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tube vs SS my own little test

So last weekend I went to a audio show at my local dealer. But alas the dealer was sick so. I a distributor filled in for him. I have know for a few years.

So we started chatting. Last few years I have been changing/upgrading my set little by little. Different speakers, turntable, phono amp. However my integrated amp stayed. My amp is a Symphonic Line La musica. So out of curiosity I asked him what do you think. I my amp still up to it.

To which he answered, I don't know. Why don't you borrow an amp from the shop and find out. So I went home with an Octave V110 and an Octave Super Black Box.

So how do they compare? Well the difference is different from what I expected. I have never owned a tube amp, or any tube gear for that matter. The Octave is a push pull pentode tube amp. This particular V110 comes with KT150 tubes instead of the KT120 tubes which the V110 normally has. Since I know nothing of tube I have no clue what that means to the sound.

Back to the sound. First I was disappointed a bit. It didn't sound that good. a Bit lack luster. And no "magical" tube mids that I have read about. The SL was more punchy, better controlled bass, and the mids and high were not that different.

However that changed after some time. Me knowing nothing of tubes didn't know that it can take up to an hour for the tube to completely warm up or something. because after about 30 minutes the amp sounds a lot better and after an hour even better still.

The SL was still a bit more dynamic and maybe still had a little more bass power. But after an hour the Octace mids and highs are clearly superior. Not that the SL is bad by any standard. But the Octave sounds more organic for lack of better wording.

But how practical is an amp that needs close to an hour to warm up? How typical is that of tube amps? Since to me I think it would be a deal breaker. I do not always have the time sometimes I just have 20 minutes.

Do hybrid integrated amps tube pre/SS power suffer from the same "shortcoming"?

Coming days I'll listen some more and see if I can find more differences.
mordante
infection's avatar
infection
808 posts
 
Why are you guys with SS turning them off...???!
abucktwoeighty's avatar
abucktwoeighty
1,079 posts
 
Stand-by, not off.
mordante OP
511 posts
 
My SS amp is an A/B amp. High bias class A. My electricity bill goes up when I leave it on.
larryi
3,982 posts
 
Mordante,

As a very general comment, I find that it takes FAR longer for solid state gear to warm up and sound its best. Most of the tube gear I've heard sounds decent in 10-15 minutes, some solid state stuff can take more than an hour to sound good. But, because it is more practical to leave solid state gear on all of the time, warm up issues can be avoided with solid state while it is almost NEVER a good idea to leave tube gear on for extended periods while not in use.

I am not familiar with Octave gear so I don't know about the particulars of your experience. I will say that there is a VAST difference between tube types and particular tube amp designs, and pretty significant differences between vintages and brands of any particular type of tube that one should not draw too many conclusions about the "sound" of tube gear based on limited exposure.

I know a lot of people demand power, and the KT120 and KT150 do deliver much more power than other tubes in that family, but, generally speaking, I much prefer something like the EL34 or 6L6 in pushpull amps. I find that there are a number of high-powered pushpull amps that, to me, sound much leaner (stripped of harmonic density and weight) and exhibit more "glare" (sharp prominence in the treble that creates a hard or shrill sound) than most top solid state amps.

It will be quite rewarding to hear a number of different amps. I don't know about the speakers you are driving, preferred listening level and size of your room, but, as a general caveat, don't overlook tube amps that deliver much less power than the solid state amps you are familiar with--you might be surprised how much less power you really "need" when the amp sounds right.

minorl
1,016 posts
 
I don't believe in leaving any electrical equipment turned on. Its the perfect scenario where you come home and your house is burned to the ground. Except for my refrigerator, everything else better be off.

I have tube and solid state equipment and no way on this planet am I leaving my tubed equipment on anyway.

AR doesn't recommend that and with the tubes fully powered, the life of the tubes diminishes when the power is on. So many hours of life per tube. Makes no sense to me to leave tube equipment on when I'm either not home or not using it. Unless there is some standby circuit that doesn't impact the life of the tubes.

My amps get really warm so that isn't happening.

So, if I have to turn the tube equipment off anyway, I might as well turn everything off.

But, as I mentioned earlier, I would turn the equipment off anyway.

To each their own. I just feel better and safer with the equipment off when not in use.

enjoy
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