Yes, there is both right and wrong, you are simply seemingly unaware of it.
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Tony, I appreciate your affection, you follow me everywhere.
When I say reference I don't mean Pass amps with some lower end Wilson speakers. Just because you have a good sound doesn't mean necessarily that it is a reference sound. There are preferences and subjective elements and there is also objectivity. Who has top or near top level Boulder, Gryphon or D'Agostino amplification? That's reference level SS amplification. And lets put them against same level Lamm VAC and CAT. Why would you go with those SSs instead of tubes, practical considerations aside ? They would never give you the midrange that those valve amplifiers would.
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Mike, I finally see a serious system with a reel-to reel deck as a source, two in your case.
Interesting that you preferred the DartZeel to VAC and Lamm. Maybe I would've too had I heard it.
What kind of music do you mostly listen to ?
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Mike, unless I missed it, you need a custom tube playback head outboard preamp for your Ampexes.
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Mike, I see. Large scale music in a big room, that's when one might want top SS. Probably also particular speakers. I wonder how, say, JM Labs Grand Utopia, would do with both DartZeel and VAC. Or Classic Audio speakers. I envy your Ampex decks, anyway.
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And tubes will continue to rule, no matter what some people think or want. With few exceptions, like large scale music in a big room with particular speakers.
I will also note that I don't trust most people's objectivity or/and hearing. What I hear from many is - it is good because it is mine. Not to mention that few can afford million dollar set up, or even $200k one. This sucks, we all want reference level systems.
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Some of the musicians I listen to I heard live and as such can compare. Anything introduces some coloration. For me negative coloration is the worst, that's what SS does brilliantly. Besides, not all tube amps are created equal, and not all tubes are equal either.
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By the way, I heard that some do prefer vintage air-cooled Porsche. Besides being traditional it is much less safe and more difficult to drive fast than later Porsche. And that's why some prefer it. You do something stupid and you are gone. You really need to know how to drive.
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Personally, I will never have a reference system but will always have a good sound with tube equipment and analogue source wherever possible. The core of any music is in the midrange, and if you don't get it right more or less - forget about the rest. Choice of tubes is very important too, the difference can be dramatic, as everyone knows.
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And that's another advantage of tube electronics. Can you do transistor rolling ?
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phd, I don't think tube equipment should be left on all the time to sound best and I didn't read anyone say it here. I do remember someone said some years ago that a particular Lamm preamp had to be left on for a few days to sound its best.
Switching preamps is fun indeed, as is tube rolling.
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Now, that’s the spirit. Mike, if you wanted to upgrade something what could it be ? Continuum turntable ? Further improve the wall current ?
I did hear the word that DartZeel was the best alternative to tube equipment.
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Good tube gear does not calm things down, it is very revealing. So much nonsense in this and other threads. Well, thanks to Mike, there is at least one person to talk to.
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