2. amps-preamps
  3. 1234362825

Tired of Problems with Tube Equipment

I switched over to tube audio equipment in some form some years back, and have certainly enjoyed music played back through them. I have had amps, preamps, and DACS at different times utilizing tubes. One unfortunate thing that's been common to all the tube equipment I've had are problems. It doesn't seem to matter whether the manufacturer is large or small, built in the USA or overseas, they all have had problems. Capacitors blowing out, bad solder joints, tubes only lasting a short time, loud pops that mysteriously go away on their own, etc. Although I have enjoyed the sound (and that beautiful glow!), I am starting to get tired of this and thinking of going back to solid state.

Have any of you also gone back (or thought about it) to solid state for this reason? What has your experience been with the reliability of tube equipment?
smeyers

Showing 1 response by newbee

newbee
4,794 posts
 
If you like the sound of SS stuff, don't fret just buy it. If you don't particularily like the sound, but you think it will last forever without maintenance, and that is important to you, buy it. When it fails you can just believe it is some sort of abboration and you've been unlucky.

The thing I don't like about SS other than the typically dry sound (to my ears) is that the only thing you can do in creating system synergy is to keep buying new stuff 'til you get so frustrated, or broke, that you convince yourself that 'this is as good as ss gets' and compromise.

When I hear SS stuff that produces the same sound as tubes I be standing in a long line I think............I'm tired of all of the fussing too. :-)
More to discover