• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Low watts vs high watts and sound quality

for top end sound get rid of those sand amps..A refurbished 25-60 wpc tube amp will satisfy on a level you haven't experienced before....

hunter
Doesn't work like that here where sand amps rule the roost. My new 60 wpc tube amp looks cool and garners lots of oohh and aahhhs from visitors. Sadly it's cool looks don't match the sound so it makes for an outstanding dust collector sitting idle on the shelf.
 
sorry to hear that...maybe time to upgrade the tube amps with more robust power supply and PIO electrolytic caps thru out..We throw all the best upgrades at our tube amps. Best NOS tubes available and circuitry upgrades...My latest build will shine..Pair of Stromberg Carlson AP 55 Mono blocks.. will smoke anty SS in my area..

hunter
 
sorry to hear that...maybe time to upgrade the tube amps with more robust power supply and PIO electrolytic caps thru out..We throw all the best upgrades at our tube amps. Best NOS tubes available and circuitry upgrades...My latest build will shine..Pair of Stromberg Carlson AP 55 Mono blocks.. will smoke anty SS in my area..

hunter
Funny you should mention Strombergs. I had a pair of restored APH 1200's at 85 a side. Sadly they couldn't even out shine an all original 85 wpc Sansui au9500. I've been down most of the tube paths; new, original and restored with several different brands. To each his own but the tube romance just never happened with me.
One thing I will say though and that's why I keep my yaquin 100B is they really do look cool all lit up.
 
It aways amazes me how people hear differently.Ive had all the Sansui/Marantz/pioneer sand amps over the yrs...I felt the sansui au9500 tho good sonically didn't match the sonics of my Pioneeer spec 2/spec 1 setup,or even my Rotel 1603 SS reciever., my Soundcraftsmen ma-5002's and Big Phase linear 700b's matched with a a lowly Apt Holman preamp or a Spec 1 pre amp were excellent but didn't fofill my lust for Hi fidelity .Ive been thru the gambit od SS over 40 yrs.My Harman Kardon Citation16a's biamped thru AR 9's tho capable of huge volume couldn't touch the detail I enjoy with my Fisher 50a mono blocks...Anyhow this has been beat to death.I wouldn't be sitting on a totl Fisher and HH scott tube system after all these yrs if I liked SS sound better.But to each their own.My ubove said keeper gear ran with Vintage TOTL co-axials and triaxial speakers are the end of the line for me
Great hobby we have whereby we can enoy Hi-fidelity from different sources..

hunter
 
Get the best of BOTH worlds.
Own good speakers you can biamp.
Tubes on top, SS on the bottom.
Air, resolution, refinement - and lots of quick slam.
 
Get the best of BOTH worlds.
Own good speakers you can biamp.
Tubes on top, SS on the bottom.
Air, resolution, refinement - and lots of quick slam.

I do agree Vinylcaffey... we are close.but I don't need no sand amp on the bottom end with my Fisher 50a's..It all about the Iron with these old blast furnace amps!!
Deep/controlled bass slam is there in spades. Add deadly channel separation and clean /crisp detailed highs and your there
Bi amped speakers..?? no thanks..a pair of vintage Fullrange drivers in large cabinets with a suplimented compression horn will fill the slate

hunter
 
tubes can be accurate but, it is very expensive to do. solid state is overall more accurate and closer to wire with gain anology per dollar.

i dont see why tube coloration is so appreciated. overly done harmonics to make things warm, fat, romantic,ect. is not my cup of tea. thats why i never liked lot of electric guitars and amps as well.

most people tend to like overly harsh strident speakers and try to tame it with other forms of harmonic distortion, lower damping factor and, fr alteration by using higher output impedances. thats what most tube amps are. only thing great with tubes over solid state is no to very little low negative feedback. most solid state designs are wrecked with negative feedback. yes some use of it improves an amp performance but, lot like to use obsessive amounts to mark up flaws and make paper specs look better... but, other then that both have there advatages and disavantages. some likes tubes and some like solid state while other people just doesnt care as long as it gets the job done for the right reasons. me i prefer and use mostly solid state for clean signal and sound. having more power then double speakers input wpc rating sometimes can be very benificial.
 
to each their own rex.i listen with my ears..really its splitting hairs soundwise on 99 % of the gear out there if your speakers are top knotch.

but for me tube EQ ranks over SS
Have you heard the Fisher 50a mono amps? have you heard a n HHscott LK-150 6550 tube amp? SS is More accurate and closer to wire with gain per cost then what?.
How much are you spending on that slideing scale?just what solid state trumps the for mentioned tube amps?
why is it that Marantz 8b cost what it does?Or a Fisher 400cx preamp..or apair ir of Fisher 50A's mono's?
Its like your first drive in a 64 chevie malibu compared to a 64 vette ..they both get you from point a to point b ..it comes down to how much you enjoyed the ride between...
hunter
 
getting nastalgia and performance all in one package is the key to vintage hi-fidelity

to those of us that value those traits.any how.
 
of course its not the only way.go get yourself a shoulder held ss portable 1980's AM/Fm radio if that floats yur boat,
have it recapped and trick it out with headphones.
my opinion of Low watts vs high watts and sound quality will always be low watts tube amps/preamps and efficient speakers reign for quality sound.Its what 40 yrs in this crazy hobby has taught me.
Would luv to have you over for a listen whoareyou??.. tubes are warm right now
It may open yur eyes'''

hunter
 
If I may, I think the thread ran off the rails a bit. While I can appreciate the perspectives recently posted. I do feel they're a bit unnecessarily polarized. I respect that you each went about your journeys to arrive at what you feel is best and want to share that pleasure with the OP. We (collectively as a group ) can make suggestions and if local demo for him. He really has to make his own journey.
 
Back
Top Bottom