"Tubes have a slightly different sonic character than transistors.
Tubes tend to provide a slightly richer harmonic picture of
instruments in the midrange with a slight sacrifice in definition
and control at the frequency extremes. Twenty years ago this
contrast was more pronounced. Modern transistor amplifiers
are far more musical than they used to be and the performance
of modern tube amplifiers is less compromised."
http://vandersteen.com/media/files/APJ%20Files/APJ11_Proof.pdf
There are a number of reasons why tubes often give a more liquid sound and sometimes a phat mid-range. Less so today. ARC has reduced the number of tubes but hasn't gone all SS.
http://vandersteen.com/media/files/APJ%20Files/APJ11_Proof.pdf
There are a number of reasons why tubes often give a more liquid sound and sometimes a phat mid-range. Less so today. ARC has reduced the number of tubes but hasn't gone all SS.