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Tubes vs Solid State

I have have been listening to music all my life but have only recently started experimenting with different amplifier and/or speakers/component combinations. I have recently moved from Parasound JC 1's to Classe Cam 400 monoblocks which I have both loved (maybe the prior a bit more) and are contemplating another move. I have been very intrigued by tube monoblocks and have the opportunity now to move to ARC ref 600's. I can also get Mark Levinson 33's for about the same cost. I am just uncertain about the Ref 600's as I am worried that I might be disappointed in the tube sound.

Can someone with more experience perhaps help me out here ? I am using the amps as part of a home-theatre setup driving 802 d's and other 800 diamond fronts and rears. I would really appreciate some good advice here.
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wolf_garcia
6,712 posts
 
Have you ever been looking at your SS amp and thought, "I wonder what it would sound like if I tried different transistors in there", and then you ran out to buy a set of new transistors, you stick 'em in there, and listen. NO YOU HAVE NOT. Unless you're very handy with your gear...get it? I'm not so sure about the LED lit tubes...there is an ethicial issue with those (I have a little tube headphone amp with a silly red LED) although I'm not sure what that is...but I know it's there. I also set my Squeezebox on VU at night...it gives some life to the proceedings without any harm...kind of like my tube amp.
csontos
1,311 posts
 
Wolf, I have actually done that. The covers on the amps I happen to be using at a given time always have the screws removed. It takes about a month to settle down a particular amp and get it's bias and it's offset optimized. After that it needs to be checked regularly. Contrary to popular belief, ss amps are by no means maintenance free. Once you've got it 'actually' running optimally, this whole thing about IM, TIM, brightness, etc. becomes moot. The key is channel balance within the amp. You either have it or you don't. When you do, that so-called brightness becomes attenuated, the amp becomes very linear sounding, and you have an actual dimensional sound stage. But I'm a vintage guy. Can't speak about class D or switch-mode amps.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Wolf. I had a neighbor once who was an EE professor, he told me you can't build a meter fast enough to show what an amps really doing.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
Wolf- I have started to see people changing OP amps like tube rollers, and further people with the means often have their gear modded with different "better" capacitors and the like. It happens that tubes are easy to change in most circumstances. As you said tubes are more fun I agree, part of that fun has been rolling some of the best tubes ever made into my gear.
wolf_garcia
6,712 posts
 
The meters on my Squeezebox tell the input level balance in an obvious visual format, and it might be possible to correlate this to amp output if I cared about that. I do understand there are some who tinker with SS amp innards, but for instant gratification fans tube rolling is hard to beat.
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