Tube AMP or SS

11-15-11: Xti16
With tubes in a push/pull configuration they generally have more current available. I had a Bryston B100sst rated at 180w @4ohms. I now have an Octave V70SE tube integrated rated at 70w @4ohms. The Octave just destroys the Bryston in terms of 'control'. My speakers are Dyn C1 signatures rated at 85db. For solid state the Naim line has great current capabilities for the low watt rating.

Tubes are generally better at voltage drive while SS is better at current.

A lower output power amplifier outperforming one with higher output could many factors besides whether they are tube or solid state. Power supply and output device operating point are big factors.

Although I understand electronics very well, electronics and audio are not the same. While those formulas come out fine on paper, they don't sound the same.

I had a 150 watt SS amp that was barely sufficient, now I have a 70 watt tube amp that seems to put out more or equal volume for sure; this is in the same room with the same speakers. Although I can figure an electronic formula, I can not hear an electronic formula.

Darkmobius, when you say "outperforming" do you mean quality, or apparent loudness? Certainly the factors you mention have alot to do with one amp outperforming another amp qualitatively, having little to do with watts.

It's true, those curved glass bottles magnify everything, a millimeter is longer, a gram weights more, the boiling point of water is higher, and the speed of light is faster on a tube than on a transistor....(sigh).

Tubes do none of those things, but they certainly handle clipping differently,
and that is the difference that makes a difference, but I thought that was long
settled, uncontested and understood. It is not tube voodoo, they simply handle
overload differently, which allows you to play them at higher average watts
without confronting the clipping hash of SS.

By the way, Harley's article, "The Smaller Difference" in the December TAS is a
pretty interesting discussion on what could lead to the importance of listening
versus measuring, the subject versus the objective. A good read I, I think. I
think TAS is also doing a great job of examine and discussing computer based
audio - first rate stuff that is finally getting me to understand it.