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Tubes in Hi-End Preamps

I’m confused. If some of you engineer types could pipe in on this subject, it would be greatly appreciated. I know a little, but not a lot about electricity. I’ve been in the battery industry for 20 years and have taken two semesters of college electronics, so I know just enough to be dangerous.

For 15 years, I’ve been sans preamp. The idea being that I don’t want anything messing up the source signal. That limits me to one source only though, and I’ve finally caved in to the need to be able to access multiple sources with the turn of a knob.

It’ll be nice to finally have hifi sound when I watch DVDs, and I would like to spin vinyl again after 20 years away from analog. To that end, I have an Audio Illusions Modulus 3A unit on its way now.

OK, here’s my question:

Why is it that many higher end preamps, Audio Research for example, that are said to be “neutral” and “transparent” sounding use tubes in their designs? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier and less expensive to build a solid state circuit that produces clean, neutral, and transparent sound? Aren’t tubes supposed to “color” the sound?

I've noticed the presence of a lot more equipment out there (the latest generation of some designs) with tube output sections that are described as not sounding "tubey." What's the point then of having tubes?

I hope I haven’t opened a can of worms here.
blumusician

Showing 1 response by kjweisner

kjweisner's avatar
kjweisner
293 posts
 
I think there's been a lot of work done in the last few years by both tube and solid state builders to eliminate or at least ameliorate those pejorative characteristics of either discipline. Tube-based builders have succeeded in becoming less tubey (warm, lush, euphonic, mushy), while solid state mfrs have likewise become less solid state (clinical, brittle, etched, etc.).

I personally own both tube and solid state gear from B.A.T. It seems evident that their philosophy is either can be done well, and that there should be little gross difference between them. They build both tube and solid state designs for both pre- and power amps, and have achieved acclaim in the press and satisfaction from buyers.

To be sure, some tube-based designs deliberately deliver the traditional tube sound and there are buyers for whom this is the satisfying choice. I would likewise assert that some solid state gear displays a certain 'sound' that is pleasing to others. In each case, system dependency is frequently a major factor.

I don't believe either is intrinsically incapable of delivering neutrality and/or musicality. . .but I could be wrong, and it wouldn't be a a first.
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