Tubes in Computers

Woodsea · « **on:** 25 Dec 2002, 03:02 am »

http://news.com.com/2100-1023-978617.html?tag=fd_top
Sound card!

bob82274 · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 04:13 am »

Ah very nice I was wondering if we would get one of these. I had seen the tubed motherboard earlier this year but this would allow me to use this soundcard and a motherboard of my choice. Very nice!

hairofthedawg · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 04:15 am »

I think the extra heat would be a problem...am I wrong?

MediaSeth · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 05:08 am »

I'd much rather have the tube in an external soundcard-type device rather than in the CPU box. A quality output to a tube pre-amp/amp would suffice, no?

thetruth · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 03:52 pm »

How stupid can people get?

Does anyone have a concept how HOSTILE an environment the inside of a PC is for tubes?

Just say NO to this product.

If anyone wants to to add tube euphonics (colorations) to their oudio signal, get an outboard preamp with tubes. This will add the tube euphonics and not f*** up the rest of the audio signal with interferrence from the motherboard.

Brad · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 04:11 pm »

Small preamp tubes don't actually run that hot.

I agree with the comment about the inside of a PC being a NASTY environment for a tube though.

I would have to hear it before passing judgement though.
Couldn't be any worse than the generic dreck SoundBlaster passes off as s.o.t.a.

eico1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 07:40 pm »

tubes in a computer could be less suseptable to overload in the presence of high amounts of rfi etc. due to higher input overload margins as well as lower loop gains, just keep the input impedence low. The downside would be poorer power supply rejection if just a single triode stage. Were you thinking any other specific problems?

steve

bubba966 · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Dec 2002, 07:46 pm »

Vibration isn't terribly good for tubes, right? And an average computer has 4+ fans, a HD, CD/DVD, etc. Lots of stuff to vibrate.

CastAwayWilson · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 08:07 am »

Here, stop argueing and bikering over what you have no proof of, and take a nice read here

http://ads.firingsquad.com/banman.asp?ZoneID=1368&Task=Get&SiteID=2&X=1040976439582

bubba966 · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 08:17 am »

Quote from: CastAwayWilson

Here, stop argueing and bikering over what you have no proof of, and take a nice read here

http://ads.firingsquad.com/banman.asp?ZoneID=1368&Task=Get&SiteID=2&X=1040976439582

? An ad for a video card giveaway?

CastAwayWilson · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 08:18 am »

ugh why did it do that......

here http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/ax4b533tube/default.asp

AKSA · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 10:39 am »

Nah,

Small tubes, with dissipations of up to 3W on the plates and 2W filament, would survive just fine in a PC case.

I understand there is a sound card manufacturer, can't remember the name, which is producing a card with a tube on it.......

Cheers,

Hugh

Mathew_M · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 04:06 pm »

Unlike high quality tube pre/amps for audiophile uses, this is just too much of a novelty. You'd be much better off either getting a pair of warm sounding multi-media speakers like the Swan M200 or utilize an external dac like the Art DIO with the tube gain. Even cooler yet, get the Norh SE 9
and plant that on your desk with a pair of ceramic 3.0s.

CastAwayWilson · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Dec 2002, 08:24 pm »

This is an example of needing a delete button so he can delete his spair post

Slick · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Jan 2003, 04:48 am »

Im looking at one of these for my system - http://home.swbell.net/ronsuthe/product.html

Wish I could hear one, but the tubes might remove some of the edge from mp3's and would eliminate any ground loop hum since entire audio section of the computer is now outside the box. Anyone ever hear one of these things on a decent system?

Slick · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Jan 2003, 04:49 am »

Im looking at one of these for my system - http://home.swbell.net/ronsuthe/product.html

Wish I could hear one, but the tubes might remove some of the edge from mp3's and would eliminate any ground loop hum since entire audio section of the computer is now outside the box. Anyone ever hear one of these things on a decent system?

tmd · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Jan 2003, 10:33 am »

The SB audigy 2 now plays DVD-A. I would hope an Extigy 2 will become available that will do the same. In that case, you have something that connects to USB so it is outside the PC. If one does come out, I am going to try to find the money to buy one and play with it. An upgraded power supply and Cardas RCAs might actually make it sound good! If not, it will be fun to play with anyway.
Neil.

eico1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Jan 2003, 02:56 pm »

Thast product claims to add even harmonic distortion, don't even know if there is an in/out switch. I'd avoid gimmicks.

steve