How big of a difference do amps make?

Jdoris:
"Historic moment: the first time Rok has said *any* equipment change is audible! :)"

Not so fast my friend. I will admit that my current POLKs sound better than my previous POLKS. :)

Hi Fla,
Like Gsm I`ve heard both in my amp. The Sophia RP is excellent and top tier,the Takatsuki is a step beyond that level.It`s outstanding.
Regards,

No doubt tube amp maintenance and expense is a fact that tube amp owners must deal with.

Taking special care of anything requires some special love.

I really like my ARC tube pre-amp, which was my initial experiment with tube amplification. A fantastic piece of gear! Probably about as low maintenance as any piece of high performance tube amp gear. But frankly, I may still replace it someday or relegate it to less frequent use in my second system if I end having to replace tubes too often.

I've had it about 3 years now and am on my third set of tubes, though I have learned since that only the main tube in the phono section requires an extra costly tube tested for low noise. I cannot stand noise when I listen! WHen I hear it with certain tubes, my love of tube sound heads south.

The folks who love tube amps just like the colorations..

This is incorrect. The folks that love tube amps have discovered that they enjoy a larger soundstage, greater detail and don't like the coloration known as brightness.

Tubes can be guilty of richness (coloration) due to 2nd ordered harmonics, but it is a matter of design (not the fact that it is a tube amp) that controls whether or not this will manifest (for example our amps lack this harmonic entirely due to their fully differential design). OTHO transistors exhibit odd-ordered harmonics that tubes don't; due to the way our ears perceive sound this comes off as brightness even if the odd ordered harmonic content is barely measurable.

Additionally, modern day tubes need not be expensive. Our M-60, which is very popular with Merlins, is about a little over $350 to replace the output tubes in both channels.

What we learned here is that both tubes and transistors exhibit colorations. With tubes they are easier to control.

Tubegroover:
"Rok2id, I wish things were as simple as you seem to wish or believe them to be, thanks for keeping it real :)"

Be careful what you wish for. Things are really dull on my side of the fence. Nothing to upgrade to, keeping the same wire forever, no beautiful tubes to watch at night, staring at lo-fi components and wondering when they will finally fail so I can buy something new. And worst of all, no personal involvement in playing the music. You guys have your ritual to play LPs. I just push a button insert the CD and sit down and listen, absolutely no sense of accomplishment in that. No, you true believers are having all the fun.
I can only take some solace from the music. If it weren't for the music, I just couldn't go on. :)

welcome back, have not seen you in a while.
Cheers