2. amps-preamps
  3. 159531-110095

Tubes?

I have Revel Salon 2 speakers. Sensitivity is about 85 db. and 4 ohms. They are power hungry speakers. Currently, I am driving them with McIntosh 601's and a McIntosh solid state preamp. I was look looking at a pair of McIntosh MC2301. They are tube amps rated at 300 watts into 2 - 8 ohm loads. I listen to all types of music (sometimes at very high levels). I never run out of power with the 601's, but I am very intrigued with tubes. This may be a misconception, but I remember some friends who played guitar saying, tube watts were louder than solid state? Perhaps this is not really true or not true regarding home stereo. Perhaps the best idea is to keep the 601's and get a good tube preamp?                          Thanks, Dave 
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Showing 2 responses by three_easy_payments

three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@audition__audio   +1

It is ridiculously stupid to suggest that tube watts are greater than SS watts.  Tube amps sound "better" however to me and it's excatly about the even order harmonics, soft clipping,  and the fact tubes have more linear transfer functions than transistors, so tube amplifiers usually need and use much less negative feedback.

Who makes this stuff up about tube watts being greater than SS watts???  lol  Maybe it's how we define greater.....in euphonics.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
I'm in complete agreement with @charles1dad.  With the OP's speakers the tube pre and SS amp makes the most sense and is the path of least resistance to a nice sound.  

And all things equal I have no idea why folks who love tube amps wouldn't want to create a system based around SET tube amp of reasonable power (~22 watts and higher ) paired with easy to drive speakers.  I fear that all the fist pounding exerted by @millercarbon to bully people into buying some KT88 Raven amp are going to distract some from missing the magic of a large bottle SET circuit with carefully selected speakers.  The experience just can't be replicated from some push-pull design IMO and is worthy of experiencing.  
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