2. amps-preamps
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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
jeffga
89 posts
 
My experience is that a good SS amp (tonally - not bright) with a good to great tube preamp will yield positive results. However, this is system dependent. I use very large, current hungry speakers and a SS amp makes them sing. One must also consider that the "digital" age has made some of the negative characteristics of SS even worse....namely upper mid range grunge as well as a smaller soundstage - depth and width. I find that many tube preamps will bring the soundstage size back and mitigate some / most of the brightness (some recordings cannot be saved). I find that I get 90% of the tube magic with a SS amp and tube preamp - plus the positive attributes of a SS amp - dynamics, bass, reliability, cost etc. Here is a good example of how far SS has come...Tube Research Labs makes a fabulous amp called the Samson which is simply killer and solid state!
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
I posted a question to the recent TAS Golden Ear Club tele conference which RH and JV and others held last night. My question was basically "As technologies improve with both analog and digital, (and SS and tube), each of these categories is sounding more and more like real music. Doesn't that imply that these various technologies are converging in sonic terms, ie, they sound more and more similar at the highest levels?"

They discussed this question and basically said yes, they are converging, though the consensus was that they will never sound identical. I tend to agree. The designers are making progress though there is still a long way to go before the best sounds real.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I would imagine the amps are not the primary bottlenecks to recorded music sounding real, and no amount of progress in the amp arena is going to make a big difference in that direction. That is ok though, I can't listen to Coltrane at the club down the block.
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ferrari
617 posts
 
When I got started in this hobby in 1957it was all tubes, plus mono to boot. As far as I am concerned I will never return to tubes, 20 years with putting up with the constant need for biasing, have a sock drawer full of replacement tubes, plus the cost of the tubes. Back then tubes were cheap and U.S. made , not now. Tubes made in some third world country of dubious value, no thanks. When Nelson Pass finally got SS right in 1977, I couldn't wait to bail out of tubes and I did and never looked back. But thats me and I know that a great many of you just love them little glow bottles, more power to you, as for me never again.

I go into shops now with the newer tube gear and I can't even listen to it now, soft and mushy, just as I knew from years ago, not much has changed but the price of course, gad what some of the tube gear costs now is insane. Plus the re-tube costs a year or so later, that will get you bleeding from the ears in no time.

My best advice accept SS for what it does and does not do and the same holds true for tube gear. There is no holy grail here pick the one that your ears and wallet can live and get on with the music. In the final analysis it is about the music and not so much the gear.
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