Poll

Which type of amp design would you pick to live with, if you had to pick either solid state or tubes?

Solid State
8 (44.4%)
Tubes
8 (44.4%)
Not sure....
2 (11.1%)

Total Members Voted: 18

Voting closed: 12 Feb 2013, 04:03 pm

If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?

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DaveC113

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #40 on: 3 Jun 2013, 11:26 pm »
Umm, yeah.... tubes, no question.

That's assuming price and power consumption aren't a big issue. Right now, my 5 wpc SET is enough, but if I went with a speaker that requires a couple hundred watts that would require a large, expensive and power hungry tube amp.

a.wayne

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #41 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:03 am »
Cool cool. What are you runnin'?

A lot of stuff , speakers are bi -amped ,

1 . Threshold S500's (pr)
2.  PS Audio 200cx
3.  Krell KSA 300
4. Threshold fet9e / bat vk-3  for pre- amps
5. Bat Vk500

Tried a pr of Bel Canto's last year , not for me , still watching class-d at a distance , next planned move seriously contemplating ACCUPHASE ..



Freo-1

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #42 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:20 am »
 Nice Amps!   The Pass Labs X Series would be right up your alley. 


Rclark

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #43 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:25 am »
A lot of stuff , speakers are bi -amped ,

1 . Threshold S500's (pr)
2.  PS Audio 200cx
3.  Krell KSA 300
4. Threshold fet9e / bat vk-3  for pre- amps
5. Bat Vk500

Tried a pr of Bel Canto's last year , not for me , still watching class-d at a distance , next planned move seriously contemplating ACCUPHASE ..

Ooh. All pieces I only know from legend. All those pieces are highly regarded and pricey. A little backstory on each?  :D

jtwrace

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #44 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:30 am »
Fet 9/e.  What a classic!  My dad still has his T2 which is connected to some Odyssey amps. 

Freo-1

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #45 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:34 am »
I use to own a FET-10 that was upgraded to the large power supply.  Wish I still had it.   

Berto

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #46 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:39 am »
That's easy. My Tube Research Labs Stereo 100 w/Duelunds that I just got :thumb:





Rocket_Ronny

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #47 on: 4 Jun 2013, 12:54 am »

That's easy. My Tube Research Labs Stereo 100 w/Duelunds that I am waiting for.  :thumb:

Rocket_Ronny

a.wayne

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #48 on: 4 Jun 2013, 01:02 am »
Nice Amps!   The Pass Labs X Series would be right up your alley.

Yes but out of budget at my power requirement .....:) Moving stuff around to make room for an Accuphase  P7000....

a.wayne

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #49 on: 4 Jun 2013, 01:03 am »
I use to own a FET-10 that was upgraded to the large power supply.  Wish I still had it.

Doing the same to my FET9e .....

a.wayne

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #50 on: 4 Jun 2013, 01:07 am »
That's easy. My Tube Research Labs Stereo 100 w/Duelunds that I am waiting for.  :thumb:

Rocket_Ronny


Congrats , sweeeet amp .....! :thumb:

mcgsxr

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #51 on: 4 Jun 2013, 04:11 pm »
Having happily used SS for 10 years, then Class D digital for 5 years, then tube for 7 years, now SS again I think it would be speaker dependent for me.

When I used SS amps, I had lower effiency speakers (as I do again now).  When I used tube, I had high efficiency speakers.

roscoeiii

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #52 on: 4 Jun 2013, 04:32 pm »
Having happily used SS for 10 years, then Class D digital for 5 years, then tube for 7 years, now SS again I think it would be speaker dependent for me.

When I used SS amps, I had lower effiency speakers (as I do again now).  When I used tube, I had high efficiency speakers.

+1 on any amp choice being speaker dependent. Amp-speaker matching is critical. As is how well that combo reproduces the aspects of music that are most important to you.

BobM

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #53 on: 4 Jun 2013, 05:12 pm »
Come on - we all know the answer to this is fully speaker dependent. A high powere SS amp just isn't going to work on a horn speaker, but it totally appropriate for an inefficient panel or ribbon speaker, and a 5 watt SET is completely oppositely appropriate. Pick your style of speaker and maybe there is a reasonable answer.

DaveC113

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Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #54 on: 4 Jun 2013, 05:26 pm »
I agree with the speaker/amp matching, but this can be done with SS or tubes. A pure class A SS amp like a Pass Labs will sound good w/ high eff speakers, and likewise a powerful PP tube amp can do a great job driving "normal" speakers.

mcgsxr

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #55 on: 4 Jun 2013, 09:39 pm »
I am sticking with SS for my HT.  My speakers are conventional cone and dome, and roughly 93db efficient.

That fair?   :lol:

opnly bafld

Re: If I could have only one amplifer, SS or TUBE?
« Reply #56 on: 4 Jun 2013, 10:11 pm »
Come on - we all know the answer to this is fully speaker dependent. A high powere SS amp just isn't going to work on a horn speaker, but it totally appropriate for an inefficient panel or ribbon speaker, and a 5 watt SET is completely oppositely appropriate. Pick your style of speaker and maybe there is a reasonable answer.

I read about it all the time on internet forums (it must be true  :wink:), guy gets new amp (lower power tube usually), likes amp so much sells old speakers and gets new ones that work better with new amp.
I suppose it can and does happen the other way around also, :idea: new monster amp can drive any speakers I want, guy goes out and buys 80dB 1w/1m ~ 2 ohm speakers.