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Manufacturers don't get it. make tubes visible.

After all of this time, why don't manufacturers get it? Everyone I talk to who owns tube gear wants to see, at the very least, the power tubes while the gear is operational. Many want to see the preamp tubes as well. So why do so many great manufacturers still bury the tubes inside of the gear? Are they afraid we will electrocute ourselves? And, if this is true, who is going to miss a few deranged audiophiles anyway, not to mention their wayward offspring and badly trained pets? Interestingly, large transmitting tubes which pose, by far, the greatest danger, are almost always out in the wind.
viridian
trelja
3,226 posts
 
I'm designing a new line of gear, and was going in the direction you laid out, Marty.

However, the initial solid state and hybrid integrated amplifiers look good enough that I have made the decision to put the tubes INSIDE the preamplifier.

For one, I want to establish the "family flavor" ala the same look and feel across the board. Secondly, our existing preamplifier product has the tubes sticking out about 1/3 of the way, through a clear acrylic plate replete with blue LEDs. While some may like the look, I personally find it cheesy, and want to execute a more simplistic, classical, restrained, and ultimately, elegant aesthetic.

In my mind, this decision will probably necessitate moving to an entirely different preamplifier topology, but from what I have heard from some of our other products, the end result should actually wreak improvements for us sonically.

Of course, all of this is purely my own opinion...

Any thoughts on whether I'm headed down the wrong path?

As far as the lava light goes, just go with it and enjoy yourself!
larryi
4,188 posts
 
Most tube gear, except perhaps hybrid linestages (with just a few teeny little tubes), have the tubes proudly displayed.

I don't care that much myself about looks, but, if it good looks help with sales, that can more than pay for cosmetics. The stuff I like sells in such small numbers that any increase in sales would dramatically lower the unit cost of production.

My monobloc amp is narrow in profile and has an input/driver tube up front, two 2aes directly behind followed by the output transformer, then the rectifier, then the power transformer. Because I have placed the amps between the speaker and want to minimize the length of the speaker cables, and because the power switch is on the back of the amp, I have the amp turned around so the backside faces forward. None of the tubes would be visible except for the fact that I am using huge EML 2a3s so the tops of those tubes are visible. I don't care, but my dealer was appalled by the fact that my amps are showing their asses.
rhljazz
1,255 posts
 
I like to see the tubes exposed in the power amp. It is not critical in the preamp. jmcgrogan2 nails it pretty close, it does possess that relaxing warm feeling like sitting by the campfire. A chrome chassis that reflects the light from the tubes is the best. My VAC preamp is totally sealed, not even a vent slot to peer through and the Manley preamp has a mesh wire covering that you can glimpse some tube glow. My VAC PHI 110 has the tubes encased in glass which looks pretty fetching. Given a choice between two power amps that were sonically similar and one was encased and the other had exposed tubes, I would choose the amp with tubes showing.
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