solid state vs tubes

While listening to some Avalon speakers at a dealership, I looked to the side of the room to see which tube amp was supplying the power and was surprised to see that he was using a Belles amp. That's the only time I've been close to being surprised so far.

My intention here is not to start an argument but I feel a need to address the comment that tube sound can be achieved with a solid state amplifier preceded by tube components. I've read that same thing frequently on these threads and I think it's an important enough issue, particularly to those who are considering a change from solid state to tubes, to expand on that idea. The difference between the tube and solid state camps are very similar to the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Just because one adopts a party does not mean he walks lock-step with everyone else in that party, or shares the same values. To my ears, solid state circuitry cannot be made to sound like tubes by inserting tubes higher up the chain. Tubes can have a different appeal to different people. IME, there are those qualities shared by both tubes and solid state that vary by degree e.g., warmth, soundstage, transparency, definition,etc. If you prefer tubes to solid state because you feel that they are superior concerning some of these shared qualities, you can achieve a more tubelike sound, to you, by inserting tubes anywhere along the chain. If however, you are attracted to those tube virtues not shared by solid state, virtues that I have never been able to satisfactorily articulate, but none the less are very real to me, the yearnings of your audio soul will remain unsatisfied by a solid state amplifier regardless of how many tubes you insert upstream.

"Nothing ever gets resolved in these discussions, and the circularity of the discussion continues ad infinitum."

You're right Tvad, but what I have difficulty understanding is why you're right. Objective fact: Tubes are not solid state and vice verse. They are different and they sound different.

This whole thing brings diet cola to mind. In the beginning, the whole thing with diet was about approximating the taste of the original cola with sugar. Ad campaigns frequently claimed that the results of taste tests concluded that a new version of diet was indistinguishable from the original. But a funny thing happened over time, diet cola began to stand on it's own two feet and many people chose to prefer it to the original. Diet advocates didn't feel that they had to justify their choice by saying that diet tastes like the original cola, they just said they preferred it. Now, if you walk down the pop isle you'll notice each major brand has several varieties of cola - different strokes for different folks. What I never hear in any lunchroom is an argument over which cola tastes better or that a certain diet tastes like the original. It doesn't. Who cares. Solid state isn't tubes and therefore doesn't sound like tubes. Choose the one you like and be happy. What's there to argue about?

"I wish people would come out sometimes and say, "It sucks"."

I agree with you Bostonbean, but it's more easily said than done. I have friends and acquaintances that would receive criticism of their wife and kids more kindly than they would their audio systems. I think it's absolutely crazy, but I've seen one friendship cool substantially after the suggestion of a subwoofer; and I've seen another friendship actually end after a guy, who just couldn't take it anymore, asked the host if he could watch television.

Interesting Mrtennis. It makes me wonder: Do you think there a single set of speakers and components that are capable of revealing everything that the finest examples of each design have to offer?

LOL Magfan, Just how many shots did you do between those last two paragraphs?