I have heard sometime ago that the reason older tube amps sound so tubey is due to higher levels of distortion when compared to newer designs. Anyone care to agree or disagree?
Why don’t tube amps sound like tubes anymore?
When I hear the latest tube amps I’m more reminded of what a solid state amp sounds like than what I remember a tube amp once sounded like. I say that, with most tube amps I hear today, but not all. Gone seems to be the lush tones, warm glow and natural harmonics I used to hear. What I hear is more of a thoroughbred, faster, sharper sound when I listen to a modern tube design today. Then why use tubes?