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?
I don't think the use of BMW as an example in this instance is appropriate. I owned a 73' 2002tii for many, many years and it was far more reliable than my wife's Ford Escape. BMW's reputation for reliable continues to this day due to the track record of recent production models. Perhaps Ferrari, Lotus, Jaguar or Triumph would be better examples of cars that offer superior performance but have a history of reliability issues. To the issue raised by the post, it seems to me that many people (like myself) split the difference by going with a (generally) low maintenence/high reliability tube preamp coupled with a solid state power amp that avoids some to the potential pitfalls of tube amps.
02-11-09: Rlwainwright Take a good look at Butler's tube/MOSFET hybrid amps - sweet tube sound coupled with the balls of the MOSFETs. And, because he is running the tubes at only 5% of their rated output, the tubes are supposed to last more than 20 years.
www.butleraudio.com
-RW-
I am not picking on you and understand everyone has their opinions. Do you own stock in Butler or a dealer because every thread you answer recommends Butler amps. I mean there are tons of nice dependable amps/preamps in this world other than Butler (shaking my head)...lol.
Well like many threads;this can have a life of its own. So, I can just post my own thoughts for comparison. I have had at least 10 tube class a,a/b amps. Two of these being CJ brand, the 5's and 8's. My 5's blew about 25 fuses in 4 years (bias resistor fuses) The 8's not so many but similar problem. Sure; thee tubes were the main cause. I owned the Music ref2 the biasing pots went South,twice. A Jadis 7 mk4 also went So. to the tune of a near 1 thou,repair. Many other tube amps I only kept for 6/12 months w/ no repairs. My overview would read like a resume for wives/girl friends;--some are worth it some not. I guess each of us has a different tolerance for such. I now use the CJ 350,a SS design. This is the best amp I have owned and I only have to push the "on" button.
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. :-)
Rhljazz, I don't disagree that sometimes things work owning are worth the hassle, as I've done for quite a few years with the equipment I've had (and some cars too!). But (and using your car analogy), how would you feel if your BMW left you stranded far from home a couple of times a year (I actually own a BMW for 10 years and fortunately was only stranded once!)?
Mrjstark, yeah, you probably don't want to get too close to me! I actually had one piece of tube gear that NEVER had a problem in many years of use: the very inexpensive Antique Sound Labs AV-20 that I used in an office system.
Tvad, I have not owned any of the brands you've mentioned; I have owned about 6 or 7 different brands of tube equipment and they all had problems except for the one mentioned above. I have been thinking about class A solid state, although my green side also has me looking at some of the class D stuff (my current class A tube amps consume about 5 amps).
Take a good look at Butler's tube/MOSFET hybrid amps - sweet tube sound coupled with the balls of the MOSFETs. And, because he is running the tubes at only 5% of their rated output, the tubes are supposed to last more than 20 years.
And it's easier to get a burger at the drive thru @ Mc Donalds than sitting down @ Red Robin. A boring Toyota Camry takes less maintenance than a drivers car like a 3 series BMW.
So my point is, some things in life are worth the hassle. BTW just because it's solid state does not make it reliable. Witness all the reports of capacitor failures on ML gear and others. Everything needs maintenace or breaks at some point in time. Get over it.
Would I switch from my all tube systems to solid state, no way.
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