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What determines good distortion?

I have a friend using an Audio Research CA 50 integrated amp with 45 watts/channel into Vandersteen 2ce sig II. I use a 50 watt YBA integrated into the same speakers. We both listen at sane levels in small rooms 8 x 12. He thinks that it's better to use a 50 watt tube amp rather than a 50 watt SS amp because tubes when they distort sound more pleasant. I'm thinking that if you drive the amp into clipping it's bad with either a SS or tube amp because clipping distortion is bad whether or not you can tolerate it. Am I wrong?
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Showing 1 response by bombaywalla

bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
I'm sure there are some things that could be done to even the Mona Lisa to make it more appealing to some, but that would result in a reproduction that is distorted in some way but for good reason perhaps. Would that be wrong?
given the contents of your post, it would be wrong for you (& probably me as well 'cuz I agree with you that distortion is never even if it sounds good to one's ears) but would be right for many others.
Audio is so subjective & it depends on what the listener's objective is that there is no straight answer to your question. (of course, you already knew that! ;-) ).
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