Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
I just recently became an audiophile a couple months ago, so I'm pretty new to the whole deal. What are the benefits of using a tube amplifier over a solid state or a digital amp?
I Recently Became An Audiophile.
- Thread starter Yeeterkeeter
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Just the amp? Or everything tubed?
jayvis
Addicted Member
Definitely not a benefit.
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
I guess everything tubed, but I'm sorta kinda thinking about getting a tube amp so there's thatJust the amp? Or everything tubed?
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
What do you mean by sound preference? Does it sound "purer"? or is it just personal taste?
jayvis
Addicted Member
Any benefits are purely subjective. The best way for you to understand it is to actually hear and compare tube amps and solid-state amps in the same system at an audio dealer that offers both. It's the best way to determine if there are any sonic benefits with either.
You will get a lot of opinions on this question.
my take is, it will sound different.
tubes will require more care and maintenance.
listen to some different setups.
decide what sounds you like.
happy listening .
my take is, it will sound different.
tubes will require more care and maintenance.
listen to some different setups.
decide what sounds you like.
happy listening .
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
Alright, thanks, I think I understand more now; What you mean by the sound quality and why vacuum tubes fell out of fashion, because my god they're expensive
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Some like tubes, others don't. I guess you could call it a personal preference. I ran SS gear for years. Then someone gave me a tube amp that needed work. After getting the thing to work I was hooked.
It just sounded better than SS to me.
If you want to dip your toes into tubes, but something like a Dynaco ST-70.
There is lots.of documentation, support, parts and mods for it. You can always get your money back out of it if you don't like it. They're still very popular and still being produced in kit form by several companies if you want brand new.
It just sounded better than SS to me.
If you want to dip your toes into tubes, but something like a Dynaco ST-70.
There is lots.of documentation, support, parts and mods for it. You can always get your money back out of it if you don't like it. They're still very popular and still being produced in kit form by several companies if you want brand new.
DeadRock
Ideas Guy
...and they'll only get increasingly more expensive...which is why I stocked-up during the height of COVID.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
They don't have to be expensive. You can buy over priced old stock tubes or just buy cheaper new manufacture.
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
Yeah, I might just get one after I find a good pair of quality speakers, hoping to score on some Yamaha floor speakers, but we'll see
DeadRock
Ideas Guy
Good point!
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
I wonder how expensive it would be to build my own? Thats a thought*...
*distant pipedream
jayvis
Addicted Member
And tube audio fans will swear that different tubes will produce different sound. It's similar to determining what audio cables to use. Just another rabbit hole within the audio world.
N0rt0n
Super Member
Some people prefer the 2nd order distortion that comes with tubes. Some don't. All this depends on What Tube unit you are talking about and the speakers you choose to drive them with. Not all speakers mate well with every amp(type)
I have/had both. I eventually upgraded recently and went with a Solid State Integrated but still am holding on to a Tube Pre.
Yeeterkeeter
Kermit the Frog
As for tubes, it kinda makes sense, to an extent. If a tube is manufactured really well, with no leaks, it will sound pure as fresh water, but if it has some impurities, it will sound slightly distorted.
I use both tube and solid state amps and tuners. The thing I like about tubes is that I have a decent enough understanding of them to get them up and running and to fix them when something goes wrong. With solid state, I have less understanding and repairs are hit or miss.
With tubes there is a charm factor, being able to see the filaments glow. People just like it, myself included. But sometimes the gear is sitting in the bottom of a console or inside a radio case and that factor is diminished.
As for sound quality, it’s like music - there are good and bad examples regardless of how they’re made.
The exception to the above, for me, is with guitar amps. It is not uncommon to overdrive a guitar amp, and tubed amps respond very well to this whereas solid state amps do not. For bass amps where distortion is not desired, SS works well when there’s enough power that it’s not overdriven.
My 2ç
With tubes there is a charm factor, being able to see the filaments glow. People just like it, myself included. But sometimes the gear is sitting in the bottom of a console or inside a radio case and that factor is diminished.
As for sound quality, it’s like music - there are good and bad examples regardless of how they’re made.
The exception to the above, for me, is with guitar amps. It is not uncommon to overdrive a guitar amp, and tubed amps respond very well to this whereas solid state amps do not. For bass amps where distortion is not desired, SS works well when there’s enough power that it’s not overdriven.
My 2ç
