloe the former is owned by someone in my audio club.

i believe the plinius is class a, which is not ecologically friendly.

thank you for your feedback and i realize that this topic has been discusssed before but perhaps in a different way.
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