2. amps-preamps
  3. 1264342155

Tubes vs. solid state.

I just switched back to my ss equipment and can't see how I listened to ss for so many years and thought that I had a good system, maybe the equipment needs to be left on for some time.
But regardless of that, the difference is startling. I know that my tube equipment is not the same degree of excellence as my ss, but now ss sounds lean, thin lifeless. Have my listening priorities changed? One thing I noticed; my listening perception adapts to the sound present in the room. As I write this the sound is improving incremently.
Anyone share the same experience??
I will post as I will continue to listen and notice differences.
Ss is simaudio p-5 w-5, tubes are Cj premier 4 amp and audio experience a2se preamp.
Are there ss preamps that will satisfy or am I smitten by bubes I mean tubes.
pedrillo

Showing 3 responses by cooljazzcat

cooljazzcat
17 posts
 
For me, a tube amp crossed over at around 80hz to a quality sealed servo sub is audio-nirvana. All of the slow, flabby bass arguments against tubes go out the window with this setup.
cooljazzcat
17 posts
 
Phd,
Would you care to list those solid state amps which have a reputation that rival tubes in terms of harmonics, mid range excellence, and 3D sound? The common understanding is that you need to look at amps which cost over $10k on a SS amp to even approach a tube amp.

Second, good tube amps can drive all but the most difficult speakers. Some of us use crossovers, and allow subs to handle the really low freq's which allows us to use low powered tube amps (mine is only 25 watts).

The challenges of having a speaker driven by voltage (tubes) instead of by current (SS) can easily be remedied. On the other side of the coin, good luck trying to find a SS amp which handles the mids and highs the way tubes do. It is near impossible!!

Notice the near unanimous concensus here that tubes are superior for most musical genres (non death metal or dance music - who listens to that crap any way).

I presume that you don;t have much experience with listening to actual tube AMPS - tube preamps + SS amp does not equal a proper tube setup.

I'll never forget when I heard my first tube amp. It was a lowly jolida 302b integrated. I wept as I went through my CD collection and rediscovered music in the mid-range which I never thought was there, nor did I ever imagine that that much detail and information can be stored on a CD. Every "high end" SS amp that I've tested failed to retrieve those details off of my CD's.

Once you turn into a tubehead, you never go back.
cooljazzcat
17 posts
 
Phd, thanks for your input.

I have heard some of those amps you mentioned however they are still different than my amp with EL34's which is known as the ideal tube for mids. There is a harmonic bloom to them that I have not heard in SS setups.

Second, you said:

"I hope you people live forever, will not criticize anyones choices because there are so many differences in room acoustics...."

But before that you said:

"I want to suggest that solid state has become so good that it really makes little sense to use tubes.'

You see, it YOU that started criticizing people's choices to use tubes....peace.
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