They have different strengths. Those going for the most natural recreation of the musical experience are drawn to tubes.
Why is solid state more popular when tubes are better?
Yes tubes are more involved and require periodic maintenance. Hybrid tube components need not apply, these are really solid state.
Tubes are better for multiple reasons and yet the world and the trade prefers solid state. Those rare audio shops that are geared toward stereo listening and serious connoisseurs tend to Focus more on tubes. Those in business who like to improve volumes tend to offer solid state. All the YouTube channels looking to improve their business tend to be solid state. Maybe because tubes require much more expertise to sell, and there's lesser and lesser to go around. Solid state is more of a fast food commodity.
Tubes are difficult for businesses due to all the maintenance and complexity so you see it less often. Much much easier to sell hybrids or solid state.
Showing 11 responses by ghdprentice
I owned small tubed components for the last two or three decades… preamps and CD players.
Well, I am now sorry that I had hesitated. The characteristics of tube amps far outweigh the over emphasized down side. Also, my amp has auto biasing and slow startup, extending tube like and increasing reliability. |
@sbonamo …”Tubes are not quantifiably better than SS, in fact, the majority of true reference - class systems run solid state, which has been long optimized to be (subjectively of course) better than tube amps.”. Exactly. The classic… measurable vs sounds better to humans. A well disigned tube amp / preamp sounds much better to humans. Solid state test better. If I was a test device I would love solid state gear. But, since I am human, I am so thankful to be listening to tube gear.
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OP…“Regarding reference systems recently mentioned above. While very respectable, these seem to be professionally grown Systems revealing precise characteristics of music being played that may not be enjoyable for longer-term use.”
Sorry, I am not going to re-read the whole string again. But I think you really nailed it here. The system I had (with high end solid state amp ten years ago), I called my reference system because the moment a new cut came on the venue and mastering was in my face. The level of detail was out of proportion to the musical content. The bass would slap me in the face and chest. This has absolutely never happened in a concert unless some audio engineer turned up the treble / gain too much.
From years attending the symphony, I learned that all the venue clues are there, but the are subtle, not in the foreground, the bass is there but spread out over a half second… not slapping you in the face in a microsecond. A well designed tube amp gets the gestalt right… it doesn’t overemphasis details. It gets music right.
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@emergingsoul “… a guy with a $100,000+ system mixed-and-matched from "best of" lists.”
One of the primary reasons components must be judged on the basis of sound quality.
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OP,
Yeah… Zesto… I know… I would not instantly turn my head and think, “That must be a world class audiophile product.” A British guy in Southern California… great sounding audiophile products… much better than Schiit. I am not in favor of this counter sensical naming. I swore I would never buy a piece of Schiit, but after a lot of research… I bought a couple for my office system. Performance is always first in my mind. |