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Tube Watts vs. Solid State Watts - Any credence?

I've heard numerous times that Tube watts are not the same as Solid State watts when it comes to amps running speakers. For example, a 70 watt tube amp provides more power than a 140 watt solid state amp. Is there any credence to this or just sales talk and misguided listeners? If so, how could this be? One reason I ask is a lot of speakers recommend 50 - 300 watts of amplification but many stores have 35 watt tube amps or 50 watts tube amps running them. More power is usually better to run speakers, so why am I always hearing this stuff about a tube watt is greater than a solid state watt?
djfst

Showing 7 responses by czarivey

czarivey
5,740 posts
 
tube amps have no bass hence it's power mostly applied towards mids and highs while the solid state amps go full range. 70w of tube amp power will scream out louder on mids and highs, while same of solid state will cover full range and will have substantially lower volume vs tube. otherwise power is just product of voltage and current not just watts.
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
well some of them isn't most of them. it's nature of tubes and output transformers. they're weak when impedance of speaker goes down on low frequencies.
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
well some of them isn't most of them. it's nature of tubes and output transformers. they're weak when impedance of speaker goes down on low frequencies.
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
Geoffkait,
How about Amperes, Volts and Ohms are they also better?
Ampere, Volt, Ohm and Watt were dudes that named these units of measure. I would suggest you to provide quantitative answer to your hypothesis by deriving your own unit of measure by how much of your units TubeWatts are better than SSWatts.
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
...but can you give algebraic or geometrical representation so everyone can understand?
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
Geofkait,
You are either autistic(which happens to many Americans for known reason) or didn't grow up yet.
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
Djfst,

You can easily divide your 'tube watts' by 2 in most of cases driving Sonus Faber speakers...
So your tube watts are actually halved making you believe that they're loud.

They simply don't see anything below 60Hz due to the struggle with tough load. Most of the power of solid state "watts" are thrown to reproduce bass frequencies below 60Hz.

If you REALLY want to benefit from your tube watz u need to purchase amplified sub-woofer.

No rocket science at all.
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