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2 channel Poll: Vote: Do you use Tubes or SS?

after using tubes for almost 12 years now, 2 of those using hybrids, i am now going to use Solid State amps for the 1st time in my audio life. Reasons? I have too many high maitanence things in my life (job,girlfriend car, not in any particular order) and can't see using 16 output tubes in addition to the 32 I use for source gear. So the question, of the memebers here, chime in, do you use SS or Tubes??

Btw: this isnt a Tubes vs SS is better thread.
128x128justlisten
63 responses Add your response
gerryn's avatar
gerryn
143 posts
 
As Manley Labs states on their bumper stickers: TUBES RULE.
unsound
7,318 posts
 
solid state
consttraveler
250 posts
 
Tube Phono-pre, SS from there on out.
upstateaudio
249 posts
 
Solid state. I am trying to avoid being even more compulsive about this hobby than I already am. Adding tube rolling to my other compulsions such as vibration reduction and room treatment will truly drive me over the edge!!!!!!!!!
golden_ears
224 posts
 
Both. Tube pre all the time, and I switch back and forth between a tube amp and S.S. amp, depending on how rowdy ;-) I want to get and which speakers I'm using. (old Quads or new dynamic speakers)
And tubes don't mean there's a lot of muss & fuss!! If the design is good, you don't have to tinker, and you only have to change tubes every year or two.....and it's well worth it!!!
aroc
760 posts
 
FYI - I switched from SS to all tubes about a year and half ago. Fantastic! I literally knew nothing about tubes before I dove it. And am loving every minute of it!
rhljazz
1,250 posts
 
I have two racks side by side, one is SS gear and the other tubed. I have the option to use two different cd players and three different sets of speakers and my preference is the tubed electronics approximately 80% of the time.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
I have all SS system, have been thinking about trying one of the "ICE" digital amps. Everything I am reading about these is very interesting. The power of huge SS amps with mid-highs better than tubes, could these be for real? A guy at the Apogee forum is using one of these to power his 1 ohm Scintill's..He had Pass 600 mono's.

Dave
distortion
571 posts
 
Ditch the high maintanence girlfriend, keep the tubes. Just kidding of course.

I use SS amps/pre with a tube output CDP. I probably will try a tube amp in a second system soon.
raytheprinter's avatar
raytheprinter
1,234 posts
 
tube preamp and ss poweramp does it for me,,
themadmilkman
182 posts
 
Currently SS, want to add a tube preamp and then go all tubes.
rlips
105 posts
 
I had a tube pre and a SS power amp, thinking I was getting "the best of both"

One day I brought home a tube powe amp on demo, just to prove to myself that I did not need a tube power amp. The SS power amp was put up for sale the next day.

As an EE, I like fiddling with them, biasing them is part of the fun.

Plus, it makes my listening room nice and toasty.
jose21
93 posts
 
Tube pre, tube DAC and SS amp.
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