Overtubing? Danger?

This is kind of a funny question. I generally worry about whether I have any transistors in my gear.

To answer your question, it depends on the gear. My feeling is that the fewest items needed in the signal path, that can get the job done well, is better than more items. Adding unnecessary items, whether they be tubes, or anything else, is not conducive to good sound.

If you are wondering if you should put tubes in your system to cover up the digital flaws, then maybe you should look at the source, and fix the problem where it begins.

Being that both Albert and myself are tube guys, you are going to get a "tube answer" from us.

I believe that "all tube" is the best way for sound quality in the majority of applications. You do not "ruin" any of the sound with tubes. A good tube amp or preamp will make the sound pass thru very clean. There is much less "grain" sound with a good tube amp. People with tube systems can hear if there is as few as one transistor in the signal path, because of the way it changes the sound. Once you start going into tubes, you will very quickly decide to eliminate all the transistors in the signal path.

Others will drastically disagree with me on this. I guess you just have to hear it to find out.

Sean, I would love to get my hands on some of those obsolete "Alien" triodes! They just might have the mythical "Vapor Field" plates, and true "outer space" vacuum. Possibly even "Anti-Gravity Sonic Maximizers" that would transform my amp into a Single-Ended Godzilla from the 7th Parsec. That would really be cool. Why didn't they leave any of those old alien tubes laying around in their space lockers? :^)