2. misc-audio
  3. 170150-146675

Vinylistas and Tubers - One and the same?

I am curious to see if I am in the small minority of Goners who listen exclusively to vinyl (or who have some digital source they use only when the can't get the album on a vinyl new release or reasonably priced in NM condition) and use solid state amps and phono stage. My reasons are I've been building my vinyl collection for the past 40+years, interrupted by the 10-15 years when vinyl wasn't being produced or distributed much in the US from the late 80's until the early 2000's and think it sounds better than CDs - never tried hi rez DLs or streaming, and I don't want to deal with the cost, inconvenience, unreliability (compared to SS) or heat of tubes. 

Please let me know if this describes you and your reasons.

Also, interested in the logic of those who use tubes and listen to digital.

Don't really need to hear from the digital SSers or the vinyl tubers unless your reasons are not obvious (either wanting no noise and maximum selection or like the full sound of vinyl with mid range emphasis and tube mellowness and are willing to pay the price).


sokogear

Showing 2 responses by sokogear

sokogear OP
1,054 posts
 

So everybody looks at the technology primarily, not the individual component's characteristics when it comes to tubes vs. solid state? I think the box matters more than the technology. Plenty of great SS out there and crappy tubes.

I agree that digital can approach vinyl, depending on the recording and the components being used, and convenience can play a major role, perhaps even more than the tubes/SS question.

sokogear OP
1,054 posts
 

@ghdprentice - I think you are in the minority in terms of not being biased towards the technology among posters here (excluding @audition_audio . I guess when it comes to cost/value in tubes vs. SS it depends on the price point and perhaps at your level of investment, tubes are a better decision.

I know that in my experience when I was looking for my first phono stage when I was thinking about my system more and realized how much it could help versus the phono input of my amp (even thought that has a MC setting) when I had extra time during the outset of the pandemic, the SS one from Sutherland (Insight) could not be touched in a tube model for at least twice the price. I thought a tube phono stage would be a good combo with a SS integrated and because of the low current needed, the tubes would last a long time, even if it always left on.

We are in agreement with the vinyl/digital question although I have no investment in digital (the CD player is now broken and headed to the heap at Best Buy) and I have purchased most of the CDs on vinyl I like the best that were previously unavailble on vinyl, but have now been released. I was under the impression (as you say) that a similar digital set up from as SQ standpoint versus vinyl would cost a lot more.

I'd like to hear the thoughts of @mikelavigne on this subject as he knows these markets and has invested significantly in all of them, including reel to reel.  

More to discover