Question about wpc on tube amps


I have been kind of looking at tube amps based on what people seem to think about them.

Here is my question- whenever I look at the wpc, they are remarkably low vs. a solid state amp for the money. 

It leaves me scratching my head. Then, somewhere I read that you can't compare a tube amp with a solid state amp . Something along the lines of "10 watts of tube power equals 100 watts in a SS amp". 

What? Is this real?  Seems unlikely to me. 

Are the wildly low power ratings on the tube amps I am looking at simply due to the fact I am looking at $1,000 amps vs the bajillion dollar amps you guys buy?

Would I be better off spending the money on a tube preamp for the "tube" sound I always hear about. 

I am running Magnepan . 7's  with a Bryston amp. Since the . 7's are power hogs are tubes even a realistic thing for me in my lowish budget? 

Thanks! 

 

timintexas

Showing 2 responses by mulveling

I’m a big fan of tube amps, but when it comes to sheer power, watts are watts. There’s no magical "tube watts" that’s going to make 50 Watts act like 100 (etc). And as for tubes’ famed "soft clipping" -- a push/pull tube amp with feedback (typical) can clip hard too, if you push it too far.

The reason you get a mythology of "tube watts" has many facets. For one, tube amps typically have higher gain than their solid state counterparts. Sometimes much higher. Especially "per watt". So on the same volume setting (on your preamp dial), a lower powered tube amp may sound much louder. But its peak loudness will still be limited by its power rating. The gain tends to be higher thanks to high gain input tubes like 12AX7, 12AT7, 6NS7, and the lower amounts of global feedback used in tube circuits -- more feedback reduces gain and many Solid State amps use LOTS of it because it improves the spec sheet (arguably at the expense of sound quality).

Another reason for the mythology -- tube amps typically sound great to the very last watt! Solid State gear can be all over the map. Some sound bad at low volumes, others sound bad when you start to push ’em, Some sound bad at any volume 🤣

Maggies are a classic match with Rogue tube amps. You a get lot of tube power for the money, all built in the USA, and with fantastic customer service. They’re not as sweet sounding as other tube amps, but their dynamics and bass are a thing of beauty. M180s (180 Watts /ch) or Apollos (250 Watts /ch) would be perfect, but even a Stereo 100, Cronus Magnum, or Atlas Magnum would be great too (each 100 Watts /ch). When you get enough tube power -- real tube power -- it’s amazing :)

Ah, I neglected to the heed budget of $1,000, sorry 😅

I agree with others, that’s not a budget where I’d typically recommend a tube amp, especially at the power levels needed for Magnepans. However, if it’s not a hard limit, with some patience you can get under $1500 for a used Rogue Stereo 90 (the older version of their Stereo 100). This is a GREAT amp for the money and it can exceed 100 Watts.

Avoid the temptation of cheap Chinese tube amps. Absolutely not recommended.