[bladesmith]

I think tubes help with tweaking the sound to fit what I like to hear, my personal taste in music, generally speaking. Having the ability to tweak the sound helps, like changing the room acoustics. 

I moved from one house to another, it was amazing how awesome my stereo sounded in my previous house,  the newer home, not so much, very, very disappointing. Then I moved again and the sound changed again, back for the better. I believe tweaking the sound with tubes is as important and viable as tweaking your room acoustics. Tubes will give you options in sound, for sure.

[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
I will make this post short and sweet.
Tubes produce a less agressive sound compared to solid state, that what I think.
Like it or not, agree or not.
I can listen to tube music for hours without fatigue.
When I had my ss Naim amplifier, after one hour max, I had to stop.
It as to do with odd and even harmonics, yes?
On the other hand, I don't like the heat from the tubes,
however, I like the glow from the tubes.
That's it and that's all.

Guy 13

[mrhyfy]

Take an electric guitar and plug it into a Marshall valve amp.
Then plug the guitar into a Marshall solid state amp.
Try as they might at the factory, there is simply no comparison.
How do I know?  I've owned both and the SS Marshalls are long gone.

In home audio I've found that the same applies but the differences are not as pronounced.
Every year the two technologies come closer together but I don't think they'll ever really get there.
Besides, tubes are cool.   

I do own both solid state and tube stereo and guitar amps, though.  Each type has their place.

big difference here,, with your guitar you are PRODUCING music.  With a home stereo, we are REPRODUCING music.

ps,,I do love the sound of tube amps

[Folsom]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
I will make this post short and sweet.
Tubes produce a less agressive sound compared to solid state, that what I think.
Like it or not, agree or not.
I can listen to tube music for hours without fatigue.
When I had my ss Naim amplifier, after one hour max, I had to stop.
It as to do with odd and even harmonics, yes?
On the other hand, I don't like the heat from the tubes,
however, I like the glow from the tubes.
That's it and that's all.

Guy 13

Power conditioning will remove the SS/digital edge.

[G Georgopoulos]

Power conditioning will remove the SS/digital edge.

What's power conditioning?, ss/digital work just fine!

[Folsom]

Heh you don't know till it's gone.

[Guy 13]

big difference here,, with your guitar you are PRODUCING music.  With a home stereo, we are REPRODUCING music.

ps,,I do love the sound of tube amps

Hi mrhyfy and all Audio Circle members.
Guitar tube amplifier produce nice distorsion,
audio tube amplifier produce nice even harmonics.
Both make nice music.

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

Power conditioning will remove the SS/digital edge.

Hi Mr. Salis Audio and all Audio Circle members.
I have a Majik Buss is that what you call power conditionning?
With or without power conditionning, I prefer tubes.

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

What's power conditioning?, ss/digital work just fine!

Hi Georgopoulos and all Audio Circle members.
That's your opinion.
On Audio Circle every members as the right to have his own opionion,
well most of the time...

Guy 13

[G Georgopoulos]

Hi Georgopoulos and all Audio Circle members.
That's your opinion.
On Audio Circle every members as the right to have his own opionion,
well most of the time...

Guy 13

hi guy13
just because you like tubes doesnt mean ss is not good too
that's all i have to say...

[FullRangeMan]

hi guy13
just because you like tubes doesnt mean ss is not good too
that's all i have to say...

When you say it I think in a single ended transistor as FirstWatt Aleph or Bryston B100, not the big monsters Class AB.

[Guy 13]

hi guy13
just because you like tubes doesnt mean ss is not good too
that's all i have to say...

Hi Georgopoulos and all Audio Circle members.
I never wrote that ss is not good, read my post,
I wrote that to my ears it sounds agressive...
It does not mean it's no good.
My secondary sound system is solid state (Sony)
and I like it very much.

Guy 13

[Guy 13]

When you say it I think in a single ended transistor as FirstWatt Aleph or Bryston B100, not the big monsters Class AB.

 

Guy 13

[Ericus Rex]

The guitarists I know who swear by tube guitar amps usually talk about the tube amp's warmth, punch and attack over ss amps.  Not the distortion characteristics.

[Guy 13]

The guitarists I know who swear by tube guitar amps usually talk about the tube amp's warmth, punch and attack over ss amps.  Not the distortion characteristics.

Hi Ericus Rex and all Audio Circle members.
Distortion is not the correct word,
but it's something like: Over saturated ? ? ?

Guy 13

[Freo-1]

Hi Ericus Rex and all Audio Circle members.
Distortion is not the correct word,
but it's something like: Over saturated ? ? ?

Guy 13

I think you are referring to what is commonly called "soft clipping" inherent in tube designs as opposed to solid state, where "hard clipping" occurs. 

[SteveFord]

Whatever it is about that sound eludes SS in the guitar amps although SS is the norm for bass guitar amplifiers.
You see a lot of that in home audio in biamped applications with SS for the low end, tubes for the top.
After years of having high powered SS home audio amps I finally caved in and bought high powered tube amps and that did the trick for me.

And now it's time to go back to making some racket on my SS guitar amp.

[G Georgopoulos]

Hi Georgopoulos and all Audio Circle members.
I never wrote that ss is not good, read my post,
I wrote that to my ears it sounds agressive...
It does not mean it's no good.
My secondary sound system is solid state (Sony)
and I like it very much.

Guy 13

Hi guy13

Have you ever heard JFET,its warmth is amazing,plus much less distortion than tubes

cheers...

[Freo-1]

Hi guy13

Have you ever heard JFET,its warmth is amazing,plus much less distortion than tubes

cheers...

Read the sidebar on the first link.  That is not necesscairly the case.  Besides, tubes can swing a lot more voltage cleanly, and they are more linear.


http://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/the-cool-sound-of-tubes/distortion

[Guy 13]

Hi guy13

Have you ever heard JFET,its warmth is amazing,plus much less distortion than tubes

cheers...

Hi Georgopoulos and all Audio Circle members.
No, I've never heard a JFET, unless I did and I did not knew it was a JFET.
Tube distortion are even harmonics which are more acceptable to your audio brain.
Anyway, I am a tube guy, however I still use and own ss in my iPod, my Sony ambient FM receiver,
my DVD player, my VHS player and of course my TV.

Guy 13