Nope tubes have real advantages as amplifiers

Modern circuits and components can maximise those advantages. Often not mentioned among the others is that truly large PSU storage is easier for valve amps than for SS, even baby classics.

My rebuilt / modified LEAK Stereo 20 amps don't sound warm or thick at all. BIG stiff PSUs were an intended part of both rebuilds. 20WPC 20-20k in pentode instead of a bit over 10 wpc in UL, using 7189/EL84M valves. Review here at AA.

Mine sound nice in ways that few modern SS amps, esp. for the cost, could hope to approach. If the recording is BRIGHT and a multi-close miked mono mix-down you'll sure know, but all the valve expression and nuance stuff still happens, and on real stereo ..., wow!!!.

Very quiet, transparent, and capable of letting you hear an Aphex Aural exciter doing its thing [ or its worst? :-) ] Even the bass has SLAMM.

In OEM / old stored state? Boinggy and thuddily slow in the bass, and noisy including burrps and farts, and just-audible hum.

IMO many current tube power amps still have smallish power supplies and use minimum rating R's , .... ! Some still run the OPT stage too hard.

I didn't get into tubes for the warm rolled off limited bass sound nor the PSU limitations known as sag to electric guitarists, and loved by many of them as an effect, but to let them get out of the way, like they can given the right 'systems support.'

If you have speaker's and a set-up you are know is optimised, you need to listen to some amps, including some optimised classics.

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Are tube liquidity/palpability and neutrality antithetical? - jazz251 14:39:15 08/04/12 (18)

No- its all about distortion - Ralph 10:39:06 08/06/12 (3)

RE: No- its all about distortion - morricab 05:02:34 08/08/12 (0)

RE: No- its all about distortion - Jim McShane 11:52:56 08/06/12 (1)

RE: No- its all about distortion - Ralph 12:53:24 08/06/12 (0)

RE: Are tube liquidity/palpability and neutrality antithetical? - Alex M 03:45:03 08/06/12 (0)

Nope - triode 13:41:39 08/05/12 (0)

RE: Are tube liquidity/palpability and neutrality antithetical? - Jim McShane 10:49:48 08/05/12 (3)

RE: Are tube liquidity/palpability and neutrality antithetical? - ahendler 12:32:59 08/05/12 (2)

Yes, but it's not the harmonics on the continuous tone that gives characteristic timbre. - Timbo in Oz 01:07:17 08/15/12 (0)

RE: Are tube liquidity/palpability and neutrality antithetical? - Jim McShane 11:38:55 08/06/12 (0)

Nope tubes have real advantages as amplifiers - Timbo in Oz 21:48:39 08/04/12 (0)

No - Jack G 18:07:43 08/04/12 (0)

I don't have an answer to your question - 1973shovel 17:46:04 08/04/12 (0)

I'm a generation behind on ARC amps - plantsman 16:41:43 08/04/12 (4)

RE: I'm a generation behind on ARC amps - AbeCollins 07:08:16 08/06/12 (3)

RE: I'm a generation behind on ARC amps - plantsman 06:17:45 08/07/12 (2)

RE: I'm a generation behind on ARC amps - Mechans 12:13:27 08/08/12 (1)

I only partially agree - plantsman 15:41:29 08/08/12 (0)

Follow Ups

Nope tubes have real advantages as amplifiers - Timbo in Oz 21:48:39 08/04/12 (0)

Nope tubes have real advantages as amplifiers

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