I grew up listening to Rock with SS equipment. Now I listen to Rock & Jazz about 50% each with tube equipment. I don't think I will ever go back. I have two systems that have been mentioned in this thread.
The first is a Single Ended Magnavox EL84 amp driving a pair of modified Klipsch Heresies. The modifications lower the tweeter and squawker 3db and flatten out the impedance curve. The speakers are on 12" stands and placed in the corner at a 45 degree angle. The room is 13' x13.5' and this system plays incredibly loud (louder than I need) and it's a four watt amp. But it also has great punch and dynamics. Imaging and sound staging are superb and most people can't pick out which speakers are actually playing (I have two pairs of speakers in the room). IMO the Heresies need a subwoofer because they don't put out enough bass for me. I would love to hear this system with a Stingray or an Almarro amp, though for the $130 I spent for the Magnavox I am not complaining.
The second system is based around the same Tube Audio Design amp and pre that Eagleman6722 uses. I use a pair of KEF C75 which sounds like the Heresies but have way more bass. These speakers are floor standers but are very small. In the pre I went the opposite way Eagleman went. I put in a pair of RCA black plate 12AU7s for a little less punch (it still has plenty). I use this system in triode mode so itÂ’s only 30 watts per channel. In a 16' x 24' room it has no problem playing louder than I would ever want it to. It has all the punch and dynamics you would ever need for Rock music along with a beautiful midrange and gorgeous highs. Sound staging and imaging is superb.
The point is that you can definitely play rock music with tubes if you take the time to set it up right. Another advantage of tubes is you can listen for a long time at high volumes without any listener fatigue. For reference some of the rock bands I listen to are Rush, Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Floyd and Gov't Mule.
The first is a Single Ended Magnavox EL84 amp driving a pair of modified Klipsch Heresies. The modifications lower the tweeter and squawker 3db and flatten out the impedance curve. The speakers are on 12" stands and placed in the corner at a 45 degree angle. The room is 13' x13.5' and this system plays incredibly loud (louder than I need) and it's a four watt amp. But it also has great punch and dynamics. Imaging and sound staging are superb and most people can't pick out which speakers are actually playing (I have two pairs of speakers in the room). IMO the Heresies need a subwoofer because they don't put out enough bass for me. I would love to hear this system with a Stingray or an Almarro amp, though for the $130 I spent for the Magnavox I am not complaining.
The second system is based around the same Tube Audio Design amp and pre that Eagleman6722 uses. I use a pair of KEF C75 which sounds like the Heresies but have way more bass. These speakers are floor standers but are very small. In the pre I went the opposite way Eagleman went. I put in a pair of RCA black plate 12AU7s for a little less punch (it still has plenty). I use this system in triode mode so itÂ’s only 30 watts per channel. In a 16' x 24' room it has no problem playing louder than I would ever want it to. It has all the punch and dynamics you would ever need for Rock music along with a beautiful midrange and gorgeous highs. Sound staging and imaging is superb.
The point is that you can definitely play rock music with tubes if you take the time to set it up right. Another advantage of tubes is you can listen for a long time at high volumes without any listener fatigue. For reference some of the rock bands I listen to are Rush, Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Floyd and Gov't Mule.