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I have read in a couple of places that preamp tubes are more important in shaping the sound of your system than output tubes. First, do people agree with this? Second, is the theory basically that the tubes that are in the chain earlier affect the sound more or is there something else to it?
Follow Ups:
If you change from a el34 to a 845 output tube and do not hear a large difference something is up with the rest of your system. I would say the same if you used a 6sl7 instead of a 12ax7 in your phono pre amp. I would say, my guess in most systems, the 845 change would be larger than the 6sl7.Now to make matters more compliated I have tried various tubes, transformers, chokes, caps, resistors, batteries, etc... sometimes they is no explaining it, the magic happens. This is where your ears put math to shame. If they could do it with math and semi conductors we would have great cheap stereos.
So I would guess the more tranformers, chokes and tubes you use and the less sand diodes, transistors, resistors, caps( no electrolytics!!!) the closer you get to tonally correct music.
So if you want good sound that should be pretty easy with tubes. If you want great sound that will require work.
For the most part, preamp type tubes have more sonic effect than power output tubes. However, all tubes are critical to best sonics in home entertainment amps.
When you say, "preamp tubes" are you referring to the tubes in a preamp or the input and driver tubes in a power amp?IMO, it depends on the component and the associated circuit design. Then again, I'm not a habitual tube roller. I tend to change tubes fairly infrequently. So, when I perceive a sonic change, is it due to:
1. Differences in the design and/or manufacturing of the tubes?
2. Differences due to wear on the used tubes vs. the new tubes? If wear is an issue, how do we account for that? Plot sonic "goodness" vs. time in service?
3. Some other factor, such as the cleaning of the tube socket pins that takes place when the tubes are removed and replaced?
4. The fact that I spent $X and have waited Y days for the new tubes to arrive and I've somehow subconsciously convinced myself that the new tubes have to be better?I wouldn't worry too much about "theories", especially here. If you want to make a change, check the archives for subjective opinions and go from there.
Regards,
Hamerfan
That's kinda-sorta true. A better statement would be that the tubes which provide the most gain, or "amplification" will affect the sound the most. A tube preamp is always near the top of the chain, but the phono tubes affect the sound a bit more than the linestage tubes in the same preamp, while the linestage tubes affect sonics more than would the cathode followers (if present) in the same preamp. Put simply, it's all about gain. Tube CD players or those Magnum Dynalab tuners that "gots toobze" (yes, they really are THAT important in the Magnum's overall sound) use tubes in a zero gain buffer amp circuit; changing these tubes will make very little difference. In a tube amp, the phase splitter tube needs to be electrically sound and section balanced but changes here will also not be earth shattering. The 1st tube/voltage amp in a tube amp is about on par with linestage tubes as far as benefits from premium tubes-- pretty significant; more significant than the output tubes themselves. The main thing is that to change line or phono tubes and install good NOS is generally much cheaper than buying matched quads of NOS output tubes-- the cost/benefit ratio leans to spending on preamp tubes rather than output tubes as giving you much more bang for the buck. When you do go for those NOS preamp tubes, save some $ and get good 1950s and 1960s US tubes by RCA, TungSol, and Raytheon. They are as good or better than Telefunken and late production Mullard & Amperex for less than 1/2 the $.
Thanks for a well-reasoned post.I think searching for the holy grail of output tubes is futile. Of course, the definition of futility depends on how much spare cash you have :) .
Regards,
Hamerfan
In line section of my Oakley Image S preamp third tube - cathode follower 12au7 is important like the first tube 12ax7.Milos from Serbia
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