Do tubes improve recordings?

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Tyson

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Do tubes improve recordings?
« on: 15 Apr 2009, 09:58 pm »
OK, this was something that occurred to me recently on this board.  Here's my through process:

1.  Modern recordings (particularly CD's), strip out harmonic information that makes recordings sound sterile.
2.  Tubes restore some of the harmonics in the playback chain.
3.  Conclusion - Tubes improve upon the original recording.

This means that tubes are not "neutral", or "true" to the recording.  But it also means that tubes are more true to the original performance.

rajacat

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #1 on: 15 Apr 2009, 10:12 pm »
Sounds good to me. :thumb: That is an interesting way of explaining why some find valve gear sounds more like live music then SS gear while sometimes not measuring as well using conventional standards.

-Roy

turkey

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #2 on: 15 Apr 2009, 10:12 pm »
OK, this was something that occurred to me recently on this board.  Here's my through process:

1.  Modern recordings (particularly CD's), strip out harmonic information that makes recordings sound sterile.
2.  Tubes restore some of the harmonics in the playback chain.
3.  Conclusion - Tubes improve upon the original recording.

This means that tubes are not "neutral", or "true" to the recording.  But it also means that tubes are more true to the original performance.

Doesn't look very logical to me...

Tyson

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #3 on: 15 Apr 2009, 10:52 pm »
The idea is that recordings are inherently flawed, so chasing after accuracy to the original recording is also flawed.  Using tubes gets you closer to life, at the expense of being less neutral to the recording.

united1

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #4 on: 15 Apr 2009, 11:20 pm »
saying tubes in general improve recordings would be misleading.  however, that some tube amps may make recordings sound more enjoyable, will have some merit.  in my experience, DHT SET amps tend to make many recordings good/bad sound quite liquid and enjoyable.  while some pentode/push pull tube amps are very fast and very revealing and can even make recordings sound harsh.  same can be said with solid state amps (fast revealing versus silky and warm type).  so i think it is uniquely predicated on the amp that will tend to make recordings sound good/bad (your taste) and not necessarily tubes :D

stereocilia

Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #5 on: 16 Apr 2009, 01:37 am »
Why do you say the harmonics are stripped out of modern recordings?  It may be true, but if the answer is that "because tube-based electronics sound better," then it's just circular.  It's an interesting idea, but I want some sciencey explanation for why the harmonics go bye-bye.  Is there one?

timind

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #6 on: 16 Apr 2009, 02:06 am »
Put it anyway you like but what I'm hearing is, you prefer listening to modern recordings through tube equipment.   

Listens2tubes

Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #7 on: 16 Apr 2009, 02:26 am »
To answer your question listen to recordings from the late 50's. They were recorded with tubes and are considered some of the best recordings to this day.

dyohn

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #8 on: 16 Apr 2009, 02:39 am »
No.  Nothing can "improve" any recording that is not part of the recording process.  You might prefer the sound that is reproduced by your tube gear over tht from some other gear, but it is not "improving" the recording.  It is simply creating a playback that you find pleasing.  That is what we all seek: reproduction we find pleasing.  But it is completely subjective.  To each his own.

stereocilia

Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #9 on: 16 Apr 2009, 03:55 am »
To answer your question listen to recordings from the late 50's. They were recorded with tubes and are considered some of the best recordings to this day.

For example, Red Norvo "The Forward Look" from 1957 is amazing -- no doubt about it.  I'm not ready to say it sounds better than a modern well-recorded album, but that argument could be made.  It is, in a weird way, disappointing that progress on the recording front stopped in the late 1950s.  Still, I have to wonder, is it because it was recorded with tubes?  I mean, that can't be the only variable.

Rasta

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #10 on: 16 Apr 2009, 04:07 am »
Please explain what this means and how this works:

1.  Modern recordings (particularly CD's), strip out harmonic information that makes recordings sound sterile.

Thanks


JimJ

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Re: Do tubes improve recordings?
« Reply #11 on: 17 Apr 2009, 04:19 am »
Improve? No.
No.  Nothing can "improve" any recording that is not part of the recording process.  You might prefer the sound that is reproduced by your tube gear over tht from some other gear, but it is not "improving" the recording.  It is simply creating a playback that you find pleasing.  That is what we all seek: reproduction we find pleasing.  But it is completely subjective.  To each his own.

This :)