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Propeller Head Plaza Technical and scientific discussion of amps, cables and other topics. |
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Propeller Head Plaza Technical and scientific discussion of amps, cables and other topics. |
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In Reply to: What about "pro audio" tube amps? posted by Russ57 on June 1, 2007 at 09:55:02:
Russ,
I made too much of a generalization. When I speak about "PRO" solid state amps I'm only speaking about the ones I've heard, i.e. BGW, Crest, Crown & QSC pro audio amps. However all these amps shared what I've come to call "pro solid state sound" This can best be described as being dull/lifeless, flat soundstage, harsh, highly fatiguing sound. I've had considerable experience with the pro stuff because when I first became involved in home audio it what a no-brainer to use some of our band's equipment as my stereo system when not practicing. To this day I remember the day when HAD to replace the Crown IC-150 preamp & D-150A poweramp with a C/M Labs CC-2 preamp & CM-914 poweramp. As a band we had a falling out with the bass player who owned the Crown equipment. So when we kicked him out of the band he took his equipment with him. With one fell swoop we lost our PA's electronics. I remembered seeing the C/M Labs stuff at the local audio store being sold as used. Buying them was my first audio purchase. On our PA it sounded perhaps a little louder, but installed in my home stereo I heard a much greater difference. I heard things on LPs I hadn't heard before plus it just plain sounded better, period.
As far as "PRO" tubed equipment goes I cannot and will not comment on it Russ. I've never heard any of it used in a home stereo and I simply will not comment on components I have not heard. IMHO accurately commenting on audio components I haven't heard is like accurately commenting on what type of lover Halle Berry is from looking at her picture. I realize that once upon a time "PRO" audio equipment was tubed. However whether or not those older tubed "PRO" audio components would have different abilities in their sound or sound staging than a home hi-fi tubed amp would depend of course on how they were constructed. As any component audio designer will tell you, individual component layout can and often does affect the sound. So it's possible they'll sound the same and it's possible they'll sound different. I honestly don not know. Some people say just using different connectors types such as XLR or RCA etc affects the sound and causes a difference. So in the case of the "PRO" audio guys using Bryston in the studio I suppose it would matter if they were the exact same amps as home consumers purchased or not.
I do know this Jerry Garcia was so convinced that audio components affected the sound of his concerts he eventually toured with all McIntosh audio components...
"Even the notoriously picky Grateful Dead used nothing but McIntosh amps in their most ambitious PA systems. Who could argue with those credentials?"
http://stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/804mcintosh/
"the Dead, always determined to stay one step ahead of the State of the Art, resolved to develop a sound system that was up to the daunting task of filling those larger spaces with sound. Sound that was not just loud but clear, to a degree never before attempted. The ultimate result of years of research and experimentation was The Wall of Sound, conceived and built in collaboration with Owsley Stanley, Ron Wickersham, Dan Healy, Bob Matthews and others in the Dead’s circle of technical wizards. The final incarnation of The Wall was a wonder to see, with its towering stacks and hanging clusters of speakers — 641 in all — and racks of amplifiers (McIntosh 2300s, putting out more than 26,000 watts). It was even more of a joy to hear — The Wall was described by many as the biggest and best hi-fi system on earth, bringing the sound of an audiophile’s living room — a very loud living room — to even the most acoustically nightmarish hockey rinks."
http://www.dead.net/almanac/vol9_2/pages/page4.html
Thetubeguy1954
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- RE: What about "pro audio" tube amps? - thetubeguy1954 11:54:03 06/01/07 (0)
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